Real-time data driven arterial simulation for performance measures estimation

Transportation professionals are increasingly exploring multi-pronged solutions to alleviate traffic congestion. Real-time information systems for travelers and facility managers are one approach that has been the focus of many recent efforts. Real-time performance information can facilitate more efficient roadway usage and operations. Toward this end, a dynamic data driven simulation based system for estimating and predicting performance measures along arterial streets in real-time is described that uses microscopic traffic simulations, driven by point sensor data. Current practices of real-time estimation of roadway performance measures are reviewed. The proposed real-time data driven arterial simulation methodology to estimate performance measures along arterials is presented as well as preliminary field results that provide evidence to validate this approach.