OPTIMIZATION OF A TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM THROUGH COMPUTER SIMULATION

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A SIMULATION PROGRAM WHICH WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE DESIGN OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS. IN KEEPING WITH THIS, IT WAS DESIRED TO DEVELOP, PROGRAM, AND TEST A CONCEPTUAL MODEL THAT WOULD SIMULATE THE FLOW OF VEHICLES ON A STREET NETWORK CONTROLLED BY TRAFFIC SIGNALS. SECONDARY GOALS WERE THAT THE MODEL BE GENERAL ENOUGH TO APPLY TO ANY MODERATE SIZED NETWORK, AND THAT THE FINAL PROGRAM BE SUCH THAT THE INPUTS AND OUTPUTS COULD BE EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY A NON-COMPUTER ORIENTED TRAFFIC ENGINEER. A SIMULATION MODEL, SIGNET, WAS DEVELOPED TO REPRODUCE TRAFFIC UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS. THE PROGRAM WAS FAIRLY ECONOMICAL, ACHIEVING A 6.5 TO 1 REAL- TIME TO SIMULATION RATIO. THE MODEL WAS MICROSCOPIC IN NATURE, SINCE EACH VEHICLE WAS INDIVIDUALLY PROCESSED THROUGH THE NETWORK. A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE MODEL SIMULATED TRAFFIC FLOWS QUITE ACCURATELY. THE MODEL WHICH WAS USED TO EVALUATE SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE TIMING PLANS, INDICATED BY A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN MEAN DELAY BETWEEN TWO OF THESE PLANS THAT IT IS INDEED SENSITIVE TO VARIATIONS IN SIGNAL TIMING. IT WAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE INCORPORATION OF SIMULATION INTO THE DESIGN PROCEDURE COULD MAKE THAT PROCEDURE QUICKER AND AT THE SAME TIME RESULT IN THE PRODUCTION OF A MORE EFFICIENT TIMING PLAN. THE USE OF THE SIGNET MODEL IS NOT RESTRICTED TO SIGNAL TIMING STUDIES. IN FACT, THE EFFECTS OF MANY OTHER TRAFFIC ENGINEERING MEASURES MAY BE EVALUATED BY VARYING THE PROGRAM INPUTS. SUCH MEASURES COULD INCLUDE TURNING MOVEMENT PROHIBITIONS, PARKING RESTRICTIONS, UNBALANCED LANE OPERATION, AND ONE-WAY STREET OPERATION. A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NETWORK CAN THUS BE EASILY EVALUATED. THIS CAPABILITY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION CANNOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE SOLE MEANS OF OBTAINING MAXIMUM NETWORK EFFICIENCY. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • PROJECT NO: C-36-17JJ
• Corporate Authors:

  Purdue University/Indiana Department of Transportation JHRP

  Purdue University, School of Civil Engineering
  West Lafayette, IN  United States  47907-1284
• Authors:
  • DAVIES, G W
• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 259 p.
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 8

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Network analysis (Planning); Networks; Simulation; Streets; Traffic signal timing; Traffic signals; Traffic simulation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Network flows
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226414
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1972 12:00AM