Evaluation of HERO Coordinated Ramp Metering Installation at the M1/M3 Freeway in Queensland, Australia

摘要

The recently developed traffic-responsive feedback control strategy HERO (HEuristic Rampmetering cOordination), that coordinates local ramp-metering actions in freeway networks, wasimplemented at the M1/M3 Freeway in Queensland, Australia. HERO employs an extendedversion of the feedback regulator ALINEA at the local level. HERO outperforms uncoordinatedlocal ramp metering and approaches the efficiency of sophisticated optimal control schemes.HERO has been implemented by TMR (Transport and Main Roads), the road authority for thestate of Queensland, Australia, at six on-ramps of the M1/M3 Freeway. The obtained resultsshow significant improvements in traffic throughput and travel times compared with thepreviously used fixed-rate ramp-metering system. A rapid economic benefit analysis concludedon a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 13.8:1 at a 7% discount rate, and hence a very strong economicmerit for the implementation of HERO. The economic payback period for capital expenditure onthis pilot is approximately 4 months.