An Investigation of Lane by Lane Variable Speed Limit Control Using Simulation

Recurring congestion is a serious problem on major highways. Bottlenecks occur on a daily basis during peak operating periods, and adding lanes to a roadway to keep up with demand is a costly solution that does not always fix the issue. Advanced strategies are being researched and employed to mitigate this recurring congestion while minimizing the financial impact of solutions. One of the tools currently examined as a way to deal with recurring congestion is Variable Speed Limits (VSL). There are a relatively small number of such installations in the US, and the primary known benefit is improved safety through reduced rear end collisions. The potential for congestion mitigation has been shown through simulation, but field results have been inconsistent, largely due to non-compliance of motorists to speed limit. This study investigates the performance benefits of lane by lane VSL control compared to traditional VSL control through the use of microsimulation. Two study sites were selected for testing and each control strategy was applied to the test segments. The results showed that lane by lane VSL control has the potential to more effectively mitigate traffic congestion, especially when traffic characteristics differ between individual lanes. The lane by lane strategy was found to be much more robust, as it improved operations for a wide range of thresholds, algorithm parameters, and sign placements.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB20 Freeway Operations.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Letter, Clark
  • Elefteriadou, Lily
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Congestion management systems; Microsimulation; Traffic lanes; Variable speed limits
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01557656
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-4351
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 24 2015 8:46AM