Traffic flow optimization on rural networks
Seasonal traffic on intercity corridors often creates severe congestion at various bottlenecks, such as land-drops and drawbridges. A Traffic Simulation And Optimization model (TSAO) has been developed in order to 1) evaluate traffic impacts (including travel time, vehicle operating costs, accidents, air pollution and fuel consumption) of a given routing pattern on a network, and 2) determine the optimal flow pattern. In its latest version, the TSAO model uses: 1) a macroscopic simulation approach to trace vehicle platoons through a network; 2) Greenshield's equation to represent volume-speed relationship on freeways and multi-lane highways, and Highway Capacity Manual method for two-lane rural highways; 3) Lighthill's shockwave function to simulate queue propagation; 4) event-scan time management for simulation; 5) variable link capacity for two-lane rural highways or to stimulate incidents; 6) AASHTO Guideline for determining vehicle operating costs and fuel consumption, and EPA figures for determining pollutant emissions; and 7) a Quasi-Newton method to search for the optimal control solution. The model was applied to a rural network on the Maryland Eastern Shore, where heavy recreational traffic creates severe congestion during summer weekends. Fourteen alternatives for improvement, including capacity expansion projects and route diversion strategies, were analyzed. The results obtained confirm the applicability of the TSAO model and the cost-effectiveness of route diversion on rural intercity networks with relatively infrequent demand peaks.
- OSTI ID:
- 6227153
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
RURAL AREAS
TRAFFIC CONTROL
ENERGY CONSERVATION
OPTIMIZATION
VEHICLES
FUEL CONSUMPTION
MARYLAND
ROADS
SIMULATION
CONTROL
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
FEDERAL REGION III
NORTH AMERICA
USA
320203* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Land & Roadway