Measuring the operating condition of a network: link performance taking coginsance of netwerk situation

This paper presents the initial results of a larger project that to improve network management by raffic controllers. The broad goals of the research is to develop methods to capture, optimse and develop techniques that have evolved in traffic management centers, and hence enhance the decision making process of the personnel at these centers. The main facets of the programme are: - development of a measure for the instantaneous operating condition of a network - development of a method to capture, categorise and qualify the knowledge of traffic operators - development of an interactive engine to present possible solutions to operators The paper presents the result of the first component of the research – namely, the development of a measure for the instantaneous operating condition of a road network. Two techniques are developed that use only existing infrastructure on the motorways (loop detectors). The methods are tested on a section of the A9 and A22 motorways to the north of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.