Access to Destinations : Twin Cities Metro - wide Traffic Micro - simulation Feasibility

The economic importance of effective traffic management becomes more and more evident as traffic demands increase. Faced with the negative effects of traffic congestion including higher transport costs, greater energy consumption, and increased driver delays, transportation agencies around the world areas have responded by building new roads and enhancing their traffic management systems. However, the high costs associated with these projects, and the possibility that improvements in different parts of a complex traffic management system may give rise to unforeseen interactions, have prompted many metropolitan areas to invest in the creation of metro-wide simulation systems that support the evaluation of alternative traffic management scenarios across an entire traffic network. Such undertakings are far from simple; even small-scale microscopic simulations require large amounts of high-quality data. The objectives of this project were to evaluate the feasibility of developing a traffic simulation system for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, and to propose the most appropriate methodology for the design and implementation of such a system, taking into account local needs and capabilities. This report represents the results of research conducted by the authors and does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and/or the Center for Transportation Studies. This report does not contain a standard or specified technique. The authors and the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Center for Transportation Studies do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to this report. Acknowledgments This report would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of a large number of people and organizations. We would like to acknowledge the support of the two project Technical Liaisons, Brian Isaacson from Mn/DOT and Robert Byers from Hennepin County. They along with the members of the Technical Advisory Panel assured that the project stayed real and that it produced useful information for the practitioners and it wasn't just another university research project. We would also like to thank Mark Filipi from the Metropolitan Council, Brian Kary from Mn/DOT, John Levin from Metro Transit and many others for their insight and guidance. Finally we would like to thank the staff of the Center for Transportation Studies for supporting the project and assisting in the publication of this report. Figure 1: Model Geometry 5 Figure 2: Area photo 5 Figure 3: Madrid metro-wide model in AIMSUN NG 6 Figure 4: Madrid …