Traffic congestion is a worsening problem in metropolitan areas which will require integrated regional traffic control systems to improve traffic conditions. This paper presents a regional traffic control system which can detect incident conditions and provide integrated traffic management during nonrecurrent congestion events. The system combines advanced artificial intelligence techniques with a traffic performance model based on HCM equations. Preliminary evaluation of the control system using traffic microsimulation demonstrates that it has the potential to improve system conditions during traffic incidents. In addition, several enhancements were identified which will make the system more robust in a real traffic control setting. An assessment of the control system elements indicates that there are no substantial technical barriers in implementing this system in a large traffic network. 1. Introduction Traffic congestion occurs when there is insufficient capacity to meet the prevailing demand for the transportation infrastructure and incurs consequences that include increased delay, pollution, and wasted fuel. Addressing the congestion problem is a challenge for transportation planners because of increasing traffic demand and the limited opportunities to build additional capacity. As a result, transportation planners have placed considerable focus on traffic management solutions which more effectively utilize the existing transportation infrastructure. These efforts are aided by Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies which are a defined as “advanced electronics and communication technologies to enhance the capacity and efficiency of the surface transportation system” [1]. Regional traffic control can be considered a macroscopic approach to traffic management and is a means to deal with both recurrent (e.g., daily congestion) and nonrecurrent congestion events (e.g., incidents, bad weather). The concept of regional traffic control centers on the coordination of traffic management efforts between jurisdictions during normal traffic operations as well as during traffic incidents and emergency events. Coordination is realized by exchanging data, implementing compatible timing plans, and developing coordinated emergency management plans. Tactical regional traffic management has been implemented in some metropolitan areas by establishing regional traffic control organizations which provide real-time traffic management throughout the region (e.g., Houston’s Transtar). In the future regional coordination may become required traffic management
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