Freeway Network Traffic Management Strategy Simulation Evaluation Study

Freeway network is an important transportation carrier in the city. Trafficcongestion and environment pollution of freeway network become more and moreserious. Many cities face these problems. Releasing traffic congestion is the maingoal of traffic management strategy evaluation, but environment pollution is rarelyconsidered, such as vehicle emission(CO、HC、NOx) and fuel consumption. With theenhancing awareness of green transportation and low carbon transportation, academetakes more attention to environmental benefits evaluation of traffic managementstrategy.Utilizing variable message sign (VMS) to display travel time and using in-vehiclenavigation system (IVNS) to provide real-time optimum route are effective measuresto improve city’s traffic management efficiency. In order to evaluate traffic benefitand environmental benefit of two dynamic traffic management strategies: travel timeguidance displayed by VMS and IVNS route guidance, this thesis develops trafficsimulation system, which combines application of advanced achievements of trafficflow theory and environment engineering, bases on macroscopic traffic flow modeland vehicle emission and fuel consumption models, and uses computer simulationtechnology. Specifically, simulation system is developed adopting macroscopic trafficsimulation model METANET and vehicle emission and fuel consumption modelsabout speed combined with example network to investigate the relationship betweenguidance benefit of travel time and drivers’ information concerned rate and therelationship between guidance benefit of travel time and constant that scales theperceived travel time, evaluate environmental benefit, and calculate the directeconomic benefits in terms of air pollutant treatment cost saving and fuelconsumption; simulation system is developed adopting macroscopic traffic simulationmodel METANET and vehicle emission and fuel consumption models aboutspeed-acceleration combined with example network to investigate IVNS’ impact ontraffic benefit, evaluation environmental benefit, and investigate the reasonable rangeof IVNS’s market penetration rate considering both traffic benefit andenvironmental benefit.The study of this thesis aims at providing the theory basis and technical supportfor traffic management department to design and evaluate dynamic traffic management strategies so as to eliminate congestion and meet energy conservationand pollution reduction targets.