Development of Internet-Based Traffic Simulation Framework for Transportation Education and Training

Abstract

Many traffic simulation software packages are available to help traffic engineers and researchers study and evaluate the potential impact of proposed traffic management strategies and policies. However, the existing tools require a significant investment in time to learn how to create models, perform calibrations, and, finally, analyze the results. This substantial learning curve severely restricts their application and makes it difficult for engineering students, the general public, and policy makers to take advantage of these tools. An Internet-based traffic simulation framework was developed to enhance the learning experience for transportation students and engineers. Pregenerated traffic scenarios were first implemented as part of an undergraduate civil engineering class. An interactive simulation tool was developed to allow users to make changes to the model and examine the impacts on traffic. This now allows students, for example, to minimize the queue length at the traffic signal by changing the cycle length or splits. This interactive traffic simulation tool was deployed and tested in an undergraduate class of 73 students. Feedback was collected from the instructors and the students and will lead to additional enhancements of the laboratory module. This web-based traffic simulation framework can also incorporate larger road networks that allow one to consider a multiplicity of traffic management strategies, thus providing a valuable tool for educating and training transportation professionals.