Cooperative Route Guidance and Flow Control for Mixed Road Networks Comprising Expressway and Arterial Network

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel integrated control strategy combining route guidance, perimeter control, and ramp metering to effectively reduce congestion in mixed expressway and arterial road networks, validated through simulation.

Contribution

It develops a comprehensive traffic model for mixed networks and proposes a cooperative control method that improves traffic flow coordination between expressways and arterial roads.

Findings

The CGC method significantly reduces overall congestion.

The integrated control strategy improves traffic flow efficiency.

Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Abstract

Facing the congestion challenges of mixed road networks comprising expressways and arterial road networks, traditional control solutions fall short. To effectively alleviate traffic congestion in mixed road networks, it is crucial to clear the interaction between expressways and arterial networks and achieve orderly coordination between them. This study employs the multi-class cell transmission model (CTM) combined with the macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) to model the traffic dynamics of expressway systems and arterial subregions, enabling vehicle path tracking across these two systems. Consequently, a comprehensive traffic transmission model suitable for mixed road networks has been integrated. Utilizing the SUMO software, a simulation platform for the mixed road network is established, and the average trip lengths within the model have been calibrated. Based on the proposed traffic model, this study constructs a route guidance model for mixed road networks and develops an integrated model predictive control (MPC) strategy that merges route guidance, perimeter control, and ramp metering to address the challenges of mixed road networks' traffic flow control. A case study of a scenario in which a bidirectional expressway connects two subregions is conducted, and the results validate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative guidance and control (CGC) method in reducing overall congestion in mixed road networks.