In this paper the authors present a new approach to road network representation for the purpose of monitoring and controlling traffic. The new approach is based on so-called mainlinks and accessorlinks instead of the usual links and nodes. The accessorlinks express the complexity of the connection to an intersection of the end of a link (mainly the get-in-lane segments). To detect junctions and accessorlinks automatically for urban road networks from a detailed road network database, a simple distance based algorithm is sufficient. However, motorway junctions are larger and more complex. In this case, Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm is useful to detect accessorlinks automatically. The representation is used in traffic control systems at the Dutch traffic management company Trinit´e Automatisering B.V.
Abstract