URBAN TRAFFIC MODELS: POSSIBILITIES FOR SIMPLIFICATION

Urban traffic is one of the crucial problems of governmental transport policies. In order to make urban transport investments and policies more effective, it is necessary to analyse and evaluate a wide range of alternative transport solutions before selecting those most adequate for detailed study. The aim of this report is therefore to appraise and improve existing decision making tools available in the form of "strategic" transport computer models and to study the degree of simplification which is compatible with meaningful results. The report reviews the current state of the art in urban traffic models, i.e. The four-step models (generation, distribution, modal split, assignment) conventionally used in urban transportation and the new single-step "explicit" demand/supply equilibrium models; the concept of the general share model is introduced and the various modelling approaches are discussed. The implications for simplified traffic models and current research in this field are described. The report also contains an evaluation of the main issues involved in modern urban transport planning and of the major model components such as changes in land use, public transport, new modes, traffic restraint, parking and pedestrians. A short chapter on accuracy considerations is included and presents some practical results of past transportation studies. Finally data requirements, availability and simplification are examined. The report concludes with a series of recommendations for transport planners and proposals for further research in this area. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

  Road Research Group, 2 Rue Andre-Pascal
  Paris,   France  75775
• Publication Date: 1974-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 127 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demand; Digital computers; Investments; Land use; Mathematical models; Mechanical equilibrium; Modal split; Parking; Pedestrians; Planning; Policy; Public transit; Simulation; State of the art reports; State of the art studies; Traffic; Traffic assignment; Traffic distribution; Traffic restraint; Traffic simulation; Transportation planning; Transportation policy; Trip generation; Urban areas; Urban transportation
• Old TRIS Terms: Modal distribution
• ITRD Terms: 729: Cross border traffic; 285: Demand (econ); 8673: Digital computer; 7145: Equilibrium; 663: Generated traffic; 227: Investment; 356: Land use; 6473: Mathematical model; 675: Modal split; 955: Parking; 1733: Pedestrian; 143: Planning; 173: Policy; 8588: State of the art report; 755: Traffic; 679: Traffic assignment; 633: Traffic restraint; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; I71: Traffic Theory; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00125588
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: R&D Rept.
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 7 1981 12:00AM