A simplified method for estimation of back of queue and its application in macroscopic simulation

Traffic signals may induce unexpected bottlenecks when queues from an intersection spill back and block its adjacent upstream intersection. The information of whether and when queues from the downstream intersection would reach the upstream intersection is of particular significance to signal tuning of closely spaced oversaturated intersections. This paper presents a macroscopic simulation approach to emulate the formation and propagation of backward and forward waves along closely spaced traffic signals and demonstrates its application to the evaluation of point queue based signal timing plans.