Identification and Characterization of Mobile Work Zones Using Floating Car Data

This paper describes a methodology for the identifying active mobile roadworks zones based on detecting the forward forming shockwave associated with the congestion front with the use of vehicle probe data. Two examples are provided and characterized where the activity is verified by independent means for ground truth. Additional shockwave transitions determined to be a wide-moving jam and a mega jam associated with the mobile roadworks activities within the congested regions are also identified and characterized as well. The algorithms to determine the propagation rate of the transitions are presented and compared to traffic theory. The impact on vehicle travel times during the presence of the mobile roadworks are determined.