Project Summary
Effective on-ramp queue management is indispensable for any successful implementation of ramp metering. On-ramp queues impact both freeways and local roadways, and therefore, both the state and local agencies have to participate in the solution. It is difficult to forecast where the freeway-bound demand is going to go if the freeway system breaks down. It is similarly difficult to forecast where the local road-bound demand is going to go if the local road system breaks down. To combat the on-ramp queue issue, ramp metering operation improvement, infrastructure improvement and innovative operational strategies are necessary. We will investigate various potential queue management strategies and evaluate them through microsimulation for a study site in Caltrans District 12. The goal of the project is to develop general guidelines for the better planning, design, and access management at the ramp terminal intersections, based on the on-ramp queue management strategies developed in the previous step.