Sustainability of Transportation Systems: Modeling Traffic Operations and Safety

该研究计划旨在为交通分析师提供一个强大的建模工具，以评估预留车道设施的可靠性，因为它们有助于交通系统的可持续性。研究计划分为三个阶段 *。第一阶段研究如何以前开发的多模式路由算法可以集成到现有的交通仿真模型，更具体地说，当应用到预留车道。该项目第一部分的主要挑战是真实地模拟冲突运动的影响以及特定位置（即信号交叉口，高速公路立交桥等）车辆之间的相互作用。这些类别的交通设施是至关重要的估计可靠的旅行时间沿着一个给定的公路网。在许多运输应用中，准确地估计行程时间以成功地从其部署中受益是很重要的。 此外，在多模式网络上对旅行时间进行建模将有助于旅行者在旅行前规划阶段选择最佳路线，并通过实时路线工具在路线上做出更明智的决策。此外，据信，交通网络建模可以帮助决策者促进适当的交通管理政策，从而更准确地促进交通网络的可持续发展。研究计划的第二阶段调查交通控制系统特定技术部署的安全效益。研究计划的这一阶段包括两个不同的组成部分，由共同的数据收集来源相关。 研究团队将通过视频检测和处理设备收集车辆数量、速度和驾驶行为参数（即换道和跟车行为）等形式的交通数据。收集的数据将用于进行统计分析，以确定交通执法如何衡量交通安全。* 在第三阶段，研究团队将使用不同类型的预留车道设施和交叉口配置来验证开发的模型。其目的是提出全面的仿真模型，可用于构建更可靠和现实的路由算法嵌入到各种ITS部署。此外，交通当局可以使用本研究计划的结果来分析安全效益和对交通运营的影响之间的权衡，并确定一组客观的权证，协助部署ITS速度执法设备。最终，该计划将培养ITS分析和交通模拟专家领域的研究生和本科生，从而解决公共和私营部门目前缺乏专业知识的问题。**

This research program aims to provide transportation analysts with a robust modeling tool to assess the reliability of reserved-lane facilities as they are contribute to the sustainability of transportation systems. The research program is divided into three stages.*** The first stage investigates how previously developed multimodal routing algorithms can be integrated into existing traffic simulation models, more specifically, when applied to reserved-lanes. The main challenge in this first part of the project is to realistically model the impact of conflicting movements and of interactions between vehicles at specific locations (i.e. signalized intersections, highway interchanges, etc.). These category of transportation facilities are critical for estimating reliable travel times along a given highway network. In many transportation applications it is important to accurately estimate travel times to successfully benefit from their deployments.  Additionally, modeling the travel times on a multimodal network will assist travelers in choosing optimal routes at the pre-trip planning stage, as well as making more informed decisions, on-route, via real-time routing tools. In addition, it is believed that modeling transportation networks can contribute more accurately to the sustainable development of the transportation network by assisting decision makers in promoting appropriate transportation management policies.*** The second stage of the research program investigates the safety benefits of specific technology deployments for traffic control systems. This stage of the research program encompasses two distinct components, related by the common data collection sources. The research team will collect traffic data in the form of vehicle count, speeds, and driving behavioral parameters (i.e. lane changing and car-following behavior) via video detection and processing equipment. The data collected will be used to conduct statistical analysis to identify how traffic enforcement measures traffic safety. *** In the third stage, the research team will validate the developed models with different types of reserved-lane facilities and intersection configurations. The purpose is to propose comprehensive simulation models that can be used to build more reliable and realistic routing algorithms embedded into various ITS deployments. Additionally, the transportation authorities may use the results of this research program to analyze the trade-offs between the safety benefits and the impact on traffic operations, and to determine a set of objective warrants assisting with deployment of ITS speed enforcement equipment. Ultimately, the program will train graduate and undergraduate students in the area of ITS analysis and traffic simulation specialists, therefore addressing the current shortage of expertise in both public and private sectors.*** **