MPC
Project Details

Title:	Design and Evaluate Coordinated Ramp Metering Strategies for Utah Freeways
Principal Investigators:	Xianfeng Yang
University:	University of Utah
Status:	Completed
Year:	2020
Grant #:	69A3551747108 (FAST Act)
Project #:	MPC-641
RH Display ID:	154939
Keywords:	freeways, highway operations, highway safety, performance measurement, ramp metering, traffic delays

Abstract

During the past decades, ramp metering (RM) control has been widely implemented in many states of the U.S., including Utah. In practice, it can reduce overall freeway congestion by managing the amount of traffic entering the freeway and by breaking up platoons that make it difficult to merge onto the freeway. RM controllers can be implemented as coordinated or uncoordinated systems. When operating an uncoordinated RM, the metering rate and on/off statuses will be determined by local traffic conditions. Uncoordinated RM strategies include fixed, local, and corridor-responsive systems. Despite the improvements to the operational efficiency of mainline flows, RM will inevitably create additional delays to the ramp flows. As traffic demand for a freeway facility increases, mitigating mainline congestion could go beyond the capability of uncoordinated RMs. Recognizing such limitations, the proposed research aims to assist the on-going and future efforts to deploy coordinated RM systems and evaluate the performance of deployed systems. The research can benefit the transportation community by helping 1) understand potential ramp delays to achieve a target mainline congestion level; 2) identify the locations that would benefit from coordinated RMs; and 3) evaluate the system performance from both operational and safety aspects.

Project Deliverables

• [Final Report] Design and Evaluate Coordinated Ramp Metering Strategies for Utah Freeways — MPC-22-486
  • View Research Brief

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