Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

ScienceDirect
Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93

12th International Conference "Organization and Traffic Safety Management in large cities",
SPbOTSIC-2016, 28-30 September 2016, St. Petersburg, Russia

Solutions of a Multicriteria Problem of Optimum Placement of

Short-term Rest Areas on Highways
Yaroslav Borshchenko a*, Valery Vasilyev, Alexander Lizunov, Alexander Sharypov
Kurgan State University, 25 Gogol Str., Kurgan, 649669, Russia

Abstract

The authors consider in the article the problem of optimum placement of short-term rest areas on highways. Determination of the
optimum quantity of such short-term rest areas is a multicriteria problem including diverse factors, among which there are
qualitative ones. The statistical analysis of the correlation between the age and experience of the driver and the driving speed of a
single-unit car on highways has proved the presence of influence, which is, however, not significant statistically. It is proposed to
use a new functional dependence for short-term rest areas, in which quantitative and qualitative factors characterizing the driver,
the car and the road will be taken into consideration through a set of coefficients.
© 2017
© 2016TheTheAuthors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier B.V.is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
B.V. This
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 12th International Conference "Organization and Traffic
Peer-review under responsibility
Safety Management of the organizing committee of the 12th International Conference “Organization and Traffic Safety
in large cities".
Management in large cities”
Keywords: traffic safety; short-term rest area; optimization; highway

1. Introduction

Under modern conditions, traffic safety depends on many factors. In this respect, the driver is considered to be
the weakest link in the DCRE system (driver–car–road–environment), that is why the control over the driver
increases (speed enforcement, observance of road traffic regulations as well as observance of the work and rest
schedule for drivers are monitored) to improve traffic safety.
The installation of service area facilities of different purpose serves as one of the methods to improve traffic

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +0-000-000-0000 ; fax: +0-000-000-0000 .

E-mail address: [email protected]*

2352-1465 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the 12th International Conference “Organization and Traffic Safety
Management in large cities”
doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2017.01.020
88 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93

safety, especially while travelling for long distances (for more than 4 hours). Modern standards for placement of
service area facilities with regard to distances between them do not conform to modern road conditions and needs of
drivers and passengers.
The study objective is optimization of placement of service area facilities through an example of short-term rest
areas playing a key role in maintenance of a high level of capacity for work and reliability of drivers of all types of
cars travelling for considerable distances.

2. Main text

2.1. Current state of the problem of placement of service area facilities

N. P. Ornatskiy in his works (1974, 1978) proposed to determine distances between short-term rest areas
according to the following formula:
଺଺Ǥସή௤ή௏೏
‫ݔ‬௔௩ ൌ (1)
௙ήே೏ೌ೤

where q — number of parking slots at the supposed parking;

Vd — design speed of a single-unit car, depending on the technical category of the designed or existing highway;
f — duration of stay at the parking, for the statement of the problem it is considered equal to 15 minutes or 0.25
hours;
Nday — average daily existing or prospective traffic intensity on the highway.
Ye. M. Okorokov in his research (1973) determined distances between short-term rest areas (Table 1) under the
following conditions: 1) calculated capacity of short-term rest areas for three motor cars; 2) the engagement
coefficient is equal to 1.5; 3) the daily intensity is accepted for the period of the maximum loading of rest areas on
highways.

Table 1. Recommended distances between short-term rest areas.

Distance between areas, km
Traffic intensity, cars per day Relief character
plain and broken mountain
1 2 3
Less than 1000 50 25
1000–2000 50–30 25–13
2000–3000 30–22 13–10
3000–4000 22–16 10–8
4000–5000 16–13 8–7
5000–6000 13–11 7–6
6000–7000 11–10 6–5
7000–8000 10–9 5–4
8000–9000 9–8 -

The following distances between short-term rest areas are established in the modern Set of Rules [Ministry of
Regional Development (2012)]: rest areas shall be provided every 15–20 km on highways of categories I–II, every
25–35 km — on highways of category III, and every 45–55 km on highways of category IV. As for the capacity, rest
areas shall comprise not less than 20–50 cars simultaneously on highways of category I upon the traffic intensity up
to 30,000 transport units per day, 10–15 cars simultaneously on highways of categories II–III, 10 cars
simultaneously on highways of category IV (cl. 11.8).

2.2. Some provisions accepted as assumptions

Prior to the consideration of the problem of optimization of service area facilities, we will accept some axioms
developed and accepted previously by other researchers:
x in calculations, the design speed is used;
x when considering time factors, the regulations of Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation
 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93 89

No. 15 dated 20.08.2004 will be used;

x on the basis of the provision of the Set of Rules [Ministry of Regional Development (2012)], “special areas for
short-term parking of cars are provided at food services areas, shops and emergency stations”;
x according to the article “Withdrawal”, “in order not to imperil traffic safety and to reach a convenient parking
space, the driver can deviate from AETR provisions (European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of
Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport) to the extent necessary to ensure traffic safety”;
x administrative centers of the regions shall be taken as the main cargo- and passenger-generating points.

