Traffic is more turbulent around motorway ramps due to route choice-related lane changes and anticipatory or cooperative manoeuvres. These manoeuvres result in changes in speed and headways and have a negative influence on traffic safety and capacity. However, the distance upstream where turbulence starts and the distance downstream where it dissolves are yet unknown. In this paper, we propose a new method for detecting the start and end distances of turbulence. This method relies on the analysis of large quantities of empirical loop detector data from multiple on-ramps and off-ramps at different sites. By comparing the traffic operations near ramps to those on a regular motorway section, the length of the turbulence influence area can be estimated. The scope of the research is limited to three-lane motorways in the Netherlands, and shows that the distribution of traffic over the motorway lanes is a useful indicator for turbulence.


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    Title :

    Macroscopic traffic flow changes around ramps


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2018-08-09


    Size :

    17 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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