Flow boulevard; continuous flowing traffic on interrupted urban streets

• US 10,954,638 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 03/23/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillip Jon Brown
• Original Assignee: Phillip Jon Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Phillip Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Risic, Abigail A
• Application Number:
  US14/028,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20150078820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,745 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 1/002 Design or lay-out of roads, e.g. street systems, cross-sections E01C1/005, E01C1/007 take precedence; of footpaths, sidewalks, berms, hard shoulders or cycle tracks E01C15/00; Design for noise abatement, e.g. sunken road reducing transmission of structure-born noise E01C3/06; arrangements for absorbing or reflecting air transmitted road traffic noise, e.g. barriers E01F8/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 1/02 Crossings, junctions or interconnections between roads on the same level construction of traffic islands E01F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/081 Plural intersections under common control

Abstract

A Flow Boulevard system of transportation for existing urban and suburban streets which optimizes vehicular capacity and flow for at grade facilities having intervening crossing streets is provided. The system may be applied to a single street right of way having two-way traffic with a median and enables packs of traffic to continuously flow in both directions concurrently. Flow Boulevards may be connected through interchanges supporting continuously flowing traffic to that connect to couplets of one-way streets to define networks of high vehicular capacity and continuous flowing traffic over large urban areas. Lane signals are provided to optimize traffic flow in each flow boulevard lane and at each interchange.

Claims

1. A Flow Boulevard roadway system to provide and control continuously flowing vehicular traffic comprising:

a. a flow boulevard for two-way continuous flowing packs of vehicles divided by a median with a crossing street at a plurality of on-module intersections, one or more lanes for continuous flowing packs of vehicles in each direction on said flow boulevard having evenly spaced distances and the same speed of vehicles from one on-module to another on-module intersection resulting in continuous flowing packs of vehicles in both directions through on-module intersections for the length of the boulevard;

b. at least one interchange operative to connect continuous flowing packs of vehicles from the flow boulevard to a couplet of one-way streets beyond the flow boulevard in order to enable continuous flowing traffic to occur between the flow boulevard and the couplet;

c. an on-module intersection signal at each on-module intersection in each direction comprising a successive green signal and red signal, the duration of each green and red signal together comprising a flow boulevard traffic signal cycle, wherein the duration of the green signal defines a pack period allowing each continuous flowing pack of vehicles to traverse the on-module intersection, and the duration of the red signal defines a gap period occurring between each continuous flowing pack of vehicles allowing traffic to cross the flow boulevard at each on-module intersection as well as allowing vehicles to make turning movements between the flow boulevard and the crossing street;

d. a system of lane signals comprising;

i. a first type of lane signal at each flow boulevard lane prompting vehicular speed and spacing of vehicles between on-module intersections, on segments of couplets with continuous flowing traffic connected to the flow boulevard, and within interchange;

ii. a second type of lane signal as lines of lane signals crossing the flow boulevard to provide the minor pack gathering area at each on-module intersection in each flow boulevard direction to receive any incoming gap period vehicles which have entered the flow boulevard from adjacent abutting side streets and driveways to form a minor pack, wherein the minor pack merges with the continuous flowing pack of vehicles through the on-module intersection;

iii. a third type of lane signals crossing the flow boulevard at each interchange and configured to optimize traffic flow in the interchange;

e. between on-module intersections, a plurality of abutting side streets and driveways which do not directly cross the flow boulevard, wherein access between the flow boulevard and said abutting side streets and driveways occurs during the gap period;

f. sidewalks occurring along the boulevard;

wherein the operation of the system of lane signals and on-module intersection signals together result in continuous flowing traffic from on-module to on-module intersection; and

wherein a pedestrian may cross the flow boulevard in accordance with signalized traffic movements throughout the flow boulevard at any of the on-module intersections, abutting side streets and driveways, within interchanges, and across any median signalized vehicle crossings of flow boulevard lanes along with said pedestrian crossings in conjunction with signalized traffic movements throughout the flow boulevard.