2.3. Necessity of optimization of service area facilities’ placement

What quantity of service area facilities at the highway segment (section) shall be regarded as optimum? This
optimum quantity has to provide passengers, drivers and their cars with various services and needs, and at the same
time the traffic safety level at this section has to be maximum. Thus, we deal with a multicriteria optimization
problem, one of peculiarities of which is presence of diverse factors including qualitative ones.
The majority of service area facilities are specialized: motels, camping sites, filling stations, service stations,
cafés. But at the same time the majority of them can be used for short-term parking. For example, modern filling
stations are designed and constructed taking into account stop and parking of both motor and heavy vehicles.
Moreover, car drivers make short-term stops and overnight halts at exits to field and forest roads which are
designated in the course of design of highways taking into account needs of land users.
It should be noted that the requirements of the Set of Rules (SR, previously Construction Rules and Regulations)
have not changed since the early 1980s considerably. At the same time, the level of automobilization and traffic
intensity increased dramatically in Russia over the past 20 years, especially on highways of federal importance, and
the structure of the traffic stream changed. The structure of the traffic stream in October, 2015 on km 260 of 1P254
“Irtysh” highway according to the results of a field study is given in Fig. 1.
94 out of 357 motor cars of this traffic stream are transit transport that amounts to 26%.
Now, it is practically impossible to see a single-unit car moving on highways of federal importance. It usually
moves in the traffic stream. The dependence of the motor car speed on the intensity and structure of the traffic
stream has been studied rather well.

Motor cars
Trucks, 1–5 t
Trucks, 5–15 t
Road trains
Fig. 1. Structure of the traffic stream on “Irtysh” highway.
90 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93

Besides, the car speed depends on the road surface condition (smoothness, coefficient of adhesion), geometrical
dimensions and strengthening of roadsides. These dependences were also studied previously by scientists-road
builders.
From the point of view of the authors, the single-unit car speed and the traffic stream speed at a particular section
also depend on the traffic management at the highway segment, road traffic accidents, repair works, capital repairs
or road reconstruction. Besides, the single-unit car speed is influenced by its technical specifications (specific
power, maximum speed, availability of the Vehicle Stability Assist systems), psychophysiological characteristics
and temperament of the driver.
To detect the dependence of the motor car speed on experience and age, in 2013–2015 a survey of drivers
making long-distance trips was conducted. The sample volume amounted to 92 respondents; distribution of the
preferred speeds is presented in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Distribution of the preferred driving speeds among drivers of different age and experience.
 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93 91

As it is seen from the distribution of the preferred speeds, 7.6% of drivers strictly observe road traffic
regulations, 39.1% of drivers exceed the speed established by road traffic regulations but stay within the non-
punishable excess, and the rest 53.3% exceed the speed, while 2.2% of those exceed the speed considerably, but at
the same time these drivers possess cars with high technical specifications and safety systems.
It should also be noted that these 2.2% of drivers have experience of 4 and more than 20 years, therefore, their
speed rate depends more not on age or experience but on psychophysiological characteristics of the driver and his
temperament as well as, perhaps, on the purpose of the trip and its duration. The sample analysis enabled to establish
correlation between age, experience and the preferred speed, which is represented in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. Influence of age and experience on the preferred driving speed on highways outside populated localities.
92 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93

The performed statistical analysis of correlation between age, experience of the driver and driving speed of a
single-unit motor car on highways showed presence of influence, however, the level of statistical significance of the
regressional dependence of the second degree according to the index of the multiple determination coefficient for
this sample amounted to 0.26 or 26% which indicated a low level of influence, therefore, the speed depends on other
factors to a greater extent.
N. P. Ornatskiy in his work (1986) proposed a theoretical model of optimum placement of traffic service
constructions, which is expressed by the following functional dependence:

ܲ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ܮ‬ǡ ܰǡ ‫ܦ‬௔ ǡ ܼ௧ ǡ ߴҧǡ ‫ܣ‬ǡ ‫ݐ‬ǡ ݊ሻ (2)

where L — length of the road, km;

N — traffic intensity, vehicles per day;
Da — density of populated localities in the highway area;
Zt — trip zone;
ߴҧ — average speed on the route, km/h;
А — attraction of service constructions and their profitability;
t — duration of stay of drivers and passengers at service facilities, hours;
n — number of road users using this type of services.
According to the authors, this functional dependence is more applicable to food services areas, filling stations,
service stations and motels. With regard to the above, a new functional dependence consisting of the following
factors is proposed to be used for short-term rest areas [Lizunov (2015)]:

