Platoons and Waves?

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With this process for merging, the larger a platoon----the more space needed for vehicles to initially fall into formation. These bottlenecks could be substantially mitigated by creating smaller platoons which form into larger waves and slow down or stop briefly to allow for a larger wave of platoons to build. Because the system may not deliver vehicles to this exit so precisely to create adequate symmetry in every small platoon, this strategy would result in some vacant spaces in a wave. The larger a wave, however, the more time in between waves—and the easier it could be for pedestrians to cross the street—not to mention the intersecting streets carrying local car traffic.

 

Here is all of that again, but described with math:

 

Platoons on this route may form into 4 by 4 formations. This would require:

 

The time and space needed for merging 4 lanes of traffic into 8, I need spacing for 2 new lanes in between the existing, and 2 new lanes which form to the outside. Vehicles may need to arrive on any of these lanes, so  need 4 new lanes:

 

          (4 lanes) * (9-foot width) = 36 feet:

 

          Increasing towards (6.56168*2) = Second One

          (6.56168*2) = Second Two

          (6.56168*2) = Second Three

          (6.56168*2) decreasing towards 0 = Second Four

 

To merge vehicles across as much as 36 feet, it takes approximately 4 seconds + error

At 16 feet per second, this requires 64 feet of distance + error

 

Now for the spacing a platoon, which is 4 deep, the difference in potential placement is:

 

          (4 vehicles) * (20 feet standard slot size + 16 feet for reaction time)

          144 feet = length of platoon

 

          16 feet (increasing towards (16 + (2*6.56168 feet))) = Second One

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Two

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Three

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Four

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Five

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Six

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Seven

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Eight

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Nine

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet =Second Ten

          (16 + (6.56168*2)) feet (increasing towards 16 feet) = Second Eleven

 

Approximately 11 seconds + error

 

For vehicles to space out 144 feet, with flow speeds at 16 feet per second and (16 + ((16 + (6.56168*2)) feet per second, it takes approximately 11 seconds + error and 330 feet + error.