Development of traffic simulation laboratory for design planning and traffic operations: Phase 1. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:293172

Michalopoulos, P; Sommers, K; Reynhout, K; Kota, R; Kwon, E

The key element in improving traffic operations and performing effective real time management is the ability to assess the effectiveness of the various alternatives prior to implementation. Simulation methods have long been recognized as the most effective tool for such an analysis, and various simulators have been developed by different agencies for freeway and arterial networks. While there have been individual tests of each software by various agencies, no comprehensive effort has been made to quantify and evaluate the performance of each model. The major difficulty includes the lack of detailed real data and the time-consuming manual effort to prepare input information for each software. Recent installation of the state-of-the art video detection systems in the I-394 freeway provides a unique opportunity to develop a comprehensive freeway database that can be used to create various test cases with detailed traffic database that can be used to create various test cases with detailed traffic information. Further, the I-494 Integrated Corridor Traffic Management project being conducted by MN/DOT will be able to provide valuable corridor traffic data which can be used for evaluating freeway/arterial network models. By evaluating existing traffic simulation models the advantages/disadvantages of each model can be identified. Based on the evaluation results a comprehensive modeling approach for freeway/arterial networks can be developed. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a traffic simulation laboratory where various roadway design/operational alternatives can be evaluated with traffic simulators under an integrated database-simulation environment. The proposed research, Phase 1, will evaluate existing freeway simulation models with detailed traffic data to be collected using machine-vision and loop detection systems.

• Research Organization: Minnesota Univ., Center for Transportation Studies, Minneapolis, MN (United States)
• OSTI ID: 293172
• Report Number(s): PB--99-104002/XAB; CTS--97-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
EVALUATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
ROADS
TRAFFIC CONTROL