Internodal Delay Issues in Long-Range, Adaptive Traffic Forecasts

Abstract. This paper looks at five mechanisms by which traffic-controlled intersections can interact within a longrange traffic forecast and explores the computational implications of each. These mechanisms apply to networks that can adapt to changing travel behaviors over a long period of time. One mechanism relates to user-optimal equilibrium traffic assignment, which is a prerequisite for the remaining four: the chopping of traffic streams by signals; the smoothing of traffic streams by signs or meters; progressive signalization; and deployment of newly warranted traffic control devices. The inclusion of nodal interactions in traffic forecasts can substantially improve the precision of traffic forecasts but may require a very large increase in computational effort.