Operation of signalized diamond interchanges with frontage roads using dynamic reversible lane control

•We use dynamic reversible lane control to operate signalized diamond interchanges.•We develop a BMILP formulation to optimize the operation.•The new design outperforms conventional plans.•The new design is useful for interchange enhancement with high traffic demand and limited internal link space.

Signalized diamond interchanges (SDI), connecting major highways and surface streets in urban and suburban areas, are probably the most widely used interchange patterns. The limited storage space between the two closely joined intersections coupled with heavy traffic volumes may easily oversaturate the facility and cause spillback problems, especially with the presence of frontage roads. This paper presents an innovative design and operational model for SDI by dynamically reversing certain lanes in the internal link on a regular basis with the deployment of overhead reversible lane control signs. A Binary-Mixed-Integer-Linear-Program (BMILP) is formulated to simultaneously optimize lane markings, dynamic usage of the reversible lane, and signal timings for the new SDI system. Results from extensive numerical analyses reveal the promising property of the proposed design and operational model in expanding capacity and reducing congestion at the SDI with frontage roads.