Patent Publication Number: US-11386815-B2

Title: Bypass merge lanes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/352,987 filed on Jun. 21, 2016, entitled BYPASS MERGE LANES, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of vehicular traffic management. Generally, the present invention relates to management of through traffic in the presence of vehicles entering and exiting a roadway. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Roadways such as freeways typically have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction. At certain locations along a multilane roadway, entrances and exits are provided to allow vehicles to enter and exit the roadway. Often other vehicles are traveling on the roadway, and vehicles entering the roadway must safely merge into traffic while vehicles exiting the roadway must safely maneuver to exit the roadway. 
     Through traffic is often impeded due to traffic congestion in the vicinity of an entrance or exit of the roadway. Furthermore, vehicles entering the roadway into traffic can present a safety risk for both through traffic and the motorists exiting the roadway. Also, vehicles exiting the roadway present a safety risk for both through traffic and motorists entering the roadway. The risk is increased by motorists changing lanes in the vicinity of an entrance or exit to avoid traffic congestion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has as an object to provide a system to improve the management of through traffic in the vicinity of an entrance or exit where vehicles enter or exit a multilane roadway. Various examples of the system in accordance with the present invention manage vehicular traffic on a roadway with multiple lanes in at least one direction. The lanes are separated by one or more lane separators which should not be crossed by through traffic or vehicles entering or exiting the roadway along a designated portion of the roadway, such as within a predetermined distance from an entrance or exit provided for vehicles to enter or exit the roadway. The lane separators may be any lane marking, barrier, or the like. The lane separators may be any length and located anywhere with respect to the lanes. Additionally, signage is preferably provided to alert motorists of upcoming lane separators for managing traffic proximate an entrance or exit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The various examples of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying figures of the drawing to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway in accordance with an example of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view of another example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational view of an additional example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational view of a further example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevational view of an alternative example of the multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to the roadway shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevational view of an example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway proximate roadway junctions in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an elevational view of another example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway proximate roadway junctions in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational view of an additional example of a multilane roadway for management of vehicular traffic at one or more entrances and exits to a roadway proximate roadway junctions in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9 , comprising  FIGS. 9A to 9C , illustrates examples of signage to alert motorists to upcoming designated traffic management portions of a roadway in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXAMPLES 
     An example of the multilane roadway management system  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . A roadway  11  comprises a plurality of lanes  12  in one direction, for example, six lanes, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The lanes  12  are preferably marked by lane marking  14  to define each of the lanes, for example, by conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments to designate the lanes. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more entrances  16  are provided to allow vehicles to enter the roadway  11 . In accordance with the example of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more lane separators  18  is provided to divide the roadway  11  into one or more merge lanes  20  and one or more bypass lanes  22  proximate to the one or more entrances  16  or exits  24 . The one or more lane separators  18  should not be crossed by through traffic or merging or exiting vehicles along the portion of the roadway where the lane separator(s) is/are present. The one or more lane separators  18  may be any lane marking, barrier, or the like. The one or more lane separators  18  may be any length and located anywhere with respect to the lanes  12 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the one or more lane separators  18  may be a lane marking consisting of a solid line of striping distinguishable from the dashed line segments  14  of striping that define the lanes  12 . 
     The multilane roadway management system  10  provides one or more lane separators  18  which vehicles should not cross between the bypass lanes  22  designated for through traffic and the merge lanes  20  to reduce traffic congestion and to improve the safety of the roadway  11  for both through traffic and vehicles entering and exiting the roadway at the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The merge lanes  20  are those lanes proximal to an entrance  16  (i.e., closer to an entrance) or exit  24  (i.e., closer to an exit) for motorists entering or exiting the roadway  11 , respectively. The bypass lanes  22  are those lanes distal from the entrance  16  (i.e., farther from the entrance) or exit  24  (i.e., farther from the exit) on the other side of the merge lanes  20  for through traffic on the roadway  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with one example of the present invention, one or more lane separators  18 A may be provided to separate the lanes  12  into merge lanes  20 A and bypass lanes  22 A at one or more predetermined locations along the roadway  11 . In accordance with another example, lane separators  18 B may partially overlap to alter the number of merge lanes  20 B and bypass lanes  22 B at one or more other predetermined locations along the roadway  11 . In accordance with a further example, lane separators  18 C may entirely overlap at one or more predetermined locations along the roadway  11  to manage through traffic into merge lanes  20 C and bypass lanes  22 C, with the lane separators  18 C establishing multiple corridors (e.g., two corridors) of bypass lanes  22 C 1  and  22 C 2 . 
