Capacity Analysis of Dedicated Lanes in Mixed Traffic with Human-driven and Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

As the number of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on road networks continues to increase, mixed transportation scenarios where CAVs and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) coexist are becoming more common. Establishing dedicated lanes (DLs) for CAVs is crucial for managing mixed traffic and improving road capacity. In this paper, we provide a theoretical analysis of the relationship between the market penetration rate (MPR) of CAVs and road capacity in both single-lane scenarios and multiple-lane scenarios with DLs. We derive a critical MPR for CAVs, at which they can be seamlessly accommodated within the DLs. Our numerical results show that CAVs should be prioritized to enter DLs first to optimize road capacity in mixed traffic. We also derive and validate the road capacity in multiple-lane scenarios and provide an optimal strategy for setting up DLs under varying MPRs to maximize road capacity. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the significance of DLs for CAVs in mixed traffic and offers guidance on their implementation to improve road capacity.