Optimizing Traffic Control to Reduce Fuel Consumption and Vehicular Emissions: Integrated Approach with VISSIM, CMEM, and VISGAOST

One way to reduce excessive fuel consumption and vehicular emissions on urban streets is to optimize signal timings. Historically, signal timing optimization tools were used to reduce traffic delay and stops. The concept of optimizing signal timings to reduce fuel consumption and emissions was addressed decades ago with tools that are now considered outdated. This study advocates a fresh approach to integrating existing state-of-the-art tools for reassessing and ultimately minimizing fuel consumption and emissions. VISSIM, CMEM, and VISGAOST were linked to optimize signal timings and minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. As a case study, a 14-intersection network in Park City, Utah, was used. Signal timings were optimized for seven optimization objective functions to find the lowest fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Findings show that a formula commonly used to estimate fuel consumption in traffic simulation tools inadequately estimates fuel consumption and cannot be used as a reliable objective function in signal timing optimizations. Some of the performance measures used as objective functions in the optimization process were proved to be ineffective. When CMEM-estimated fuel consumption is used as an objective function, estimated fuel savings are around 1.5%, a statistically significant decrease. Further research is needed to find an effective way to minimize fuel consumption and emissions by using the proposed approach.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2128-11
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Optimizing+Traffic+Control+to+Reduce+Fuel+Consumption+and+Vehicular+Emissions%3a+Integrated+Approach+with+VISSIM%2c+CMEM%2c+and+VISGAOST&author=A.+Stevanovic&author=J.+Stevanovic&author=K.+Zhang&author=S.+Batterman&publication_year=2009
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309142601
• Authors:
  • Stevanovic, Aleksandar
  • Stevanovic, Jelka
  • Zhang, Kai
  • Batterman, Stuart
• Publication Date: 2009

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 105-113
• Monograph Title: Traffic Signal Systems 2009
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2128
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carbon dioxide; Case studies; Environmental impacts; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Highway traffic control; Optimization; Signalized intersections; Traffic signal timing
• Identifier Terms: CMEM (Computer program); VISGAOST (Computer program); VISSIM (Computer model)
• Geographic Terms: Park City (Utah)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I15: Environment; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01126829
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309142601
• Report/Paper Numbers: 09-1707
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 17 2009 9:56AM