Combining Ramp Metering and Hard Shoulder Strategies: Field Evaluation Results on the Ile the France Motorway Network

摘要

The paper is focused on the field trial description and the evaluation results of the implementation of the ramp metering and hard shoulder simultaneously on the Ile de France motorway network. The overall site includes 24 controlled on-ramps where the ramp metering strategy is applied in operational way. With respect to hard shoulder, the common part of the A4 and A86 motorway are equipped with variable message signs indicating the state of lane: Open or Closed. The hard shoulder is used as an additional live traffic lane during congestion periods. When traffic builds up road users will be instructed to use the hard shoulder as an extra traffic lane, increasing the motorway's capacity, reducing congestion and keeping traffic moving. In this paper, the evaluation will focused on both axis of the motorway where ramp metering and lane shoulder are applied simultaneously. These field trials were conducted during two years (2008-2009).