Improving mobility by optimizing the number, location and usage of loading/unloading bays for urban freight vehicles

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

André Romano Alho (Author) Other; João de Abreu e Silva (Author) Other; Jorge Pinho de Sousa (Author) FEUP; Edgar Blanco (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment

Vol. 61 No. SI - Part A

Pages: 3-18

ISSN: 1361-9209

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citations

Scopus

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00P-0HM

DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2017.05.014

Abstract (EN): The role of urban freight vehicle trips in fulfilling the consumption needs of people in urban areas is often overshadowed by externality-causing parking practices (e.g., double-parking associated with traffic delays). Loading/unloading bays are generally viewed as an effective way to avoid freight vehicles double-parking, but are often misused by non-freight vehicles. We assess the potential of reducing freight vehicles double-parking mobility impacts by changing: (a) the spatial configuration (number, location, size) of loading/unloading bays and, (b) the non-freight vehicles parking rules compliance levels. Parking demand models were created with data from an establishment-based freight survey and a parking observation exercise. Two case studies were defined for 1 km(2) zones in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. Alternative bay systems were derived from an iterative implementation of the "maximize capacitated coverage" algorithm to a range of bays to be located. Parking operations in current and alternative bay systems were compared using a microsimulation. Bay systems' ability in reducing double-parking impacts was assessed via a set of indicators (e.g., average speed). Freight traffic causes a disproportionate amount of externalities and the current bay configuration leads to greater mobility impacts than some of the proposed systems. Enforcement was a crucial element in reducing parking operations impact on traffic flow in one of the case-studies. Road network characteristics were demonstrated to play a role in the adequate strategy of arranging the spatial configuration of bays.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16