MULTI-CRITERIA ASSESSMENT FOR SUPPORTING FREEWAY OPERATIONS: SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK BASED APPLICATIONS

Traffic Management Centers (TMCs) provide many benefits to both traffic operators and on-road travelers. ITS technologies such as closed circuit videos allow traffic operators to monitor and operate freeways; dynamic message signs can provide roadway information so that travelers can properly react to the roadway situation. For long term support of TMCs, this research described three separate tasks. First, this research describes the factors influencing the TMCs? investments, effective methods in persuading the public to support deployment of TMCs, and legal issues involved with making a decision to deploy TMCs. After developing two approaches, which provide the range of criteria weights, this research uses a concordance approach to explain the priority ranking of these criteria. The results indicate that incident management, improved environment and improved safety are the most important factors influencing the TMCs? investment, while newspaper articles and other media are the most effective method in persuading the public to support deployment of TMCs.