Online Queue Length Estimation Algorithm for Adaptive Control Strategies at Isolated Signalized Intersections

This paper describes how queue analysis plays an important role in decision-making process of adaptive control strategies at isolated signalized intersections. This paper proposes an on-line queue length estimation algorithm based on real-time vehicle arrival information. It establishes an Expected Lead Queued Vehicle Set comprising three candidate vehicles. Two advanced detectors are placed certain distance away to collect vehicle arrival information within three time windows. When determining the detectors locations, it considers that (1) control strategies address the functions of detectors, which determine where the detectors are placed; (2) it is not a must to place the detector that is set to estimate queue lengths away from the stop line as far as possible because the losses of the first several queued vehicles have predominating influence on trade-off analysis of decision-making process. The algorithm consists of two sub-algorithms. The Lead Queued Vehicle Search Algorithm identifies the lead queued vehicle when red light turns on. The Queue Length Accumulation Algorithm estimates the physical queue length formed by vehicles having arrived at the upstream detector during red interval. Simulation evaluation results indicate that (1) the actual lead queued vehicle is successful limited within the Expected Lead Queued Vehicle Set, (2) the Lead Queued Vehicle Search Algorithm shows a good performance in identification of the lead queued vehicle, and (3) the Queue Length Accumulation Algorithm can estimate the physical queue lengths between the stop line and the upstream detector with a great degree of accuracy as long as the parameters are well calibrated. The fact that the parameters can be calibrated in the field provides the algorithm a wider flexibility in applications. Though the results reported in this paper are limited to a single-lane approach, the algorithm also may be extended to multi-lane approach.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Hong Feng, Xu
  • Keping, Li
  • Mingming, Zheng
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2006-1-22 to 2006-1-26
• Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 85th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adaptive control; Algorithms; Computer online services; Data collection; Decision making; Isolated intersections; Real time information; Signalized intersections; Traffic queuing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Arrival time information; Queue length
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01026089
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 06-0024
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 28 2006 8:47AM