Optimization of signal controlled urban traffic flow using simulation modeling and an experimental design

Traffic flow in urban areas is one of the major problems both for drivers and pedestrians. Traffic congestion and traffic lights constitute a large portion of the time spent in traffic. This wasted time for waiting in traffic also costs countries considerable amount of wasted fuel and hence considerable amount of money. In this study, traffic flow of a road in Izmir, Turkey is considered. In order to decrease all the wasted resources in urban traffic, an experimental design is conducted on the factors affecting the signal controlled traffic flow. The design factors are determined to be signal times of traffic lights, traffic intensity and the speed of vehicles. The effects of these factors on the three performance measures of time in system, waiting time in red light and number of vehicles going out of the system are analyzed. A fractional factorial design is carried out on the 486 design points evaluated using simulation modeling. In results, among the design points, best level of factors to minimize total waiting time in traffic flow are determined.