THE USE OF VEHICLE DETECTORS FOR FREEWAY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT. VOLUME 2: THE CALCULATION OF TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS FROM DETECTOR DATA

With scarce freeway resources, it is necessary to optimize available capacity through traffic systems management (tsm). Tsm schemes require an accurate and comprehensive data base to work from. A computerized data acquisition system is necessary, where traffic information originates from detectors placed in the roadway. Volume 1 investigates schemes for monitoring the accuracy of detector data. Once the accuracy of detector data is determined, this traffic information has many possible uses in tsm. Volume 2 investigates methods of processing detector data to yield results that can be used in making operational decisions. Background information was provided by a survey sent to 32 freeway surveillance projects in North America. Detector data was collected both off and on-line for use in computer programs written to process the data. As a result of this project, many end products are available. Software packages for IBM compatible personal computers for calculating traffic characteristics from one or two detectors were developed. From observations of 35 incidents, patterns in computer data were observed and the success rate for a simple incident detection algorithm were summarized. The ramp control plan for the garden grove freeway is evaluated by comparing the current control plan with the congestion pattern observed. A model for the estimation of travel time is discussed. The use of system evaluation measures are also covered. (Author/TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  University of California, Berkeley

  Institute of Transportation Studies
  McLaughlin Hall
  Berkeley, CA  United States  94720
• Authors:
  • Hecht, J R
  • May, A D
• Publication Date: 1986-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 67 p.
• Serial:
  • ITS research report
  • Publisher: University of California, Berkeley

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calculation; Computer programs; Data collection; Detection and identification; Detectors; Freeways; Mathematical models; Sensors; Surveillance; Traffic; Traffic congestion; Traffic flow
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00499349
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: ITS-WP
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM