STRIDE Project I

STRIDE Project I

Freeway Management for Optimal Reliability

Research Team

Yafeng Yin, University of Michigan
Nagui Rouphail, North Carolina State University
Jorge Laval, Georgia Institute of Technology
Rod Turochy, Auburn University

UTC Project Info
Final Report
Technology Transfer Report
Project Brief – Improved Algorithm for Estimating Incident Impacts on Freeway Capacity

Project Description

This project will develop tools for analyzing and optimizing system reliability on freeways. These tools include analytical and simulation frameworks for the optimization and near real-time performance forecast of active traffic management (ATM) systems. The proposed traffic congestion mitigation toolbox will include local and/or system-wide adaptive ramp metering, integrated ramp metering and variable speed limit control, hard shoulder running, speed harmonization, dynamic pricing of express lanes, optimized traffic diversions and efficient incident response and management. ATM deployment is a means to meet specific reliability goals below a desirable agency specified threshold. This two-year project will develop a methodological framework, a novel integrative process of system modeling, and will select and optimize appropriate strategies from the ATM toolbox to meet reliability goals. We will also test the validity of the proposed approach using data from a minimum of three freeway facilities in the Southeast region at both rural and urban locations.

Products

  • FREEVAL calibration – Calibrated FREEVAL, a freeway analysis tool, to improve the existing product, particularly for non-recurring congestion effects such as incidents.
  • Methodology – Developed a new methodology using test site data to estimate and improve CV/AV technology on freeway reliability.
  • Methodology – Developed an improved methodology for estimating and improving travel reliability to better coordinate freeways and local arterials.

Webinar

  • Webinar – Freeway Facility Reliability: Improved Modeling of Incident Impacts

Training

  • Freeway Analysis and Reliability in FREEVAL: A Hands on Workshop Freeway Analysis led by Behzad Aghdashi, Ph.D., and Nagui Rouphail, Ph.D.

    A three-hour workshop provided at the 6th Annual UTC Conference for the Southeastern Region, Clemson, SC., October 2018. The workshop covered freeway facility methodology currently documented in the HCM 6th Edition with a focus on applications for operational analysis, reliability and model calibration. 

Publication