Description

This book addresses the modeling methodologies and
operational strategies for managing integrated
diamond interchange ramp-metering traffic control
systems. Diamond interchanges and their associated
ramps are where the surface street arterial system
and the freeway system interface. Historically,
these two elements of the system have operated with
little or no coordination between the two.
Therefore, there is a lack of both analysis tools
and operational strategies for considering them as
an integrated system. A model named DRIVE (Diamond
Interchange and Ramp Metering Integration Via
Evaluation) was developed, which was characterized
as a mesoscopic simulation and analysis model. DRIVE
incorporated some enhanced modeling methodologies
and can perform system analysis in an integrated
fashion given a set of system input parameters and
variables. System operational characteristics were
investigated using DRIVE to gain a better
understanding of the system features. Integrated
control strategies were developed based on commonly
used phasing schemes for signalized diamond
interchanges.