Developing a 24-Hour Large-Scale Microscopic Traffic Simulation Model for the Before-and-After Study of a New Tolled Freeway in the Washington, DC–Baltimore Region
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 6
Abstract
For determining highly disaggregate details about traffic dynamics, microscopic traffic simulation has long proven to be a valuable tool for the evaluation of development plans and operation/control strategies. With recent advances in computing capabilities, research interest in large-scale microscopic simulation has never been greater. This case study develops a 24-h large-scale microscopic traffic simulation model for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The model consists of over 7,000 links, 3,500 nodes, 400 signalized intersections, and over 40,000 origin-destination pairs. Various field measurements, such as time-dependent traffic counts and corridor travel times, have been used for model calibration/validation. The EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator is linked with the microscopic simulation model for the estimation of environmental impacts. The calibrated model system has been used to comprehensively evaluate a newly built toll road in Maryland, the Intercounty Connector. Various network-level and corridor-level performance measures are quantified. The case study demonstrates the feasibility and capability of large-scale microscopic simulation in transportation applications. It establishes an example for modelers and practitioners who are interested in constructing a large-scale model system. The developed 24-h simulation model system of traffic and emissions has the potential to serve as a test bed for integration with other analysis tools, such as behavioral and optimization models.
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Acknowledgments
This research is financially supported by Maryland SHA. The opinions in this paper do not necessarily reflect the official views of SHA. The authors are solely responsible for all statements in this paper. SHA assume no liability for the content or use of this paper. The authors would like to thank the Maryland SHA who supported the whole study, Meseret Seifu at MWCOG for providing the MWCOG transportation planning model, and Qi Yang, Daniel Morgan, and Zheng Wei at Caliper Corporation, who patiently offered technical guidance for TransModeler. The authors are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments in helping the authors to enhance the quality of the manuscript.
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Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 6 • June 2015
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 6, 2013
Accepted: Nov 24, 2014
Published online: Jan 9, 2015
Published in print: Jun 1, 2015
Discussion open until: Jun 9, 2015
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