A Macroscopic Model for Freeway Weaving Sections

The objective of this paper is to propose an analytical traffic model adapted to freeway weaving sections. To this aim, a theoretical weaving section is considered at the macroscopic level as the superposition of two merges and two diverges. The model endogenously incorporates the capacity drop related to the weaving lane changes. It only depends on six parameters: three parameters of the fundamental diagram (the free-flow speed, the jam density and the wave speed in congestion), the vehicles' acceleration, the relaxation factor and the length of the anticipation zone. A sensitivity analysis proves that the acceleration rate and the relaxation parameter most influence the capacity drop. The analytical model agrees well with microsimulation results and empirical data collected on a weaving section in France.