Mitchell Smart Freeway (Southbound): Live decision support

Main Roads Western Australia and Aimsun will develop and deploy a proof of concept Real-Time Decision Support Tool (Aimsun Live) for the Mitchell Smart Freeway (Southbound).

The tool will enable operators to understand the conditions on the network and identify and respond to incidents when they occur. The project will develop a proxy for the STREAMS ramp metering algorithm, closely reflecting the smart motorway Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), thus enabling operators to accurately predict the operation of the network an hour into the future.

Participants

• Main Roads Western Australia
• Aimsun

Project background

The defined problem and opportunity encompass the creation of an advanced simulation tool and a live operational testbed aimed at enhancing managed motorway operations, specifically on Mitchell Smart Freeway corridor.

The primary objective is to establish a proof-of-concept that showcases the viability of faster-than-real-time traffic management while incorporating intelligent transport systems. Current simulation tools lack the real-time requirements for Network Operations, thus driving the need for the development of a cutting-edge simulation tool, supplemented by data-driven AI insights, that mimics the complex dynamics of smart freeway traffic and its interaction with ITS.

This tool, if successful will have the opportunity to serve as a virtual environment to test and optimise response plans, gauge the impact of different scenarios, and uncover potential bottlenecks.

The initiative will enable Main Roads WA to exhaustively test response plans for both typical and atypical network events, such as accidents, congestion, adverse weather conditions, and unexpected incidents. This testing will help refine and enhance the effectiveness of response strategies, ensuring rapid and well-informed decision-making by control room operators.

The initiative would build on the works undertaken on the soon to be completed iMOVE Aimsun Live projects, furthering the development of these projects, and completing necessary research and development to enable an enterprise deployment. These projects include:

• 1-024 – Transport Predictive Solution – Stage 1 – Pilot 1 – WA
• 1-025 – Transport Predictive Solution – Stage 2 – R&D – WA Node: AI-assisted Model Calibration for Realtime Traffic Simulation

In summary, the defined problem and opportunity encompass the holistic advancement of smart freeway operations. By seamlessly integrating a state-of-the-art simulation tool and a live operational testbed, this initiative seeks to transform the way smart freeways are managed through comprehensive response plan testing, improved situational awareness, and network optimisation; through this the project aims to improve safety, performance, and control room efficiency.

Project objectives

The key objectives of the project are to:

• Maximise existing Main Roads infrastructure and research investment with iMOVE, to establish a decision support system for the Mitchell Freeway Smart Freeway based on the existing Perth Aimsun Live.
• Leverage the investment in smart sensors and ramp metering as part of the Mitchell Freeway Smart Freeway project.
• Simulation Tool Development: The core focus lies in developing a cutting-edge simulation tool that mimics the complex dynamics of freeway traffic and its interaction with Smart Freeway ITS. This tool will serve as a virtual environment to test and optimise response plans, gauge the impact of different scenarios, and uncover potential bottlenecks.
• Response Plan Testing: The initiative will enable exhaustive testing of response plans for both typical and atypical network events, such as accidents, congestion, adverse weather conditions, and unexpected incidents. This testing will help refine and enhance the effectiveness of response strategies, ensuring rapid and well-informed decision-making by control room operators.
• Situational Awareness and Response Capabilities: By immersing control room operators in an environment where they can observe and manage real-time traffic scenarios, their situational awareness will be significantly heightened. This exposure will foster the development of swift and accurate response capabilities, enabling operators to effectively handle emergent situations.

The outcomes of this research are:

• Development of a proof-of-concept for faster than real time managed motorway operation.
• Development of an Aimsun Live operational testbed with ITS facilities.
• Testing of response plans for typical and atypical network events along the Mitchell Freeway corridor. This enhances the network operator’s situational awareness and ability to respond and provides an environment for operator training.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!