I-270 SIMULATOR : AN INTEGRATED KNOWLEDGE-BASE/SIMULATION SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

This paper presents a network simulator for I-270 that integrates the knowledge base with a microscopic traffic simulation model for real- time incident management. The knowledge base is used to keep the operational experience and traffic impact information associated with all recorded previous incidents in the I-270 network. The simulation module, developed with design plans for construction, contains traffic volumes and all detailed geometric features for both mainline segments and interchanges. The proposed system will enable traffic control operators during the incident management period to perform two critical functions: (1) having an immediate estimate of the traffic impacts such as the queue length, average speed due to the detected incident; and (2) performing a subsequent detailed real-time analysis of network traffic conditions under various candidate incident management and/or control strategies with the simulation module. The simulation results also offer the information between departure time and estimated travel time during the period of incident management. To minimize both the learning and executing efforts of our target users the proposed I-270 simulator offers a GIS-type of map features that allows the operators to perform the input and output tasks through a user-friendly graphical interface