A fuzzy logic simulation model for controlling an oversaturated diverge diamond interchange and ramp metering system

Traffic congestion is a global problem that cannot be solved by continuing to add new roads and extra capacity, which is accentuated in the areas where roads of unlimited-access (e.g. arterial streets) interface those of limited-access (e.g. freeways). Many researchers have addressed this problem but we present here a novel method to utilize a fuzzy logic model to reduce traffic congestion in such interfacing areas during saturated traffic conditions. More specifically this paper presents a control method for a complex traffic control system: Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) - Ramp Metering (RM), under oversaturated traffic conditions. The DDI is a relatively new concept of an alternative intersection geometry where two intersections serve left-turn movements without conflicts. However, such DDI left-turn movements, along with the right-turn movements from the opposite direction, put additional ‘pressure’ on the on-ramp of the freeways or multilane highways that intersect with DDIs. If freeway operations are saturated or near saturation, which may be the result of RM operations, this type of traffic control system can lead to a fully jammed condition with a potential spillback. The purpose of the proposed fuzzy-logic control is to prevent such a queue spillback from the metering ramp to the DDI. After presenting the fuzzy-logic control (FLC) model, we compare it to the conventional fixed time control (FTC) to evaluate potential benefits. To assess the quality of proposed analytical solutions in the real-traffic-like environment we evaluated the two logics in a VISSIM microsimulation model. The results show that, when compared to FTC, the FLC method improves traffic conditions moderately but in the oversaturated environment where there is very little room for improvement.