01476623

Component

Studies have revealed that a relatively large number of motorists travelling within central city areas spend a significant amount of their total trip time looking for on-street parking spaces. This search for parking spaces intensifies the overall amount of traffic congestion and worsens environmental quality. Recently, real-time parking information disseminated through parking guidance systems (PGSs) have been proposed to alleviate this congestion and improve the environment quality in urban centers. This study uses simulation to explore the effect of the deployment of a PGS on network mobility and vehicular greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of vehicles traveling within a central business district area. Using a case study, several scenarios are developed to explore conditions and operational settings that the highest gains can be achieved from the PGS deployment. The findings demonstrate that PGSs have the potential to improve mobility and reduce vehicular emissions at any level of market saturation, whether or not near-real-time traffic data is integrated into the route guidance system. The most significant reductions in vehicular emissions and delays are realized under conditions where the demand for parking is greater than the availability of parking places; suggesting that as cities become more densely populated, PGSs will become more necessary to reduce congestion and improve urban air quality. The study also analyzes the impacts of simultaneous deployment of near-real-time traffic information system (ATIS) and PGSs, as demands increase. The findings suggest that the close integration and coordination of ATIS and PGSs is beneficial in order to decrease delays and improve mobility.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB45 Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics.

01470560

13-1615

English

18p

2013

Transportation Research Board 92nd Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References

Advanced traveler information systems; Greenhouse gases; On street parking; Parking demand; Parking guidance systems; Traffic congestion

Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I15: Environment; I73: Traffic Control

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2013 Paper #13-1615

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Feb 5 2013 12:24PM