NETSTREAM: traffic simulator for evaluating traffic information systems

A traffic simulator NETSTREAM (NETwork Simulator for TRaffic Efficiency And Mobility) has been developed for evaluating traffic information systems such as dynamic route guidance systems. In this paper, a traffic flow model for evaluating traffic information systems in large-scale networks is proposed. The block density method which is one of macroscopic models is improved so that each vehicle is distinguished and lane configurations are taken into consideration. Traffic now can be calculated at high speed in consideration of route choice of each driver using the proposed model. Reduction of average travel time is evaluated in case that the dynamic route guidance system (DRGS) is installed in a whole provincial city using NETSTREAM. In the situation that nearly 66000 vehicles are generated in the network including over 3000 links, the travel times of all the vehicles are calculated in a short time.