2. The flow boulevard of claim 1, wherein the median is configured to control any crossing access to and from the abutting side streets and driveways with the flow boulevard between on-module intersections and operative to avoid obstructing continuous flowing packs of vehicles along the flow boulevard by limiting crossing movements to gap periods.

3. The flow boulevard of claim 2, wherein a portion of the median is configured to define a pocket for receiving a vehicle turning left from an abutting side street or driveway on to the flow boulevard, and wherein a side street signal is provided and timed to permit such vehicle to turn left on to the flow boulevard during a gap period.

4. The flow boulevard of claim 2, wherein a portion of the median is configured to define a pocket for separating a left turning vehicle from the continuous flowing pack of vehicles on the flow boulevard, and wherein a median signal is provided and timed to permit such vehicle to turn left off of the flow boulevard and on to an abutting side street or driveway during a gap period.

5. The flow boulevard of claim 1, further comprising,

a. at a first distance set back from each on-module intersection in both directions, a line of lane signals crossing the flow boulevard to define an acceleration zone;

and

b. at a second, further distance set back from each on-module intersection in both directions, a line of lane signals wherein the minor pack of vehicles is gathered;

wherein the minor pack joins a continuous flowing pack of vehicles at the beginning of the pack period at on-module intersections with vehicular movement into said acceleration zone; and

wherein the minor pack merges with the continuous flowing pack of vehicles as such gathered minor pack moves through the acceleration zone and on-module intersection and each type of lane signals turns green.

6. The flow boulevard of claim 1, wherein the at least one interchange is a Single Street FB Connected to a Couplet Interchange that connects end to end between respective directions of flow boulevard lanes and any lanes comprising the couplet.

7. The flow boulevard of claim 6, wherein the Single Street FB Connected to a Couplet Interchange further comprises couplet lane signals in combination with progressive signalized traffic signals along the couplet operative to synchronize speed and spacing of any continuous flowing packs of vehicles traveling on the couplet with any continuous flowing pack of vehicles traveling on the flow boulevard, enabling continuously flowing traffic to occur between the flow boulevard and the couplet.

8. The flow boulevard of claim 1, wherein the at least one interchange is a Couplet FB Interchange with a Single Street FB to the side of a widely spaced couplet wherein a counter clockwise roadway connects any roads between a near one-way street of the widely spaced couplet and a far one-way street of the widely spaced couplet to the flow boulevard.

9. The flow boulevard of claim 8, wherein the Couplet FB Interchange with a Single Street FB occurs at an end of the flow boulevard connected to the side of a widely spaced couplet of one-way streets, wherein the near one-way traffic street of the couplet crosses through the end flow boulevard on-module intersection at an intersection C;

and

wherein said intersection C is the first of three intersections connecting three one-way segments of roadway with continuous flowing packs of vehicles that comprises the counter clockwise roadway of one-way streets connecting the widely separated couplet of the two one-way streets of the couplet to the end of the flow boulevard at intersection C; and

wherein the flow boulevard, couplet streets, and counter clockwise roadway between them have continuous flowing traffic in which all turning movements connecting any flow boulevard and couplet traffic to each other have continuous flowing traffic through intersections and roadways making all four directions of traffic exchange with continuous flowing traffic.

10. The flow boulevard of claim 1, wherein the at least one interchange is a Couplet Interchange with Grade Separations and Widened On-module Intersections used at an end of the flow boulevard or within the flow boulevard at an on-module intersection;

and

wherein each direction of the flow boulevard comprises continuous vehicular flow connections for left or right turns to connect the flow boulevard to each direction of any crossing one-way streets of the couplet; and

wherein in each direction of the flow boulevard, a grade separation occurs between a first encountered one-way street of the couplet and flow boulevard allowing continuous flowing traffic to pass one another at the first encountered one-way street; and

wherein a second encountered one-way street of the couplet is a half on-module intersection allowing continuous flowing traffic to cross one another during the respective pack period and gap period at the half on-module intersection; and

wherein each crossing one-way street of the couplet has continuous flowing traffic for left and right turn connections onto the flow boulevard or continued travel on the one-way street through the half on-module intersection thereby making each of the four directions of travel able to exchange continuous flowing traffic.