Overview
This document is a report on the effects of ramp metering on the general traffic and congestion of areas surrounding Seattle, Washington. Even the smallest of actions can have large effects on traffic congestion -- take rubbernecking, for example -- the same goes for benefits to traffic. Ramp Metering has been shown to prevent accidents and improve overall traffic flow.
This report compares the effects of the Fuzzy Logic Ramp Metering Algorithm to the Local Algorithm and the Bottleneck Algorithm, as well as describes the research approach and evaluation method for the study.
For information regarding the algorithm design and tuning technique, see the technical report “Algorithm Design, User Interface, and Optimization Procedure or a Fuzzy Logic Ramp Metering Algorithm: A Training Manual for Freeway Operations Engineers” (Taylor and Meldrum, 2000).