DIGITAL COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR THE RAMP METERING SYSTEM ON THE GULF FREEWAY

RAMP METERING HAS PROVEN TO AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF IMPROVING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF OVER-CROWDED URBAN FREEWAYS. THIS REPORT DISCUSSES THE DIGITAL COMPUTER PROGRAMS USED TO IMPLEMENT FREEWAY RAMP CONTROL ON A SECTION OF THE INBOUND GULF FREEWAY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES WAS TO DEVELOP AND TEST AN AUTOMATIC FREEWAY CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH WILL INITIATE AND TERMINATE RAMP CONTROL AS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WARRANT AND BE VERY RESPONSIVE TO FREEWAY CONDITIONS IN THE METERING PROCESS. THE DATA ACQUISITION, CONTROL, AND SYSTEM SUPERVISOR PROGRAMS ARE EXECUTED IN A PRIORITY ASSIGNED FASHION THAT IS BASED ON THE CONTROL PHILOSOPHY AND ENABLED BY THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE DIGITAL COMPUTER. THE OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUPPORTING DETECTION, TRANSMISSION, AND SIGNAL CONTROL SUBSYSTEMS ARE CONSIDERED. THE PROGRAMMING TECHNIQUES USED IN EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FREEWAY RAMP CONTROL ARE DESCRIBED. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • RESEARCH REPT 139-12
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011
• Authors:
  • Ritch, G P
• Publication Date: 1971-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 65 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Digital computers; Interchange ramps; Ramp metering; Real time control; Systems engineering; Traffic control
• Old TRIS Terms: Freeway ramps; Metering; Real-time systems; Traffic control systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226422
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 13 1972 12:00AM