Traffic dynamics: Method for estimating freeway travel times in real time from flow measurements

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996 · Journal of Transportation Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-947X(1996)122:3(185)· OSTI ID:248015

Nam, D H; Drew, D R ^[1]

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1. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)

This paper presents a method for estimating freeway travel times in real time directly from flow measurements, which is desirable for present and future Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems (IVHS) applications. An inductive modeling approach adapted here is based on stochastic queuing theory and the principle of conservation of vehicles. The analytical expression for link travel times satisfies traffic dynamics where the new form of the conservation of vehicles has been derived under generalized traffic conditions. A computer program has been developed to implement the algorithm. Analysis results show that the estimates have good agreement with empirical data measured at 30-s intervals. This methodology has potential applicable to automatic traffic control and automatic incident detection.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 248015
• Journal Information: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 122, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: May-Jun 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
URBAN AREAS
TRAFFIC CONTROL
AUTOMATION
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
ROAD TRANSPORT
ROUTING
VEHICLES