TRAFFIC SIMULATION AND INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT (ITSM)

The development of ITS systems that operate well independently is not sufficient. To realize the true potential of ITS, systems such as freeway management systems, transit scheduling systems, signal control systems, emergency computer-aided dispatch systems, management information systems, and even construction scheduling systems, must be integrated to allow for coordinated regional decision-making. The formidable task of realizing Integrated Transportation Systems Management (ITSM) must often be accomplished by various municipal systems, most with little or no automation, and several organizational bodies which attempt to coordinate these efforts into a more comprehensive regional network. Each of these subsystems has its own set of objectives relating to the area in question, and these objectives may be non-commensurate and conflicting. Regional integration allows the systems to share information, allowing transportation officials to manage the entire regional transportation system. A sound regional architecture must be developed to guide developers in fitting their individual systems into a regional context. One specific example of integration is the incorporation of simulation modeling and forecasting capabilities into a transportation decision support and planning system. We present an overview of our vision of ITSM along with an example of a working prototype simulation tool designed for use in an integrated system