Improving the efficiency of freight traffic at congested freeway merging sections

Abstract

This work investigates the effect of heavy commercial vehicles on the traffic characteristics and operation of freeway merging sections and examines potential of intelligent transport system control strategies for freeway merging points to mitigate traffic congestion. Freeways are designed to facilitate the flow of traffic including passenger cars and trucks. The impact of these different vehicle types is not uniform, creating problems in freeway operations and safety particularly in the vicinity of merging sections. There have been very few studies concerned with the traffic behavior and characteristics of heavy vehicles in these situations. This study draws on extensive data captured under..