Integrating variable speed limit and ramp metering to enhance vehicle group safety and efficiency in a mixed traffic environment

The integrated variable speed limits and ramp metering (VSL-RM) strategy is a useful method to avoid crashes and alleviate congestion on expressways. Previous studies have mostly focused on specific roadway segments and optimized them with the single goal of efficiency or safety, which does not allow for a prompt response to high-risk moving vehicle groups to improve safety and efficiency. To reduce the crash and congestion risk of vehicle groups in real time, this study developed three VSL-RM strategies with different optimization objectives based on predicted risks in a mixed traffic flow environment including connected vehicles (CVs) and regular vehicles (RVs). Due to the different behaviors of CVs and RVs under the VSL-RM control strategy, a mixed traffic METANET model was introduced to predict traffic flow parameters, e.g., volume and speed. Furthermore, two risk prediction models were utilized to predict crash risk and congestion risk based on the traffic flow parameters predicted by the mixed-traffic METANET model. The objectives of the three VSL-RM strategies were to minimize the crash risk, congestion risk, and both crash and congestion risks of the vehicle groups, respectively. These strategies were evaluated using a well-calibrated micro-simulation network. The mixed flow METANET model and the risk prediction model were validated to be consistent with the simulated traffic flow. The results demonstrated that the three strategies could simultaneously improve safety and efficiency benefits in most scenarios. However, the safety-targeted strategy provided the highest safety benefits, while the efficiency-targeted strategy provided the highest efficiency benefits. The bi-objective strategy outperformed the other two strategies in balancing the benefits of safety and efficiency. Moreover, increasing the CV penetration rate resulted in higher benefits for all three strategies. •Improve the traditional METANET model to reflect the heterogeneity characteristics of CVs and RVs under the VSL-RM strategy.•Design three different target VSL-RM optimal control strategies to enhance the safety and efficiency of expressways.•Develop a vehicle group control framework that includes the mixed traffic METANET model, vehicle group risk prediction model, and VSL-RM control strategy.