Traffic Flow Theory–Based Stochastic Optimization Model for Work Zones on Two-Lane Highways

Abstract

Road maintenance is essential to ensure a safe and efficient transportation system. Unfortunately, work zones can give rise to significant delays to road users. In this paper, two major limitations in the current work zone optimization models are addressed. First, we relax the assumption of determinism, and model vehicle arrivals as being stochastic. While previous work has shown that this relaxation is important in the quantification of user delay at work zones, no model exists that explicitly accounts for stochasticity in the optimization of work zones. Second, unlike in previous work in which idealized traffic flow modeling techniques have been used, the proposed model employs the traffic flow theory–based cell transmission model, yielding a more accurate and realistic representation of traffic flow dynamics. The focus in this paper is on two-lane two-way highways. A case study is presented to illustrate the proposed model.