Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) systems can significantly improve traffic safety and roadway capacity utilizing short following gaps of vehicles enabled by inter-vehicle communications. However, due to merging processes occurring at freeway merging areas, existing CACC operation approaches are generally not applicable and the operation will have to revert back to Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or human-driven mode, which in turn will result in a capacity drop. This paper proposes an optimal trajectory optimization strategy for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) to cooperatively carry out mainline platooning and on-ramp merging. Firstly, a control framework of the CACC is adopted for a longitudinal control of CAVs, which helps individual CAVs to join platoons and to maintain platoon operations. Secondly, to ensure smooth lane-changing executions while achieving stable platoons, an optimal controller that considers lane-changing motivation of merging vehicles and impact of merging on platoons, is proposed. Third, a Legendre pseudo-spectral algorithm is applied to transform the controller into a simpler nonlinear programming problem and to efficiently solve it. Simulation assessments of the proposed method are conducted at both individual vehicle level and traffic-flow level. At the individual vehicle level, the proposed method has the potential to improve the traffic safety without compromising fuel consumption and emissions compared with unoptimized feasible schemes. At a traffic-flow level, an online evaluation platform is implemented, and a typical freeway on-ramp area is studied. The simulation results have demonstrated that the proposed controller provides significant improvements in terms of efficiencies in traffic operations.

This study proposes an AI-powered digital twin (DT) platform designed to support real-time traffic risk prediction, decision-making, and sustainable mobility in smart cities. The system integrates multi-source data—including static infrastructure maps, historical traffic records, telematics data, and camera feeds—into a unified cyber–physical platform. AI models are employed for data fusion, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics. In particular, the platform incorporates telematics–video fusion for enhanced trajectory accuracy and LiDAR–camera fusion for high-definition work-zone mapping. These capabilities support dynamic safety heatmaps, congestion forecasts, and scenario-based decision support. A pilot deployment on Madison’s Flex Lane corridor demonstrates real-time data processing, traffic incident reconstruction, crash-risk forecasting, and eco-driving control using a validated Vehicle-in-the-Loop setup. The modular API design enables integration with existing Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMSs) and supports scalable implementation. By combining predictive analytics with real-world deployment, this research offers a practical approach to improving urban traffic safety, resilience, and sustainability.

This paper develops an integrated optimization of traffic signals and vehicle trajectories. The signal is optimized to improve the intersection efficiency and the calculation of intergreen interval (IGI) serves as constraints to guarantee vehicle safety during signal changing. Then the vehicle trajectory in the approach lane and inside intersection is optimized to increase fuel efficiency. The proposed method is evaluated by microscopic simulation, comparing with the actuated signal control (ASC) method and an ad hoc cooperation method between traffic signals and vehicles. Results indicate the proposed control algorithm is effective to prevent conflicts during signal changing periods. Operation Efficiency and fuel efficiency are improved. The benefit is 24.9% on vehicle delay, and is 5.5% on fuel efficiency. The proposed system can potentially be used in real-time.