Integration of information provision in large-scale traffic simulations

A potential benefit of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) is the reduction of unexpected traffic delays. Non-recurrent congestion occurs haphazardly at any moment of the day. It may be a consequence of external changes in the demand for travel (special events, holidays, emergency evacuations, etc.) or in the capacities of the infrastructure (impact of weather conditions, accidents, road repairs, etc.). Several empirical studies such as [4, 6] point out that up to one third of the congestion in metropolitan areas is non-recurrent but figures can vary. The boundary between recurrent and non-recurrent congestion is somewhat blurred because they influence each other mutually. Indeed, if some incidents are well-known to occur frequently at about the same location and under given traffic conditions (e.g. delivery trucks blocking a lane), users may anticipate the corresponding delays and select another itinerary from the start, thereby causing congestion elsewhere on a regular basis. Conversely, nonrecurrent congestion can also be induced by recurrent congestion. For instance, the probability of an accident on a road might increase with its traffic load.