ܲ ൌ ݂ሺߴௗ ǡ ‫ݐ‬ǡ ‫ܭ‬ଵ ǡ ‫ܭ‬ଶ ǡ ‫ܭ‬ଷ ǡ ‫ܭ‬ସ ǡ ‫ܭ‬ହ ǡ ‫ ଺ܭ‬ǡ ‫ ଻ܭ‬ሻ, (3)

where ߴௗ — design speed of the car for a particular section of the highway (it can change);
t — movement time of the car, multiple of 2 hours;
К1 — coefficient taking into account the traffic stream intensity;
К2 — coefficient taking into account the traffic stream structure [Lizunov (2013), Lizunov and Borshchenko
(2014)];
К3 — coefficient taking into account the road surface condition (smoothness, adhesion);
К4 — coefficient taking into account dynamic behavior of the car which is constant for this trip;
К5 — coefficient taking into account speed reduction at sections of its limitation;
К6 — coefficient taking into account speed reduction at sections of road construction works and road traffic
accidents [Lizunov and Borshchenko (2015)];
К7 — coefficient taking into account psychophysiological characteristics and temperament of the driver.
Obtaining the experimental regression model of such relationship is the purpose of the experimental part of the
authors’ study.

3. Conclusion

Based on the above, it may be said that the distance between short-term rest areas depends on the design speed at
this section of the highway and travel time. According to the “Provision on the work and rest schedule of drivers”,
the travel time is assumed to be equal to 2 hours. At the same time, the travel time can be increased according to
AETR provisions for purposes of convenient placement of a rest area for drivers and passengers.
Besides, the driving speed of a single-unit motor car is also influenced by other quantitative and qualitative
factors which influence can be taken into consideration through a set of coefficients.

References
 Yaroslav Borshchenko et al. / Transportation Research Procedia 20 (2017) 87 – 93 93

Lizunov, A.V. (2013). Influence of the traffic stream on characteristics of service area facilities [Vlijanie transportnogo potoka na harakteristiki
obektov dorozhnogo servisa]. Proceedings of the International Research and Practical Conference “Problems and prospects for the
development of motor transport”. Kurgan: Kurgan State University, pp. 341–347 (in Russian).
Lizunov, A.V. (2015). Problems of placement of service area facilities [Problemy razmeshhenija obektov dorozhnogo servisa]. Collection of
research papers following the proceedings of the International Research and Practical Conference “Actual directions of scientific researches
of the XXI century: theory and practice”. Voronezh: Voronezh State University of Forestry and Technologies, pp. 46–50 (in Russian).
Lizunov, A.V., Borshchenko, Ya. A. (2014). Analysis of requirements to placement of short-term rest area on highways with regard to traffic
safety [Analiz trebovanij razmeshhenija ploshhadok dlja kratkovremennogo otdyh na avtomobil'nyh dorogah s tochki zrenija obespechenija
bezopasnosti dvizhenija]. Science, Technology and Education, 5, pp. 61–63 (in Russian).
Lizunov, A.V., Borshchenko, Ya. A. (2015). Topical issues of placement of service area facilities [Aktual'nye problemy razmeshhenija obektov
dorozhnogo servisa]. News of Tula State University [Izvestija TulGU], series Technical Sciences, Issue 6, Part 1, pp. 61–68 (in Russian).
Ministry of Regional Development (2012). Set of Rules 34.13330.2012 Automobile roads. Revised edition of Construction Rules and Regulations
2.05.02-85* [Avtomobil'nye dorogi. Aktualizirovannaja redakcija SNiP 2.05.02-85*]. Available at:
http://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200095524 (viewed on 01.06.2016) (in Russian).
Ministry of Transport (2004). Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 15 dated 20.08.2004 “Provision on the work and
rest schedule of drivers” [Prikaz Mintransa RF ot 20.08.2004 g. № 15 «Polozhenie ob osobennostjah rezhima truda i otdyha voditelej»].
Available at: http://docs.cntd.ru/document/901908418 (viewed on 01.06.2016) (in Russian).
Okorokov, Ye.M. (1972). Design principles of short-term rest areas [Principy proektirovanija mest kratkovremennogo otdyha]. PhD thesis in
Engineering Science. Moscow: Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI), 121 p. (in Russian).
Ornatskiy, N.P. (1974). Design of improvement of highways [«Proektirovanie blagoustrojstva avtomobil'nyh dorog»]. Vysshaya Shkola, Moscow,
136 p. (in Russian).
Ornatskiy, N.P. (1986). Improvement of highways [Blagoustrojstvo avtomobil'nyh dorog]. Moscow: Transport, 136 p. (in Russian).