Configuration of Effective Contraflow Sections in Tsunami Evacuation

Abstract

Similar with the vehicle evacuation form Hurricane disaster, people strongly expect that “contraflow” policy which permit one-way traffic in two-directional road sections may enhance the effectiveness and safety of tsunami evacuation. However, coast-heading traffic have been observed during actual tsunami disasters, we cannot simply inhibit those coast-heading traffic. Contraflow sections should be designated to minimal sections where the effect is surely expected. In a previous study, we constructed a tsunami evacuation model allowing coast-heading traffic for further on-route vehicle riding of people who cannot drive themselves. In this study, we incorporate optimization of contraflow section into the model, and apply to a municipal scale virtual network. As a result, fewer contraflow sections are designated, when the percentage of drivable evacuee is small and coast-heading traffic are more important for on-route vehicle riding. We also investigate the characteristics of the road sections which are always selected as contraflow section regardless of the parameter variations.