U.S.-Italy Joint Seminar on Urban Traffic Networks; Naples, Italy, June 1989

该奖项将支持由洛厄尔大学Nathan Gartner教授和意大利那不勒斯大学Gennaro Improta教授组织的城市交通网络联合研讨会。长期以来，工业发达国家的城市交通问题日益严重。虽然高速公路交通既是这些国家经济福祉的指标，也是它们的贡献者，但它也有众所周知的有害影响，显而易见的是高拥堵率、事故率和污染率。在过去几年中，在影响城市交通的两个领域取得了特别迅速的进展：1)城市网络交通流的建模和预测平衡条件的计算；2)与司机沟通的技术，以及引导他到达目的地的能力。美国科学家在城市交通网络平衡流量的建模和计算方面取得了巨大进展。然而，现有模式缺乏有效处理新控制和通信技术对交通流量影响的能力。这次研讨会的目标是为弥合这一明显的差距作出贡献。两国科学家的能力结合起来，以及其他国家观察员的可能参与，可能导致改进方法，将技术发展与新的计算能力结合起来，以改善城市地区的交通控制和交通分析。意大利方面启动了一项代号为PROMETHEUS（欧洲交通最高效率和空前安全计划）的计划，以利用先进的信息技术，提高安全性并减少对环境的不利影响。由于美国缺乏这样一个全面而深远的项目，因此增加了本次研讨会的互利潜力。

This award will support a joint seminar on urban traffic networks, organized by Professor Nathan Gartner, University of Lowell and Professor Gennaro Improta, University of Naples, Italy. The problems of urban traffic in the industrially developed countries have been growing in severity for a long time. While both an indicator of and contributor to the economic well-being of those countries, highway traffic also has well-known detrimental effects, evident in high rates of congestion, accidents, and pollution. In the past few years, there were particularly rapid advances in two areas that affect urban traffic: l) Modeling of traffic flows in urban networks and calculation of predicted equilibrium conditions; and 2) Technology for communication with the driver and the ability to guide him to his desired destination. U.S. scientists have made tremendous advances in the modeling and calculation of equilibrium flows in urban traffic networks. Yet existing models lack the capability to deal effectively with the impact of new control and communications technologies on traffic flows. It is the goal of this seminar to contribute to the closure of this apparent gap. The combination of the capabilities of the scientists from the two countries, with the possible participation of observers from other countries as well, may lead to improved methodologies that combine technological developments and new computational capabilities for the improvement of traffic control and traffic analysis in urban areas. The Italian side has embarked on a program code-named PROMETHEUS (Program for European Traffic with Highest Efficiency and Unprecedented Safety) to utilize advances in information technologies and to increase safety and reduce adverse environmental impact. The lack of such a comprehensive and far-reaching program in the U.S., increases the potential for mutual benefits from this workshop.