Proposal for a new model for determining service levels for dynamic highway traffic management

Enrique Belda Esplugues
Deputy Director General of Information Systems and Communications Security.
Ministry of Interior

Vicente R. Tomás López
Department of Engineering and Computer Science.
Universitat Jaume I

Ruth Gomar
Department of Infrastructure.
INDRA

Arturo Sáez
Institute of Robotics and Information Technologies and Communications.
Universidad de Valencia

Diego Carmona
Department of Infrastructure.
INDRA

ABSTRACT

The application of new technologies to traffic engineering has allowed the development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) that improve traffic management and increase road safety, making better use of existing road infrastructure to optimize their use.

These ITS systems have allowed a dynamic traffic management. One of the most commonly used parameters for traffic management is the level of service. Currently, service levels are based on Capacity Manual "TransportationResearchBoard". However, the proposed calculation is completely static. Thus, the model is considered suitable for the dimensioning of future road network but not for dynamic traffic management.

This article describes a new model for determining service levels on motorways which allow performing a dynamic traffic management is presented in the present tense. This model is based on the fundamental relationship between the average rate and the percentage of occupancy time.

KEYWORDS

Traffic, Road safety, Level of service, Highway, Dynamic traffic management, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), Speed, Occupancy.