Dynamical Systems and Network Flows: Traffic Flow Problem on Multi-lane Intersections (Economic Analysis)

Abstract

Nowadays due to rapid population growth and hence increasing demand for transportation, traffic congestion at road intersections become a serious problem for developed as well as developing countries. Traffic congestion causes considerable costs due to unproductive time losses, extra fuel consumption, accidents and also has a negative impact on the environment such as air pollution, noise and stress. Thus, economic analysis of multi-lane intersections and improvement alternatives take account of vehicles cost of fuel consumption and time costs incurred by users of the road junctions. The objective of this study was about determining average waiting time of vehicles and estimating cost incurred due to delay at unsignalized double lane roundabouts and signalized cross intersections. In this study MMAS Cellular Automata model and Poisson queuing model were used. The study tried to calculate the average waiting time (delay) of vehicles in the system (in queue plus in service) at both types of road intersections. The study was tried to quantify vehicles waiting time at both types of road intersections (cost incurred due to delay); that is cost of time lost for passengers and cost of extra fuel consumed by vehicles. Based on the findings of the study, that is based on time and fuel lost (though other factors are not included), signalized cross intersections are better than roundabouts to minimize traffic congestion problem at road junctions.