An evaluation tool for advanced traffic information and management systems in urban networks

Tools for evaluating traffic networks under information supply are a crucial necessity in view of the ATMS/ATIS systems being proposed and implemented around the world as part of intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems of the future. This paper presents an evaluation model that incorporates the driver response to information, the traffic flow behavior, and the resulting changes in the characteristics of network paths, into an integrated simulation framework. The model is based on simulating individual vehicle movements according to macroscopic flow principles, the driver path selection behavior under information being explicitly modelled. Detailed modelling of intersection delays as well as a variety of traffic control options for both freeways and arterials are performed. The path-processing component is designed for efficient application of the framework to large and realistic networks. The model can be effectively used for studying alternative information supply and traffic control strategies under various levels of market penetration of in-vehicle ATIS hardware. The paper also discusses its application to candidate networks.