Traffic Operations and Management

Use of NASS Data for Evaluation of AVCS Devices

Hitchcock, Anthony
1991

This report examines the applicability of the 1986 National Accident Sampling System (NASS) in providing sufficient information about a traffic accident to determine if an advanced vehicle control system (AVCS) could have had an impact in preventing that accident. The author states that, in general, NASS raw data are useful for evaluation of AVCS whenever a driver' s choices are limited to keeping a straight course at an appropriate speed

Expanding Usage of Cellular Phones: User Profile and Transportation Issues

Yim, Youngbin
Kanafani, Adib
Ygnace, Jean-luc
1991

This study presents an initial step toward an understanding of consumer responses to advanced traveler information systems. Specifically, it is aimed at understanding the role that cellular telephones can play in the management of urban traffic systems. To assess the interrelationships between cellular communication and driver behavior, a mail survey of GTE Mobilnet customers in the San Francisco Bay Area was conducted.

Developing Calibration Tools for Microscopic Traffic Simulation Final Report Part II: Calibration Framework and Calibration of Local/Global Driving Behavior and Departure/Route Choice Model Parameters

Zhang, Michael
Ma, Jingtao
Dong, Hu
2008

The central goal of this research is to develop a systematic framework and the support tools to ease, streamline and speed up the calibration of micro simulation projects. Part II of the final report documents the accomplishments achieved in the first phase of the research project(a review of practice and calibration guidelines is documented in a Part I). These accomplishments include: 1) developed a calibration framework that decouples the calibration process into five components: project scoping and error checking, global parameter calibration, local parameter calibration, departure/...

A Tool for the Incorporation of Non-Recurrent Congestion Costs of Freeway Accidents in Performance Management

Recker, Will
Chung, Younshik
Golob, Tom
2005

In this research, we develop and apply an analytic procedure that estimates the amount of traffic congestion (vehicle hours of delay) that is caused by different types of accidents that occur on urban freeways in California. A key feature of this research is the development of a method to separate the non-recurrent delay from any recurrent delay that is present on the road at the time and place of a reported accident, in order to estimate the contribution of non-recurrent delay caused by the specific accident. Our analysis involves a case study of accidents that occurred on freeways in...

Macroscopic Roadway Traffic Controller Design

Chien, C. C.
Zhang, Y.
Stotsky, A.
Dharmasena, S. R.
Ioannou, P.
1995

In this paper, a roadway controller is designed, analyzed and simulated for a single automated highway lane that achieves desired traffic densities along the lane. A macroscopic traffic flow model that is modified for AHS (Automated Highway Systems) operation is used for control design and analysis. The authors show that the proposed roadway controller guarantees exponential convergence of the traffic density at each section of the lane to the desired density. Simulation results are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller and the significant benefits AHS may bring...

On-Ramp Metering Experiments to Increase Freeway Merge Capacity

Cassidy, Michael J.
Rudjanakanoknad, Jittichai
2005

Observations of two freeway/on-ramp merges unveil the mechanism that causes their capacities to diminish when queues form just upstream. Field experiments at one of the sites demonstrate that by responding to occupancies measured near the merge, ramp metering can reverse this mechanism, or postpone its occurrence, and thereby generate higher merge capacities. Detailed observations at the second site imply that higher merge capacities can also be achieved using traffic control schemes that regulate inflows to the merge from the freeway shoulder lane. Collectively, the findings point to...

Early Opportunities to Apply Automation in California Managed Lanes

Liu, Hao
McKeever, Benjamin
Lu, Xiao-Yun
Shladover, Steven
2019

Connected and automated vehicles hold the potential for substantial improvements to traffic safety, travel time reliability, roadway capacity, and environmental impacts and managed lanes have the potential to be ideal testbeds for CAV technologies. The purpose of this report is to identify specific opportunities to leverage California’s managed lane network as early experimental and pilot deployment sites for CAVs. To this end, we have conducted a detailed inventory of the managed lane facilities in California and applied evaluation criteria to identify two promising sites for future CAV...

Definition and Evaluation of Bus and Truck Automation Operations Concepts: Final Report

Taso, H. S. Jacob
Botha, Jan L.
2003

Traffic congestion will continue to worsen and likely worsen at a faster rate than ever. People throughput and freight throughput have become critical issues for California and the rest of the nation. PATH has funded a research project entitled Definition And Evaluation of Bus And Truck Automation Operations Concepts, proposed by the authors. This report summarizes the major findings of the research project. During the one-year project, we reviewed literature and developed operating concepts for both urban bus automation and inter-city truck automation. We also selected a small number of...

Bus Lanes/Bus Rapid Transit Systems on Highways: Review of the Literature

Miller, Mark A.
2009

This report presents the findings of a study of commercial motor vehicle inspection and screening station practices with a focus on the use of various technologies to help address problems related to safety, security, roadway infrastructure, and air quality. A review of industry literature identified the various types of inspection and screening practices that have been and are being implemented including weight and size management, on-board equipment checking, driver-related violations and cargo monitoring, credential checking, and exhaust emissions monitoring. The review also identified...

A Paramics Plugin for Actuated Signal Control and First Generation UTCS

Gomes, Gabriel
Skabardonis, Alexander
2006

This report serves as a user manual for a plugin developed under the Paramics API for simulating standard surface street traffic controllers. The strategies included are time-of-day, actuated signal control, traffic responsive, and traffic responsive with critical intersection control.