LARGE-SCALE TRAFFIC MICROSIMULATION FROM AN MPO PERSPECTIVE

One potential advancement of the four-step travel model process is the forecasting and simulation of individual activities and travel. A common concern with such an approach is that the data and computational requirements for a large-scale, regional microsimulation may be so intensive that a successful application would be virtually impossible for a typical Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or other agency to achieve. This paper and presentation focuses on the "big picture" issues surrounding traffic microsimulation, i.e., "is it worth the effort," with the underlying theme being that the level and quality of detail needs to be in line with the particular application that is being addressed. Much of the information is derived from the work the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), the MPO for the Dallas-Fort Worth region, is doing on the Transportation Analysis and Simulation System (TRANSIMS) project. TRANSIMS is a federally funded project being conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop a "next generation" travel model. The paper and presentation includes an overview of NCTCOG's involvement in the Traffic Microsimulation Case Study, which represents the first interim operational capability of TRANSIMS. Issues surrounding the required detail and accuracy of network coding and travel data are discussed, both for existing (observable) and forecast conditions. The need for (and procedures for) calibration and validation on both a micro- and macro-level are described. Database management techniques for keeping track of all information and the computational and manpower requirements for a successful application are discussed.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/13873
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The proceedings are available only on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Cervenka, K
• Conference:
  • Sixth TRB Conference on the Application of Transportation Planning Methods
  • Location: Dearborn, Michigan
  • Date: 1997-5-19 to 1997-5-23
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 7p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calibration; Case studies; Database management systems; Metropolitan planning organizations; Microsimulation; Traffic models; Traffic simulation; Validation
• Identifier Terms: North Central Texas Council of Governments
• Geographic Terms: Dallas (Texas); Fort Worth (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00789782
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: NTL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 15 2000 12:00AM