Abstract:
Traffic engineers and transportation planners are using traffic simulation models with greater frequency to plan and design future transportation facilities. However, the transportation profession has not established formal and consistent guidelines regarding the development and application of these models. The lack of such guidance or direction has led to conflicts between model users, inappropriate use of the models, and inaccurate results from the models. Many of these situations could be avoided if guidelines were available that address both model development and application. The purpose of this paper is to present an initial set of recommended guidelines for the development and application of traffic simulation models. The guidelines are based on previously published information, interviews with practitioners, and results from successfully completed simulation projects. Key issues addressed include the following: Calibration of model parameters for traffic control operation, traffic flow characteristics, and driver behavior; Validation guidelines for traffic flow measurement; and Multiple run requirements for simulation models. The guidelines contained in the paper require formal refinement, but have been proven successful in the field and were accepted by technical professionals as well as decision makers. Ideally, this paper will be used as a building block for more formal guidelines.
