| A stochastic, microscopic simulation model, BMVSIM (B&barbelow;icycle-M&barbelow;otor V&barbelow;ehicle Mixed Traffic SIMulation), is developed to represent the behavior of bicyclists in bicycle-motor vehicle mixed traffic at signalized intersections in the United States. As part of this study, various aspects of bicycle-bicyclist unit behavior are examined based on data collected in four cities in the United States. Video images of mixed traffic scenes are analyzed to examine bicycle trajectories. Based on this data, various characteristics and behavior of bicyclists studied include speed, acceleration and deceleration of bicycles departing and approaching an intersection, passing, following, arrival distribution, gap acceptance, stopped distances of motor vehicles and bicycles, and saturation flow rate and start-up lost time of bicycles at signalized intersections. Each model developed to represent the various aspects of these characteristics is developed and validated separately, based on field data.; To represent the behavior of bicyclists, a generalized linear modeling (GLM) framework is used. A discrete choice logit model represents the passing decision of bicycles and the probability of accepting a gap. The generalized estimating equations represent the initial acceleration and deceleration of bicyclists, bicycle following, and the turning speed of bicycles. The generalized linear modeling framework assumes that the observations are independent. However, as bicycle trajectory data collected every second for bicycles are used to develop the model, the measurements are repeated on the same subject across time—thus forming clusters of correlated observations. The correlation among observations is addressed in the generalized estimating equations using the quasi-likelihood estimation method.; Based on the behavioral models developed, a simulation model is implemented in Visual C++ programming language. BMVSIM is validated using travel time data collected from the field for motor vehicles and bicycles. This validation demonstrates that the BMVSIM performs well in representing the bicycle-motor vehicle mixed traffic at signalized intersections and may be utilized to evaluate the design and operations of signalized intersections. Several applications of the simulation are also demonstrated. Additionally, the characteristics and behavior of bicyclists presented in this dissertation may also be used to develop new procedures and improve existing methods included in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) to evaluate the capacity and level of service of on-street bicycle facilities. |
