Simulation-Based Assessment of Multilane Separate Freeways at Toll Station Area: A Case Study from Huludao Toll Station on Shenshan Freeway

Changyin Dong,Daiheng Ni,Quan Chen,Ye Li,Hao Wang

doi:10.3390/su11113057

Changyin Dong, Daiheng Ni + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113057

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Abstract

To support the rapid growth of demand in passengers and freight, separating trucks and passenger-cars is a potential solution to improve traffic efficiency and safety. The primary purpose of this paper is to comprehensively assess the multilane separate freeway at Huludao Toll Station in Liaoning Province, China. Based on the configuration and segmentation of the freeway near a toll station, a six-step guidance strategy is designed to adapt to the separate organization mode. Five conventional traffic scenarios are designed in the Vissim platform for comparative analysis between different guidance strategies. To investigate the vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) environment, a microscopic testbed is established with cooperative car-following and lane-changing models using the MATLAB platform. The numerical simulation results show that the guidance strategy significantly improves efficiency and safety, and also reduces emissions and fuel consumption. Meanwhile, pre-guidance before toll channels outperforms the scenario only applied with guidance measures after toll plaza. Compared to conventional conditions, the assessment of pollutant emissions and fuel consumption also embodies the superiority of the other five scenarios, especially in the sections of toll plaza and channels with the lowest efficiency and safety level. Generally, all indexes indicate that the cooperative V2I technology is the best alternative for multilane separate freeways.

Highlights

Traffic congestion, safety, pollutant emissions, and fuel consumption have become increasingly severe issues all over the world [1,2]
Trucks only account for approximately 4% of all the traffic accidents and 12% of all traffic fatalities based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, truck-related accidents lead to many more deaths, injuries, and much more property loss than other vehicles [5,6]
Based on guidance of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and its sub-systems, the literature review is summarized in three parts, including multilane separate freeways, a guidance strategy, and cooperative vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology, which are all factored into the construction of the ITS framework for the study area

Summary

Introduction

Safety, pollutant emissions, and fuel consumption have become increasingly severe issues all over the world [1,2]. Growing attention has been paid to these problems through the application of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology. There are several technologies among the sub-systems of ITS to address the problem, including the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), Advanced Vehicle Control and Safety System (AVCSS), Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), and Automated Highway System (AHS) [9,10]. Based on guidance of ITS and its sub-systems, the literature review is summarized in three parts, including multilane separate freeways, a guidance strategy, and cooperative vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology, which are all factored into the construction of the ITS framework for the study area

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