The assessment of uninterrupted traffic flow is traditionally based on empirical methods. Some analytic queueing models were developed based on traffic counts and the behavior of traffic flows was modeled as a function of some of the most relevant determinants. These analytic models allow for parameterized experiments, which pave the way towards the research objectives: assessing what-if scenario's and sensitivity analysis for traffic management, congestion control, traffic design and the environmental impact of road traffic (eg emission models). The impact of some crucial modeling parameters is studied in detail and links with the broader research objectives are given. The authors illustrate their results for a highway, based on counted traffic flows in Flanders. (Author/publisher).
Abstract