The Research Connection

The Caltrans Division of Research and Innovation is hosting monthly webinars on various topics. The presentations are designed to bring researchers and practitioners together to exchange information and transfer knowledge.

On Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, Dr. Alex Skabardonis presented "Traffic Mobility."

Dr. Alex Skabardonis Professor-in-Residence Director of California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highway

Alexander Skabardonis is a Professor and Research Engineer at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of California PATH, a statewide research center on intelligent transportation systems (ITS). His professional interests and expertise include traffic flow theory and modeling, traffic management and control systems, design and operation of transportation facilities, and ITS. He has served as Principal Researcher for 60 extramurally funded contracts and grants totaling over $15M, and has published over 200 papers and technical reports. He is a member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Traffic Flow Theory and Freeway Operations Committees, and a Subcommittee member in the TRB Committees of Highway Capacity and Traffic Signal Systems. He serves as a reviewer for several archival journals in transportation.

 

Topic Description: " California PATH Traffic Operations Research Findings and Future Research Directions."

Research in traffic operations has been undertaken at California PATH over the last four years as part of Task Order series 5000 and 6000. The projects are grouped into four major categories:

• Surveillance Technologies:
  • How we can extract the most information from existing loop detectors.
  • Detector diagnostics tools  for existing and soon to be available sensors.
  • New loop based detector technologies for vehicle re-identification/tracking.
  • New sensors.
  • Sensing for other highway users (e.g., bicycles)Sensor requirements for traffic management and traveler information
• Data Processing/Analysis/Performance Measurement:
  • Data driven performance measures for the freeway system for operators and users (e.g. lost productivity, travel time reliability).
  • Assessment of the congestion causes and impacts (congestion pie).
  • Performance of HOV lanes.
  • Assessment and characterization of freeway bottlenecks
• Development and Application of Modeling Tools:
  • Calibration and validation of microscopic simulation models.
  • Analysis tools for construction zones.
  • Plug-ins and software for use with microscopic simulation models to analyze control strategies (ramp metering, signal control).
  • Signal optimization models to account for demand uncertainties and to interface with loop data.
  • Detailed analysis of signal control with hardware-in-the-loop.
  • Macroscopic models that can directly interface with the PeMS system for quick assessment of control strategies at traffic corridors.
•  Traffic Control and Management Strategies:
  • Ramp metering algorithms.
  • Field evaluation of effectiveness of ramp metering.
  • Development of incident management systems.
  • Integrated corridor management; concept of operations.
  • Active traffic management Traveler information and dissemination.
    
    
  Several of these research efforts have produced promising results and their continuation toward field testing and implementation directly addresses the Caltrans mobility goal high priority research questions.

 

For more information, check the Division of Research and Innovation Web site or

contact Rebecca Boyer at 654-8367...