A Framework for Systematic Traffic Count Balance in Regional Networks

In this paper, a methodology framework is developed on systematic traffic count balancing for regional road networks. The framework includes three major components: two intercept link extractors, and one traffic count balancing model. The intercept link extractors are developed based on breadth search algorithm (BFS) designed to traverse networks to extract intercept links. The traffic count balancing model is a constrained weighted least square optimization model with constraints of traffic conservation equations based on intercept links. The proposed framework has the following features: (1) it can automatically traverse networks to identify and extract the intercept link counts for traffic conservation; (2) it can balance multiperiod traffic counts in regional level; (3) uncertainty of traffic counts can be considered by weight factors; and (4) the traffic balancing model can be solved efficiently due to its convex structure.