Robust Signal Control of Exit Lanes for Left-Turn Intersections With the Consideration of Traffic Fluctuation

Abstract

Traffic throughput at intersections can be improved by using exit lanes for left-turning (EFL), tidal flow lanes near an intersection, which has been recently introduced. This paper considers the operational robustness of the EFL intersection in relation to the control scheme applied to the traffic light setting. For safety and efficiency, it is important that the tidal lanes are emptied before traffic in the opposing direction uses these lanes. Hence, the signal control should not only be optimized for the mean value but be robust for all kinds of fluctuations. This paper formulates a traffic control scheme using robust optimization, i.e. an optimization scheme which explicitly accounts for extreme events. The fluctuation of traffic is considered from three aspects: the distribution of traffic demand, the distribution of base saturation flow rate, and the distribution of actual travel speed. Via a case study and extensive numerical analysis, we find that the established robust optimization method produces an efficient design of signal control and design speed at the EFL intersection under traffic demand and supply fluctuations. Though the optimization method is now applied to intersections with an EFL, it is considered useful for all intersections with high fluctuation of traffic demand and saturation flow rate. INDEX TERMS Exit-lanes for left-turn intersection, robust optimization, signal control, unconventional intersections.

Fault Tolerant Traffic Control System Based on Multiobjective Optimization

“…Na poziomie infrastrukturalnym przyczynić się do tego może chociażby zastosowanie pasów wyjazdowych przy skręcaniu w lewo (ang. exit lanes for left-turning), pod warunkiem właściwego zoptymalizowania pracy sygnalizacji świetnej [14]. Interesu-jące jest również podejście podziału dnia pracy na kilka okresów kontrolnych i dostosowania strategii kontroli ruchu do aktualnie panującego okresu [15].…”

A Dynamic Control Method for Signalized Intersections Using the Flow Fluctuation Amplitude

“…Chen et al proposed a robust signal control model under the condition of traffic fluctuations. e fluctuation of traffic in their paper was considered from three different aspects: the distribution of traffic demand, the distribution of base saturation flow rate, and the distribution of actual travel speed [11].…”

“…is method usually assumes that traffic flow obeys a random distribution for representing demand fluctuations [8][9][10][11]. However, further analysis on the mechanism of flow fluctuation amplitude on the signal control, such as the factors of mean and variance of the random distribution for traffic flow, is often overlooked.…”

Study on the location of unconventional outside left-turn lane at signalized intersections based on an entropy method

“…Currently, many cities adopt traffic restriction policies to decrease urban congestion, which can also harm citizens and regional economic development (Zhang et al, 2019). Some scholars proposed various intersection timing optimization models based on different algorithms and models and achieved positive results in increasing intersection capacity and reducing travel delays (Krzysztofi, 2016;Cruv-Piris et al, 2019;Chen et al, 2020). Several studies analyzed the impact of parking on intersection capacity (Kurek and Macioszek, 2021), and others investigated residents' preferences in choosing alternative, environmentally friendly modes of transportation (Cieśla and Orzech, 2019).…”