We are excited to share this research project “Smart Work Zone Traffic Management” conducted by Dr. Amjad Dehman. This project extended over two years starting in February 2020 and was hosted at Laboratory of Innovations in Transportation (LiTrans), Department of Civil Engineering, Ryerson University under the supervision of Dr. Bilal Farooq. The project was awarded the Mitacs Elevate program grant, which was funded by the Government of Canada and Lazaret Capital Inc. Several industrial partners assisted and supported this research project including Lazaret Capital (funding, project management), Stinson ITS (data access support, networking), Miovision (Traffic Surveillance System), and Safe Roads Engineering Inc. (technical support, supervision). The project included three main studies or themes as outlined below and supported by links guiding to corresponding presentations or papers.
Evaluating Work Zone Traffic Performance Using Traffic Surveillance Systems
Key Study Highlights:
• Traditional HCM-based calculations using traffic volume counts retrieved from traffic counter may provide misleading level-of-service results if the intersection suffers from congestion, blockage, and starvation problems.
• In these scenarios, a video-based evaluation of the level-of-service is vitally needed to inform the public and transport agencies of the correct traffic situation.
• Traffic agencies are advised to consider making video-based traffic surveillance at least highly recommended at key congested corridors/intersections where work zone activities may create long-term traffic challenges or where neighbouring intersections may create complex blockage/starvation problems.
• Travel time reliability, affected by work zone activities, was analyzed over a 1.25-km urban street.
Capacity Characteristics of Long-Term Work Zones on Signalized Intersection Approaches
Key Study Highlights:
• Traffic capacities of five work zone configurations were introduced.
• Stochasticity and reliability were integrated into work zone capacity models.
• The impacts of degree-of-saturation (over- versus under-saturated conditions), light condition (daylight versus nighttime), late-merge, heavy vehicles, and adverse weather conditions were analyzed.
• A broad set of guidelines and policies aiming to improve the day-to-day practice of WZ traffic management and planning was articulated.
Are Work Zone and Connected Automated Vehicles Ready for a Harmonious Coexistence?
Published in Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
Key Study Highlights:
• The state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice of deploying connected and automated vehicles at work zones were reviewed.
• Mobility, safety, environment, technologies, infrastructure, and regulatory considerations were explored.
• Research agenda is prepared and supported by an experts’ survey.
