Avaliação do meio ciclo estruturado através da simulação

Abstract

This paper presents a traffic signal optimization method for hypercenter of large cities to give priority to pedestrian flow without affecting motorized vehicle flow. The study, here called Structured Half Cycle, proposes the application of a model which may result in a large reduction in travel time not only for vehicles, but mainly for pedestrians, who have witnessed local authorities increasingly favoring motorized modes of transportation. The proposed system was implemented in the traffic simulator Aimsun. A methodological approach was adopted, which began with macroscopic simulation of the entire metropolitan network of Belo Horizonte. In the definition of the study area, a specific software tool was used to delineate the road network, in order to obtain the O/D matrix of the simulation area. After generating the study network and vehicle trips matrix, one of the most advanced instruments of traffic simulation was applied, hybrid simulation. The instrument uses macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic traffic simulation in the same platform. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Structured Half Cycle, the road stretch of Amazonas Avenue between Afonso Pena Avenue and Augusto de Lima Avenue was considered as the study area in the Belo Horizonte hypercenter. After concluding the modeling steps, calibration, and validation of the current situation, the model was applied in the study area, obtaining good results, such as a significant reduction in delays and travel times for both pedestrians and general traffic. There was an increase in average speed, which resulted in a more fluid system and a significant reduction in waiting time for pedestrian crossings.