Evaluation of I-80 Adaptive Ramp Metering: User Satisfaction and Operational Perspective

Graduate student Travis Low is currently working on a study that evaluates the adaptive ramp metering algorithm implemented on the I-80 corridor in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the Integrated Corridor Mobility (ICM) Project. This is the first application of adaptive ramp metering in the Bay Area rather than fixed-time metering. As many as 270,000 vehicles per day use the portion of I-80 between the Bay Bridge and the Carquinez Bridge in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. It is a major route for commuters, transit services, and transport of goods. The corridor has been one of the most congested in the region, suffering from unpredictable travel times and long incident recoveries.
The first component of this study is a survey examining user perceptions and satisfaction with the adaptive ramp metering. The second component is a performance evaluation based on operational parameters before and after the implementation of the adaptive ramp metering. Conclusions will be presented regarding the potential suitability of adaptive ramp metering to other corridors.

​Virtual Reality

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Kristina Mai, also a graduate student, is conducting research to see if we can compare virtual reality to the real environment and how accurate our models can be. Currently, she is modeling the mid-block crosswalk on University Drive in the Unity Engine. Cameras will then be set up at the real mid-block crosswalk and the footage will be analyzed to see if pedestrians behave the same way in both environments. For example, do people look left and right prior to crossing the road in real-life situations and do their behaviors change when wearing the HTC Vive (a headset that puts users in virtual reality simulations).

PSWC Transportation Team
As part of the annual Pacific Southwest Conference held by the American Society of Civil Engineers, many members of the Cal Poly ITE student chapter worked on a proposal and feasibility study of an intersection design in San Luis Obispo, CA. 

​The project involved intersection analysis, traffic analysis studies using Synchro and Sidra, environmental report, cost estimation, earthwork and site design using AutoCAD. After submission of a full technical report, the team presented their analysis and poster to a panel of professionals at the conference in San Luis Obispo and won first place!