     If there is an exit  24  in proximity to one or more of the entrances  16 , the multilane roadway management system  10  preferably provides appropriate roadway signage to alert motorists approaching the exit that they need to maneuver their vehicles into the merge lanes  20  and be prepared to exercise caution, including reducing their speed, to safely allow motorists entering the roadway  11  to merge into traffic at the entrance(s)  16  while allowing motorists exiting the roadway to safely exit without impeding through traffic. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the roadway  11 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the roadway  11  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  11  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the roadway  11  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the roadway at a subsequent entrance  16  to merge onto the roadway after initially entering an additional entrance/exit lane  26 . In instances where an entrance such as entrance  16 A is in close proximity to an exit such as exit  24 A, the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the roadway  11  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the roadway  11 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the roadway  11  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  11  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the roadway  11  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the roadway at a subsequent entrance  16  to safely merge onto the roadway after initially entering an additional entrance/exit lane  28 . In instances where an entrance such as entrance  16 A is in close proximity to an exit such as exit  24 A, the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to enter and exit the roadway  11  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the roadway  11  and a diamond lane  30  is also present to allow vehicles to exit the roadway at a flyover  31  or continue on in the diamond lane. As shown in  FIG. 4 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the roadway  11  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  including the diamond lane  30  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  11  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the roadway  11  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the roadway at a subsequent entrance  16  to safely merge onto the roadway after initially entering additional entrance/exit lanes  28 . In instances where the entrances  16  are in close proximity to the exits  24 , the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the roadway  11  after first entering the additional entrance/exit lanes  28  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the roadway  11  and a diamond lane  30  is also present to allow vehicles to exit the roadway. Furthermore, a diamond lane  32  is established by a roadway marking  34  for through traffic on the roadway  11 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the roadway  11  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  including the diamond lanes  30  and  32  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  11  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the roadway  11  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the roadway at a subsequent entrance  16  to merge onto the roadway after initially entering additional entrance/exit lanes  28 . In instances where the entrances  16  are in close proximity to the exits  24 , the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the roadway  11  after first entering the additional entrance/exit lanes  28  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where the roadway  11  comprises a first multilane roadway  40  which merges with a second multilane roadway  42  and multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the roadway  42 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the roadways  40  and  42  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  where the roadways  40  and  42  merge and in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadways  40  and  42  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the merging of the multilane roadways  40  and  42  and spacing of the entrances  16  along the multilane roadway  42  to allow motorists to merge from one of the multilane roadways  40  and  42  onto the other of the multilane roadways, while accommodating motorists entering the multilane roadway  42  at entrances  16  to merge onto the roadways  40  and  42  after first entering additional entrance/exit lanes  28 . In instances where the entrances  16  are in close proximity to the exits  24 , the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the multilane roadway  42  after entering the additional entrance/exit lanes  28  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where the roadway  11  comprises a first multilane roadway  44  which splits into a second multilane roadway  46  and a third multilane roadway  48 . Multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the multilane roadway  44 , and a diamond lane  30  is also present. As shown in  FIG. 7 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the multilane roadway  44  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  including the diamond lane  30  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  44  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the multilane roadway  44  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the multilane roadway  44  at a subsequent entrance  16  to merge onto the multilane roadway after first entering an additional entrance/exit lane  28 . In instances where the entrances  16  are in close proximity to exits  24 , the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the multilane roadway  44  after first entering the additional entrance/exit lane  28  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , an example of the multilane roadway management system  10  is shown where the roadway  11  comprises a first multilane roadway  50  which splits into a second multilane roadway  52 , a third multilane roadway  54 , and a fourth multilane roadway  56 . Multiple entrances  16  and exits  24  are spaced along the multilane roadway  50 , and a diamond lane  30  is also present on roadway  50 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , lane separators  18  having various lengths divide the multilane roadway  50  into merge lanes  20  and bypass lanes  22  including the diamond lane  30  in the vicinity of the entrances  16  and exits  24 . The bypass lanes  22  begin where the conventional striping in the form of dashed line segments  14  to define the lanes  12  of the multilane roadway  50  transitions to lane marking consisting of a solid line, for example. The positioning of the lane separators  18  is determined by the spacing of the entrances  16  to allow motorists entering the multilane roadway  50  to safely merge into through traffic while accommodating motorists entering the multilane roadway  50  at a subsequent entrance  16  to merge onto the multilane roadway  50  after first entering an additional entrance/exit lane  28 . In instances where the entrances  16  are in close proximity to the exits  24 , the number of merge lanes  20  is sufficient to allow entering and exiting vehicles to safely enter and exit the multilane roadway  50  after entering the additional entrance/exit lane  28  with minimal effect on through traffic which is restricted to bypass lanes  22 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , note that the lane separator  18 A may promote safety by restricting motorists from entering the multilane roadway  52  after initially merging onto the multilane roadway  50 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C , signage is preferably provided to alert motorists of approaching exits and related restrictions on lane changes imposed by lane separators  18  to reduce congestion by funneling through traffic into bypass lanes  22  and apprising motorists who want to exit to maneuver into merge lanes  20 . As shown in  FIG. 9A  signage may comprise a first sign  60  to alert motorists that they are approaching a bypass lane(s) for through traffic and the distance to the bypass lane(s). A second sign  62  may be existing signage informing motorists about exits which are upcoming and the distances to those exits, as well as the distance to an upcoming roadway junction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9B , signage may comprise a plurality of elements that are either separate signs or integrated into one sign. The signage may comprise a first element  64  to alert motorists that they are approaching a bypass lane(s) for through traffic and the distance to the bypass lane(s). A second element  66  may be signage informing motorists about local exits which are upcoming and the distances to those exits. A third element  68  may be signage informing motorists about a roadway junction which is upcoming and the distance to the roadway junction. Note that the distance to the bypass lane(s) is less than the distance to the local exits or the roadway junction, and therefore the signage respecting the bypass lane(s) appears at the top. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9C , signage may comprise a plurality of elements that are either separate signs or integrated into one sign. The signage may comprise a first element  70  which may be signage informing motorists about local exits which are upcoming and the distances to those exits. A second element  72  may be signage informing motorists about a roadway junction which is upcoming and the distance to the roadway junction. A third element  72  may alert motorists that they are approaching a bypass lane(s) for through traffic and the distance to the bypass lane(s). Note that the distance to the bypass lane(s) appears at the bottom to give priority to the signage for the local exits and roadway junction. 
     The examples described above are provided by way of example only, and various modifications apparent to persons skilled in the art are contemplated. For example, as shown in  FIG. 8 , instead of striping, the lane separator  18 A may be a barrier installed between the lanes  12  of the roadway  11  which are vertically movable from a position with the top of the barrier flush with the surface of the roadway to a raised position extending above the surface of the roadway. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the lane separator  18 A may be a moveable road zipper barrier commercially available from Lindsay Corporation located in Rio Vista, Calif.