Improving the effectiveness of traffic simulation models: Virginia's Smart Travel Laboratory experience

Traffic simulation is a tool that has seen increasing use to support transportation design and planning. However, the use of simulation to support operations, particularly in a time critical environment has been limited. Research at the University of Virginia's Smart Travel Laboratory has revealed several insights and potential improvements concerning the use of traffic simulation. These observations pertain to the process of constructing a simulation model, the process of calibrating and/or fine-tuning a model, and the general usability of simulation as an analytical tool. Suggested improvements in these areas include automation of model coding methods for collecting origin to destination flow rates, and improved graphical user interfaces and visual displays.