Development of Internet-Based Traffic Simulation Framework for Transportation Education and Training

Abstract

Many traffic simulation software packages are available to help traffic engineers and researchers study and evaluate the potential impact of proposed traffic management strategies and policies. However, the existing tools require a significant investment in time to learn how to create models, perform calibrations, and, finally, analyze the results. This substantial learning curve severely restricts their application and makes it difficult for engineering students, the general public, and policy makers to take advantage of these tools. An Internet-based traffic simulation framework was developed to enhance the learning experience for transportation students and engineers. Pregenerated traffic scenarios were first implemented as part of an undergraduate civil engineering class. An interactive simulation tool was developed to allow users to make changes to the model and examine the impacts on traffic. This now allows students, for example, to minimize the queue length at the traffic signal by changing the cycle length or splits. This interactive traffic simulation tool was deployed and tested in an undergraduate class of 73 students. Feedback was collected from the instructors and the students and will lead to additional enhancements of the laboratory module. This web-based traffic simulation framework can also incorporate larger road networks that allow one to consider a multiplicity of traffic management strategies, thus providing a valuable tool for educating and training transportation professionals.

Transportation Engineering Instructional Practices

“…Liao et al reported on the development of an Internet-based traffic simulator that was demonstrated in an undergraduate transportation engineering course (8). The researchers implemented a laboratory module in which students were asked to use the simulator to develop signal timing plans, and they collected feedback from the students.…”

“…Researchers have developed a suite of simulation tools for use in the typical undergraduate introduction to transportation engineering course (8)(9)(10)(11). Their two primary hypotheses are that (a) "the simulation modules will improve student understanding of critical concepts in transportation engineering and lead to students learning better than they would in a course that does not use these simulation tools," and (b) "the simulation modules will enhance student motivation toward the transportation engineering field and will improve student retention" (9).…”

Development and Deployment of Traffic Control Game

“…Clearly, this approach can be integrated with other distancelearning approaches already in place for teaching transportation technologies. Liao et al developed a web-based traffic simulation framework for teaching transportation concepts in an introductory transportation engineering course (10). Chen and Levinson evaluated the usefulness and efficacy of an educational tool by adopting it into a transportation planning or engineering course and verifying through an experiment conducted in a senior-or graduate-level course on transportation systems analysis (11).…”

Using an Interactive Display to Demonstrate Transportation Planning and Design Issues

“…is a free online magazine for teens and young adults that explores the world of transportation and the careers they can find there (9). Online software has also been created to allow students to interactively examine traffic-modeling scenarios remotely (10) and to undertake roadway geometric design (11); similar online initiatives aimed at the general public and demonstrating challenges in transportation, could be used to attract people to the field.…”