Traffic Operations and Management

Improving Operations Using Advanced Surveillance Metrics and Existing Traffic Detectors

Coifman, Benjamin
Varaiya, Pravin
2002

1 OVERVIEW Because travel time provides information over an extended freeway link, rather than at a single point, it is a key parameter for ATIS applications and it is a powerful tool for ATMS. Under PATH sponsorship, we have already developed a prototype travel time measurement system that utilizes existing dual loop speed traps and "model 170" controllers. This research has advanced the work by improving the vehicle reidentification algorithms (Sections 2 and 3) and applying the travel time measurement system over seven freeway links in real-time (Section 4). This latter work was...

SPRINTER Rail: Grade Crossing/Traffic Signal Optimization Study

Wu, Guoyuan
Li, Irene
Zhang, Wei-Bin
Johnston, Scott
Li, Meng
Zhou, Kun
2009

This report investigates impacts to local traffic operations at intersections adjacent to signal preemption by SPRINTER commuter trains and countermeasures that would minimize these impacts. Optimization models have been developed to estimate the waiting queue at the end of the preemption operation and to quickly clear the queue while minimizing overall traffic delay. Based on the optimization models, optimized signal timing plans for a total of 10 intersections were proposed, which are designed to facilitate the clearance of the queue accumulated during the preemption, as well as to...

Improving Performance of Coordinated Signal Control Systems Using Signal and Loop Data

Li, Meng
Zhang, Liping
Song, Myoung Kyun
Wu, Guoyuan
Zhang, Wei-Bin
Zhang, Lihui
Yin, Yafeng
2010

In this project, a traffic data collection system based-on the iDEN wireless network has been developed, lab tested and preliminarily tested in the field. The objective of the system is to provide a cost-effective and easy-to-maintain system that could still reliably provide traffic data over the wireless link.The project team developed an arterial performance measurement method that is based on the signal infrastructure data collected at PT2 Lab, U.C. Berkeley. The performance of the proposed model is illustrated by using a simulation study. The six-signal simulation network covers both...

Field Investigation of Advanced Vehicle Reidentification Techniques and Detector Technologies - Phase 1

Ritchie, Stephen G.
Park, Seri
Oh, Cheol
Sun, Carlos
2002

This report presents the results of Phase I of a multi-year research effort on "Field Investigation of Advanced Vehicle Reidentification Techniques and Detector Technologies," and extends previous PATH research by the authors on MOU 336 "Section-Related Measures of Traffic System Performance: Prototype Field Implementation." The focus of this research included the following: significant expansion and enhancement of the ILD-based vehicle reidentification system at a major signalized intersection in Irvine, California to address reidentification of turning vehicles in addition to through...

Integrated Construction Zone Traffic Management

Zhang, Michael
Shen, Wei
Nie, Yu
Ma, Jingtao
2008

Nonrecurrent traffic congestion caused by construction work constitutes a large proportion of the traffic congestion on highways. In TO 5300, we developed a comprehensive work zone traffic impact assessment procedure using a series of state-of-the-art dynamic network analysis tools as building blocks. This procedure is then implemented into a work zone traffic impact assessment software package called NetZone. This software package is capable of estimating time-dependent travel demand based on link counts, estimating demand diversion in response to work zone delay and various traffic...

Opportunities for Improved Intermodal Connectvitiy at California Airports

Lu, Xiao-Yun
Gosling, Geoffrey D.
Xiong, Jing
2006

This working paper has been prepared as part of research to develop a combined quantitative and qualitative approach to planning for improved intermodal connectivity at California airports. The quantitative approach involves the development of an Intermodal Airport Ground Access Planning Tool that combines an air passenger model choice model, a model of transportation provider behavior and a traffic network analysis model. The qualitative approach will be used to enhance the quantitative analysis to account for those factors which are difficult to quantify and to provide recommended policy...

Development and Evaluation of Selected Mobility Applications for VII: Concept of Operations

Shladover, Steven E.
Lu, Xiao-Yun
Cody, Delphine
2009

This report describes the concept of operations for the three mobility applications that PATH is developing and evaluating under the sponsorship of the FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research Program. These applications are intended to use DSRC wireless communications among vehicles and between vehicles and the roadway infrastructure to improve mobility on limited-access highways. The first application combines ramp metering with variable speed limits to enhance control of traffic so that traffic flow breakdowns can be deferred or avoided at bottleneck locations. The second application uses...

Establishing Infrastructure Requirements for Bus Rapid Transportation Operations in Dedicated Bus Lanes

Monismith, Carl L., P.E.
Weissman, Shmuel L., PhD
Popescu, Lorina
Santero, Nicholas J.
2008

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has the potential to improve mass transit service and contribute to reduced traffic congestion in urban areas. To achieve this improvement in service BRT will require the use of dedicated bus lanes together with lane assist and precision docking (LA/PD) to accelerate the passenger boarding process. Using this approach, BRT lanes can be reduced somewhat in width. However, such a reduction will result in increased channelization of traffic which in turn can lead to a more rapid development of pavement distress. With today’s improved pavement engineering technology, it...

Vehicle-based Control Computer Systems

Auslander, David M
1995

This report is presented in two parts: the first part describes a design and implementation methodology for real time software suitable for control of mechanical systems such as vehicles. This method provides for a design description of the system, a means of capturing the system structure in such a way as to modularize the software writing job, and a portable implementation method. The second part is concerned with a particular problem in the mechanical system control: estimating velocity when the even rate from a digital encoder is lower than the controller's sample time. Methods are...

Evaluation of Caltrans District 10 Automated Warning System: Year Two Progress Report

MacCarley, Art
1999

District 10 of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) encompasses an area of seasonal fog and dust-related visibility problems that have been the cause of numerous multi-car traffic collisions, many fatal. In 1990, motivated by the expansion of State Route 120 (SR 120) connecting Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) and State Route 99 (SR 99), Caltrans proposed a sophisticated multi-sensor automated warning system as a means for reducing incidents in this high-traffic area. This proposal, and the significant development effort that followed, culminated in the implementation of Phase...