Intelligent urban traffic: A guide through micro modelling approaches

The local authorities have a fundamental role in improving the traffic & environment system of their urban jurisdictions. Locally developed tailor-made solutions, based on active public participation processes, are essential to make the city more attractive, cleaner and healthier thus, a better place to live, work, and play. This challenge, of sustainable urban transportation, demands a comprehensive holistic approach able to cope with the complexity, multidisciplinarity, and socio-technical dimension of the system-of-interest. The environmental aspect of sustainability is critical being at the agenda of the modern world. Modelling the traffic and the related environmental impacts at the micro level is decisive to describe adequately the urban dynamics, to provide personalized real-time information, to test Intelligent Transportation Systems strategies and evaluate their impacts, and to support accurate decision-making processes. This work highlights the relevance of this micro modelling approach, particularly for traffic & air quality, providing a guide through the existing modelling approaches and suggesting the appropriated models and tools to undertake the green mission.