Regional Microsimulation as a Tool for Improving Project Evaluation and Cutting the Costs of Microsimulation Studies

Though often criticized for their high costs and highly variable quality, traffic microsimulation studies remain the best option for analyzing traffic operations, especially where operations are vulnerable to the rising influence of ever more complex factors and sources of uncertainty. Despite those criticisms, microsimulation, when applied with the appropriate discipline, judgement, and experience, is the only tool that can offer needed insights into how surface transportation systems may operate in the presence of dynamically priced lanes, connected and automated vehicles, and other established or emerging technologies. High microsimulation study costs and a lack of standardization in calibration and validation are hurdles that can be ameliorated. The authors propose a novel approach to lessening the cost of microsimulation studies and to increasing quality and consistency in their application and, hence, faith in their outcomes. First, an initial investment is made in the development of a regional microsimulation model as a warehouse of microsimulation inputs including geometry, signage, signal timings, traffic counts, traffic demand, and more. From then on, the model can serve as a standard, consistent resource that can be drawn upon to more quickly initiate routine traffic simulation tasks, including, but not limited to: 1. Subarea and local traffic studies. 2. Multimodal regional planning. 3. Public presentations. 4. Data sharing. Additionally, a regional microsimulation model need not be perfect, fully formed, nor fully calibrated to begin to be a useful resource for microsimulation studies. Such models can be maintained and improved with time as lessons are learned through regular usage.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADA20 Standing Committee on Metropolitan Policy, Planning, and Processes.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Jiang, Lan
  • Morgan, Daniel
  • Livshits, Vladimir
  • Choi, Janet
  • 0009-0008-8097-6754
  • Dutta, Arup
  • Zhang, Wang
  • Hazlett, Bob
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2019-1-13 to 2019-1-17
• Date: 2019

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 26p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Data quality; Data sharing; Microsimulation; Regional planning; Regional transportation; Standardization; Traffic simulation
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01698379
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 19-04635
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 1 2019 3:51PM