Influence of urban blocks on road traffic: Analysis of the patterns shape using simulation techniques; 17th Swiss Transport Research Conference (STRC 2017)

Network connectivity, continuity and efficiency in urban areas depend on the patterns defined by the roads and the location of the buildings. Urban blocks affect the traffic operational performance in aspects such as travel time, average travel delay, average speed and resilience from congestion. This paper analyzes the impact of urban blocks on road traffic by considering urban block patterns. For this purpose, traffic performance and propagation of traffic congestion are evaluated on different urban blocks by applying two techniques: MFD (Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram) and NEF (Network Exit Function). Furthermore, presence and influence of both arterial and local streets are discussed. DTA (Dynamic Traffic Assignment) function is used to capture dynamic effects that arise in congested scenarios in simulation. Results obtained evaluate and quantify the influence of urban block shape on the traffic performance.