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An observed traffic pattern in long freeway queues

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  • Cassidy, M. J.
  • Mauch, Michael

Abstract

A simple exercise in data analysis showed that, in queued traffic, a well-defined relation exists between the flow on a homogeneous freeway segment and the segment's vehicle accumulation. The exercise consisted of constructing cumulative vehicle arrival curves to measure the flows and densities on multiple segments of a queued freeway. At this particular site, each interchange enveloped by the queue exhibited a higher on-ramp flow than off-ramp flow and as a consequence, motorists encountered a steady improvement in traffic conditions (e.g., reduced densities and increased speeds) as they traveled from the tail of the queue to the bottleneck. This finding has practical implications for freeway traffic planning and management. Perhaps most notably, it suggests that the first-order hydrodynamic theory of traffic is adequate for describing some of the more relevant features of queue evolution. This and other practical issues are discussed in some detail.

Suggested Citation

  • Cassidy, M. J. & Mauch, Michael, 2001. "An observed traffic pattern in long freeway queues," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 143-156, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:35:y:2001:i:2:p:143-156
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Newell, G. F., 1993. "A simplified theory of kinematic waves in highway traffic, part III: Multi-destination flows," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 305-313, August.
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    5. Paul I. Richards, 1956. "Shock Waves on the Highway," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 4(1), pages 42-51, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Lei & Levinson, David, 2010. "Ramp metering and freeway bottleneck capacity," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 218-235, May.
    2. Michael Z. F. Li, 2008. "A Generic Characterization of Equilibrium Speed-Flow Curves," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(2), pages 220-235, May.
    3. Mauch, Michael, 2002. "Analyses of Start-Stop Waves in Congested Freeway Traffic," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt9kb9x6n5, University of California Transportation Center.
    4. Gu, Weihua & Gayah, Vikash V. & Cassidy, Michael J. & Saade, Nathalie, 2014. "On the impacts of bus stops near signalized intersections: Models of car and bus delays," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 123-140.
    5. Mauch, Michael & Cassidy, Michael J., 2004. "Freeway Traffic Oscillations: Observations and Predictions," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt89c3h1vv, University of California Transportation Center.
    6. Cassidy, Michael J., 2002. "Critique of a Freeway On-Ramp Metering Scheme and Broader Related Issues," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt804724nd, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    7. Jiang, Rui & Wu, Qing-Song, 2003. "Study on propagation speed of small disturbance from a car-following approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 85-99, January.
    8. Zheng, Shi-Teng & Jiang, Rui & Tian, Jun-Fang & Zhang, H.M. & Li, Zhen-Hua & Gao, Lan-Da & Jia, Bin, 2021. "Experimental study on properties of lightly congested flow," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1-19.
    9. Juan Carlos Muñoz & Carlos F. Daganzo, 2003. "Structure of the Transition Zone Behind Freeway Queues," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(3), pages 312-329, August.
    10. Qian, Wei-Liang & F. Siqueira, Adriano & F. Machado, Romuel & Lin, Kai & Grant, Ted W., 2017. "Dynamical capacity drop in a nonlinear stochastic traffic model," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 328-339.
    11. Lago, Alejandro & Daganzo, Carlos F., 2003. "A Network Model of Departure Time Choice with Spillovers and Merging Effects. Part I: Building Block," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt1rw9v116, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    12. Menendez, Monica & Daganzo, Carlos F., 2007. "Effects of HOV lanes on freeway bottlenecks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 809-822, October.
    13. Martin Schönhof & Dirk Helbing, 2007. "Empirical Features of Congested Traffic States and Their Implications for Traffic Modeling," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(2), pages 135-166, May.
    14. Sun, Jie & Zheng, Zuduo & Sun, Jian, 2020. "The relationship between car following string instability and traffic oscillations in finite-sized platoons and its use in easing congestion via connected and automated vehicles with IDM based control," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 58-83.
    15. Bae, Bumjoon & Liu, Yuandong & Han, Lee D. & Bozdogan, Hamparsum, 2019. "Spatio-temporal traffic queue detection for uninterrupted flows," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 20-34.

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