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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2005.02.032 Byline: Vaya Dinopoulou, Christina Diakaki, Markos Papageorgiou Keywords: Traffic control; Optimal control; Urban traffic control Abstract: Despite the long-lasting research and developments in the field of urban traffic control systems, the continuously increasing mobility requirements urge for solutions that will release urban areas from the serious congestion problems and their consequences. From the control point of view, this may be translated into the employment of traffic-responsive systems that respond automatically to the prevailing traffic conditions. This is the aim of the signal control strategy TUC, whose basic philosophy, design methodology, characteristics and application results under both simulated and field conditions are presented in this paper. Based on a store-and-forward type of mathematical modelling and using well-known methodological tools from Automatic Control Theory, the TUC strategy addresses in a simple but efficient way, as demonstrated from the applications so far, the problem of co-ordinated, traffic-responsive signal control in large-scale urban networks. Author Affiliation: Dynamic Systems and Simulation Laboratory, Technical University of Crete, Greece

Traffic congestion in urban road and freeway networks leads to a strong degradation of the network infrastructure and accordingly reduced throughput, which can be countered via suitable control measures and strategies. After illustrating the main reasons for infrastructure deterioration due to traffic congestion, a comprehensive overview of proposed and implemented control strategies is provided for three areas: urban road networks, freeway networks, and route guidance. Selected application results, obtained from either simulation studies or field implementations, are briefly outlined to illustrate the impact of various control actions and strategies. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of future needs in this important technical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]