Improving management of traffic incidents is one way to help reduce congestion, since they account for approximately 25 percent of the total congestion on U.S. highways.

The project team will investigate various traffic-incident management initiatives, including quick-clearance practices and policies that other transportation agencies use, determine their advantages and disadvantages and assess the feasibility of adopting strategies not currently employed in Virginia.

The team also will provide emergency responders and Virginia Department of Transportation staff with a tool – individualized for a particular incident, location and time – to estimate the benefits of quickly clearing a traffic incident. This tool will provide an incident commander with real-time information on the costs to travelers of extended lane closures.

The guidance on quick clearance is aimed to support statewide implementation of strategies to improve incident response and clearance times.