OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN A PUBLIC CORPORATION.

In addition to investigating the layout of tunnel posts using foot patrol, operations-research team also considered alternatives to foot patrol. The first alternative is putting the police on wheels, as has been done by states and municipalities. This step had been considered before, but it was discarded as not feasible because it is not practical to try to reach a stoppage in a tunnel from behind, since the traffic congests very quickly and blocks the way. There would be considerable delay in reaching the stoppage and removing it. Furthermore, the emergency equipment that pulls vehicles out could not safely enter in the opposing direction of traffic without any police officers in the tunnel, and it, too, would be delayed in reaching the scene. Further analysis indicated, however, that automotive patrol might be feasible during nighttime, when traffic volumes were such that they could be carried by a single lane in the tunnel. At this time one lane could be reserved strictly for official vehicles and the automotive patrol could go through one tunnel in the official lane and come back through the other.