Intersection Control Considering Channelized Section Spillback Using a Flexible Phase Plan

Abstract

Large-scale traffic congestion often develops from local long queue in single intersections, accompanied by spillover. Current traffic control methods neglect the spillover effect, which may be one reason for the low efficiency during peak hours. A novel method for isolated intersection traffic control considering spillover is proposed here. This method distinguishes itself in three aspects: first, channelized section spillover is explicitly taken into account; second, the phase plans are enumerated, therefore flexibility is assured; third, the phase sequences are optimized as well. These features improve the effectiveness of the proposed method. Because of the nature of the established optimization model, the genetic algorithm is used to derive optimal signal settings. Numerical comparisons prove the usefulness of the proposed method.