Dynamic Straight-Right Lane Design at T-Shaped Intersections: Concept, Control, and Evaluation

Abstract

In urban signalized intersections, because of the mixing of straight-going and right-turn vehicles in the straight-right shared lane, the straight traffic may block the rear right-turn vehicles from crossing the intersection during the red light, resulting in additional waiting time for right-turn vehicles. To address this problem, this study proposed the dynamic straight-right lane (DSRL) design and corresponding signal control schedule, which separates the straight-going and right-turn vehicles in space–time, making vehicles enter the intersection in an orderly manner. Then, the key parameters of the signal timing scheme were identified, and the physical significance of the key parameters of the optimal signal timing and the calculation models were given by discussing the optimal process of traffic flow operation at the signalized intersection. Finally, taking a realistic T-shaped signal intersection inlet lane as an example, the simulation verification platform was built by VISSIM to analyze the effects of variables on the performance of the DSRL proposed in this study. The results showed that the design proposed in this study can significantly reduce the right-turn vehicle delay without changing the overall layout of the signal intersection, and the total delay optimization rate at the intersection can always reach 10%–30%.