RESEARCH ARTICLE
Strategic Utilization of Microsimulation for Sustainable Traffic Analysis and Intersection Improvement
Malik Sarmad Riaz1, *, Khizar Aziz2, Zeeshan Ali Mufeez2, Fazal e Ghafoor1, Louai Saker3, Kashif Aziz4, Marc Azab3
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2023Volume: 17
E-location ID: e26671212281061
Publisher ID: e26671212281061
DOI: 10.2174/0126671212281061231123113624
Article History:
Received Date: 22/09/2023Revision Received Date: 24/10/2023
Acceptance Date: 31/10/2023
Electronic publication date: 30/11/2023
Collection year: 2023
open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Background:
Traffic congestion is a worldwide challenge that poses significant economic, social, and environmental impacts. Countries worldwide, especially in urban areas, are confronted with the pressing challenge of managing traffic congestion.
Methods:
Traffic simulation can help create a model of the current situation of the state of the traffic and subsequently, simulate alternatives based on the current demand. To address this problem, this study aims to assess the traffic flow at a critical four-legged intersection (Sector G/11) in Islamabad, Pakistan, as a case study. It proposes a solution to alleviate traffic congestion using microsimulations. By utilizing software as a tool, we have created a model of the current state of the intersection, and, subsequently, proposed changes to the intersection's geometric features by designing an optimal solution for it.
Results:
The resulting modifications led to improved traffic flow, and reduced emissions and fuel consumption by 47%, minimized delays to 40%, resulting in an overall enhancement of the Level of Service from ‘E’ to ‘B’.
Conclusion:
Overall, this study demonstrates the potential benefits of using microsimulations in traffic management and underscores the need for innovative and sustainable solutions to address the complex issue of traffic congestion. The novelty of this paper lies in its pioneering approach of employing microsimulation techniques to analyze the intricacies of traffic conditions within a country like Pakistan, characterized by a multitude of factors contributing to congestion.
