Network Effects of Disruptive Traffic Events

Current traffic management strategies are based on expected conditions caused by recurring congestion (e.g. by time of day, day of week), and can be very effective when provisions are also given for reasonable variations from such expectations. However, traffic variations due to non recurrent events (e.g. crashes) can be much larger and difficult to predict, making also challenging efforts to measure and forecast their disruptive effects. This project explores a proactive approach to manage non-recurring congestion by quantifying and modeling the effects of disruptive traffic events (crashes, major sporting events, weather, etc.) at a microscopic level using a comprehensive set of data sources. A combination of resources at the Utah Traffic Lab will enable collection of a number of data sources that will be integrated for a more comprehensive network analysis. Data includes high-resolution vehicle detection and traffic controller data, live video feeds, real-time weather data, and near-real-time crash records, which can be accessed through a unique content management system created by the University of Utah (UofU). Outcomes from this research will lead to detailed event-based spatio-temporal congestion and safety models, ultimately enabling informed and proactive traffic management and safety countermeasures. Network operators and traffic and public safety agencies may adopt such policies to improve travel time reliability, environmental outcomes, and user safety. This project will use the Salt Lake valley as a testbed and will open new opportunities for research using integration of large datasets of disaggregated data.

• Record URL:
  http://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1082

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $385896
• Contract Numbers:

  NITC 1082

  69A3551747112

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Project Development
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8380

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  City & Metropolitan Planning
  201 South Presidents Circle
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112
• Managing Organizations:

  TREC at Portland State University

  1900 SW Fourth Ave, Suite 175
  P.O. Box 751
  Portland, Oregon  United States  97201
• Project Managers:

  Hagedorn, Hau

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  City & Metropolitan Planning
  201 South Presidents Circle
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112
• Principal Investigators:

  Medina, Juan

  Liu, Cathy

  Wei, Ran

• Start Date: 20170701
• Expected Completion Date: 20221130
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Highway traffic control; Real time information; Traffic congestion; Traffic data; Traffic safety; Travel time
• Geographic Terms: Salt Lake City (Utah)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01641378
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Institute for Transportation and Communities
• Contract Numbers: NITC 1082, 69A3551747112
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 20 2017 9:56PM