Grouping Factors and Physical Design Concepts of Toll Plazas for Supporting the Multi-Lane Free Flow (M-Flow) Toll System on the Chalong Rat Expressway

Abstract

At present, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is under an installation of the Multi-Lane Free Flow (M-Flow) toll collection system on the expressway network. The physical characteristics of many current toll gates must be improved to support the use of the M-Flow toll system. This paper aims to present the grouping factors and physical design concepts of the complied toll gates on the Chalong Rat Expressway to support the M-Flow system. The fourteen toll plazas on the Chalong Rat Expressway were compiled and divided into five groups based on five factors of similar physical characteristics, namely service system, shape and physical characteristics, number of toll lanes, traffic volume, and level of service. As a result, a total of seven toll gates representing those five groups will be used for the physical design model to determine the optimal M-Flow lane position, considering the design from three concepts; physical characteristics that support the integrated toll collection system, physical characteristics consistent with the operation of the M-Flow system, and physical characteristics consistent with the traditional toll system and safety of toll collectors.