J. Barceló and D. García, TSS-Transport Simulation Systems.
H. Kirschfink, Momatec Gmbh.

9th World Conference on ITS, Chicago 2002

Introduction

The development of traffic management strategies starts with a traffic problem situation, defined by the traffic status or events within the traffic network. A concept of action is generated that consists of different single measures to minimise or eliminate the traffic congestions. This concept of action with the various situation-related measures is called a strategy.

Within the regional traffic management the problem situations whose effects cannot be mastered by only one traffic management partner are of special interest. In this case, the corresponding cross-border and intermodal strategies consist of measures from various partners, which need to be co-ordinated.

Improved co-operation and communication between the decentralized organised departments within corresponding region is one goal of the regional traffic management. This is needed to reduce the effects of regionally significant traffic hold-ups or to prevent congestion within a traffic network entirely. The individual technical and organisational constraints of all partners must thereby be taken into consideration. This is where the development of ISM sets in. It enables the management of cross-border and intermodal strategies and the communication between the parties concerned within the traffic management. The Intermodal Strategy Manager ISM, a development within the framework of the Hessian WAYflow-project following the goal to improve traffic management in the Rhine- Main area, supports the planning of new strategies, starting with their impact assessment and coordination up to their implementation as well as the optimising of existing strategies. The advantages of the ISM as a part of the regional traffic management are obvious:

• It is unnecessary to build up an overall traffic control centre and to hand over responsibility from the partners. Every partner is still responsible for his area and keeps the ability to influence the his own measures.
• The ISM development is system independent and allows every partner to decide how and when to conceive their own automatic Strategy Manager.
• The internet based communication is technically easy to implement and requires very little technical or financial effort from the partners
• The amount of data exchanged is small as no bulk data needs to be transferred.

Above all the common strategies incorporate the regional and temporal diversion of traffic as well as the diversion from road traffic to public transport. The respective measures contain not only the traffic control, such as variable message signs, but also the distribution of information about the current traffic situation to the road users.

The strategies are defined in detail and authorised by the participating partners with respect to underlying problems (e.g. an accident, congestion at a section or major events). With the ISM, these strategies can be analysed and optimised regarding the various interactions with other relevant disturbing factors. If a problem arises it is possible to react at very short notice due to the predefined strategies. The ISM supports the automatic selection of the 2 corresponding strategies and the verification of the predefined conditions. If the conditions are appropriate the strategy will be activated.

As a result many traffic jams can be prevented if the road users accept the recommendations from variable message signs and traffic information boards set up on the motorways, as well as the traffic information and recommendations from the radio, the internet, or mobility services offered from the private sector.

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