Title: Monitoring a freeway network in real time using single-loop detectors

Authors: Xiaoping Zhang, Yinhai Wang, Nancy L. Nihan, Hu Dong

Addresses: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, 2001 Engineering III, Davis, CA 95616, USA

Abstract: With the widespread adoption of automated traffic sensors, the increase of computer processing power, and the evolution and growth of the global Internet, our ability to monitor traffic and convey traffic information in real-time has been dramatically advanced. To the authors| knowledge, most of the current traffic information systems mainly provide general traffic flow information. Vehicle classification data, such as truck volumes, that should be key inputs for good transportation planning, freight mobility analysis, roadway geometric and structural design and traffic control and operation, are often excluded or only roughly estimated. To address this problem, this paper describes the design and implementation of a traffic monitoring and information system recently developed at the University of Washington that visually conveys speed and vehicle classification information, obtained by processing real-time single-loop measurements, to the general public through the client/server computer architecture. The development of this system makes real-time monitoring of truck volume data on a freeway network possible.

Keywords: freeway monitoring; internet; traffic networks; transportation networks; truck data; traffic monitoring; traffic information systems; vehicle speed; vehicle classification; freeway networks; real time monitoring; vehicle information systems; advanced traffic management systems; ATMS; advanced traveller information systems; ATIS.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVICS.2005.007591

International Journal of Vehicle Information and Communication Systems, 2005 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.119 - 130

Published online: 08 Aug 2005 *

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