New vehicle-actuated access algorithms for intersections close to oversaturation

Optimal traffic-light settings are generally hard to obtain, certainly for actuated access control of an intersection. Typically, computationally expensive (microscopic) simulations or complicated optimization schemes are required to find those optimal settings. Based on recent developments regarding the Fixed-Cycle Traffic-Light (FCTL) queue, we propose a new allocation scheme for actuated access control at isolated intersections. Our scheme allows for very easy computations and an intuitive explanation, which are both based on the Central Limit Theorem, a key tool in probability theory. The desirable properties observed for the FCTL queue can also be achieved in case of actuated access control of an intersection. We show this by means of simulation of the underlying queueing model, because the actuated control defies an exact analysis so far. We also observe the same type of results employing the microscopic traffic simulator SUMO. The intuition and insights obtained might also open up new possibilities for obtaining optimal actuated access control for a network of intersections.