Lectures
Computer Programming & Data Science – An Introduction with Python (101-0720-00L)
- 2025 Spring Semester
Microscopic Modelling and Simulation of Traffic Operations (101-0492-00L)
- 2025 Autumn Semester
- 2024 Autumn Semester
Projektübung Verkehr / Transportation Engineering Lab (103-0230-00 G)
- 2025 Spring Semester
Deterministische Signale und Systeme / Signal Processing (Prof. Dr. A. Klein, Prof. Dr.-Ing. M. Pesavento)
- 2016 Autumn Semester
Students / Thesis
Topic: Coordinated Control Algorithm For Fairness In Ramp Metering
Abstract: Traffic assistance schemes typically tend to focus on global system efficiency which can come at the cost of equity among users of the road. This paper proposes C-ALINEA, a new ramp metering algorithm that makes inter-ramp relationships explicit in order to tackle equity issues without losing throughput. As opposed to classical isolated controllers, C-ALINEA generates a coherent intelligence by connecting each ramp to two upstream and two downstream neighbors. The methodology employs SUMO microsimulations to evaluate the algorithm on the A10 ring road around Amsterdam, a heavily congested urban freeway with complex ramp interactions. C-ALINEA is compared against conventional ALINEA and other state-of-the-art approaches using calibrated traffic demand patterns from the typical A10 ring road. Performance metrics include mainline throughput, ramp waiting times, spatial equity indices, and system resilience. Results have shown that C-ALINEA can achieve a more fair sharing of congestion impacts over different entry points along the A10. With its five-ramp horizon, the algorithm has the possibility to predict downstream bottlenecks and harmonize the response on adjacent ramps. The results are encouraging in that coordination-based ramp metering appears to be a viable approach to socially acceptable traffic management solutions in urban settings.
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-alami-badissi-97489920b/
Topic: Impacts of Transit Detour Traffic on Local Accessibility
Abstract: This thesis investigates how congestion at the Gotthard tunnel’s north portal and resulting detour traffic affect local accessibility in the Urner Valley, and evaluates the effects of a policy restricting transit vehicles to the highway. A calibrated SUMO microsimulation model, based on loop-detector data, replicates traffic patterns for three representative 2024 case study days with varying congestion levels. Accessibility is assessed via simulated travel times to both the regional center (Altdorf) and the urban center (Zurich). Results show that road-based access degrades sharply on high-transit days, particularly in upper-valley towns, where public transport alternatives are weak. The policy experiment has minimal impact on low-demand days but significantly improves local accessibility on congested days, while increasing delays for through traffic. These findings highlight trade-offs between aggregate efficiency and local equity, and suggest the value of targeted, demand-responsive interventions.
Topic: Infrastructural Control Algorithm for Fairness in Road Traffic Engineering
Abstract: This thesis investigates whether fairness and efficiency can be jointly achieved in urban traffic signal control at intersections. While efficiency has traditionally been the primary objective in signal control strategies, the consideration of fairness has received comparatively limited attention. To address this gap, a controller inspired by the adaptive systems SCOOT and SCATS, referred to as SCOSCA, is developed. SCOSCA incorporates the three core optimizers of these systems: an offset optimizer, a cycle length optimizer, and a green phase optimizer. Building upon this foundation, two fairness-augmented variants are introduced: SCOSCAFAIRV1, which integrates a fairness-aware green phase optimizer, and SCOSCAFAIRV2, which additionally includes a secondary real-time fairness controller. The controllers are evaluated on both a synthetic toy model and a realistic arterial road network in a case study, using the microscopic traffic simulation platform SUMO. Several fairness ideologies, Egalitarian, Rawlsian Harsanyian and Utilitarian, are formalized through respective performance metrics. Bayesian Optimization is applied to tune the controllers towards these fairness objectives. The findings show that fairness could be improved with minimal or no loss in efficiency; in the case study, efficiency could even be enhanced. Moreover, the results observed for SCOSCA, SCOSCAFAIRV1 and SCOSCAFAIRV2 under different optimization goals suggest that optimizing for a single performance metric often leads to improvements across multiple fairness indicators. This interdependence highlights the importance of explicitly incorporating fairness into the design of future traffic control algorithms.
Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-weiss-36b779269/
Topic: Fair Perimeter Control using Queue Balancing
Abstract: This thesis investigates the integration of fairness into perimeter control strategies for urban traffic management. While perimeter control effectively reduces congestion by regulating inflow into protected zones, existing approaches typically prioritize system efficiency, often overlooking the equitable distribution of delays across users. A simulation-based evaluation demonstrates that basic perimeter control not only improves total and internal delays but also enhances fairness metrics, including the Gini coefficient and Jain’s fairness index. Building on this, queue balancing strategies inspired by computer network resource allocation were implemented to assess their impact on fairness. Results show that under uniform demand, queue balancing provides no consistent benefits. However, in varied demand scenarios, where certain entry points are more congested, fairness improvements were observed. A real-world scenario using the San Francisco network highlights the practical challenges of implementation, such as queue spillbacks and the need for more adaptive control mechanisms. Overall, the findings suggest that fairness-aware perimeter control is feasible and beneficial under realistic conditions, but further work is needed to ensure consistent and scalable deployment.
Topic: Diffusion Modelling of Air Quality and Noise - Impacts from Detour Traffic on Uri Residents A Simulation-Based Case Study of Villages near the Gotthard Road Tunnel in Uri, Switzerland
Abstract: Traffic congestion near the northern entrance of the Gotthard Road Tunnel in the Swiss canton of Uri often leads to significant detours onto cantonal roads, diverting traffic through residential areas and raising concerns about the well-being of residents. While previous research and federally funded projects have largely focused on traffic flow optimisation, the perspective of affected residents has remained under-explored. This thesis addresses that gap by laying the foundation for a quantitative, resident-oriented assessment of the environmental externalities caused by traffic detours. Using traffic data generated by the SUMO simulation software, extended with a novel post-processing pipeline developed specifically for this work, the model estimates exposure levels of CO, NO2, PM2.5, and noise across six affected villages in the canton of Uri. The implementation is based on an explicit forward Euler scheme with central finite differences. Simulations were conducted over the course of a day for different dates, capturing both low- and high-congestion scenarios. The results show substantial variation in pollutant and noise exposure depending on the village and discuss what a reduction of traffic in Uri would change quantitatively.
Topic: Fairness on Ramp Metering - Extending ALINEA for Equitable Access and Congestion Reduction
Abstract: Ramp metering systems effectively reduce freeway congestion but often face public opposition due to inequitable delay distribution among users. This study addresses this challenge by introducing EqALINEA, a fairness-enhanced extension of the ALINEA algorithm designed to balance efficiency and equity in freeway access. Using microsimulations in SUMO, we evaluate ALINEA, Upstream ALINEA, and EqALINEA across both a simplified network and a real-world case study of Barcelona’s Ronda de Dalt corridor. Results indicate that traditional ALINEA prioritizes mainline throughput at the expense of spatial equity, disproportionately delaying on-ramp users near bottlenecks. EqALINEA mitigates these disparities by incorporating fairness constraints, including maximum waiting thresholds and proactive queue management. This approach leads to a more balanced distribution of delays while maintaining overall traffic efficiency within the simulation time. The algorithm adapts effectively to urban environments such as the Ronda de Dalt, where infrastructure limitations and evolving mobility policies require equitable traffic management solutions. This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating fairness into decentralized ramp metering strategies to improve public acceptance and align with sustainable urban planning objectives.
Topic: Esslingen‘s Traffic Light Upgrade: An Evaluation
Abstract: Seven traffic light signals received new control systems in the city of Esslingen am Neckar in Germany. This thesis investigates the performance and efficiency during peak hours of the old and new traffic light control system using SUMO simulations. The older traffic light control system is a signal control system that operates based on a predefined Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) schedule but adapts its parameters in response to real-time inputs from traffic detectors. The new system is a signal control system that dynamically determines traffic signal phases using real-time detector data and an algorithm. The evaluation focuses on three critical metrics: travel time, waiting time, and delay. The data for the old system was provided in the form of a VISSIM simulation while the data for the new system was provided in form of detector data. The simulation runs on SUMO demonstrate that the newer traffic light signal control system outperforms the existing system across all evaluated metrics, indicating an overall improvement in traffic flow efficiency. These findings underscore the benefits of implementing the updated traffic light control system to enhance urban mobility and reduce congestion during peak traffic periods.