Design and evaluation of dynamic traffic management strategies for congested conditions

This paper presents a procedure for dynamic design and evaluation of traffic management strategies in oversaturated conditions. The method combines a dynamic control algorithm and a disutility function. The dynamic algorithm designs signal control parameters to manage formation and dissipation of queues on system links with explicit consideration of current and projected queue lengths and demands. The disutility function measures the relative performance of the dynamic control algorithm based on preset system performance goals. The user may statically select the management strategy, or alternatively the system may be instructed to set off different management schemes based on predefined performance thresholds. The problem was formulated as one of output maximization subject to state, control, and traffic management strategy choices. Solutions were obtained using genetic algorithms. Four traffic management plans were tested to show the capabilities of the new procedure. The results show that the procedure is able to generate suitable signal control schemes that are favorable to attaining the desired traffic management goals. The results showed that multiple, or hybrids of single measures of effectiveness may need to be examined in order to correctly assess system performance. The procedure has potential for real-time implementation in an intelligent transportation system setting.

[1]  Ghassan Abu-Lebdeh,et al.  Development of Traffic Control and Queue Management Procedures for Oversaturated Arterials , 1997 .

[2]  Philip J Tarnoff,et al.  DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS: MULTILEVEL DESIGN , 1995 .

[3]  David Mahalel,et al.  SIGNAL DESIGN FOR CONGESTED NETWORKS BASED ON METERING , 1993 .

[4]  R. Gordon.  A Technique for Control of Traffic at Critical Intersections , 1969 .

[5]  W R Mcshane,et al.  TRAFFIC CONTROL IN OVERSATURATED STREET NETWORKS , 1978 .

[6]  D. Gazis.  Optimum Control of a System of Oversaturated Intersections , 1964 .

[7]  D J Quinn,et al.  CONTROL OF CONGESTION IN HIGHLY CONGESTED NETWORKS , 1988 .

[8]  David Mahalel,et al.  MANUAL VERSUS AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS , 1991 .

[9]  R. D. Bretherton,et al.  Recent enhancements to SCOOT-SCOOT Version 2.4 , 1990 .

[10]  Nathan H. Gartner,et al.  MULTIBAND--A VARIABLE-BANDWIDTH ARTERIAL PROGRESSION SCHEME , 1990 .

[11]  Ghassan Abu-Lebdeh,et al.  Convergence Variability and Population Sizing in Micro‐Genetic Algorithms , 1999 .

[12]  D J Quinn.  A REVIEW OF QUEUE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES , 1992 .

[13]  S R Sunkari,et al.  An Evaluation of Adaptive Signal Control Strategies , 1997 .

[14]  A K Rathi.  TRAFFIC METERING: AN EFFECTIVENESS STUDY , 1991 .

[15]  R. D. Bretherton,et al.  SCOOT URBAN TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM: PHILOSOPHY AND EVALUATION , 1990 .

[16]  D. Longley,et al.  A CONTROL STRATEGY FOR A CONGESTED, COMPUTER-CONTROLLED TRAFFIC NETWORK , 1968 .