This report deals with the unique and first time application in Canada of a driver simulator to assess a complex at-grade rail crossing design. The purpose of this simulation was to optimize the positive guidance offered to drivers using the crossing and associated roadway elements, by designing a more understandable, visible and driver-oriented approach environment. The first section of this paper provides an overview of the existing grade crossing environment and the challenges created by planned road network and development changes in the vicinity of the crossing. In the second section we discuss the data and information requirements necessary to construct the computer model for insertion into the driver simulator. The penultimate section of the paper details the specifics of the simulator study design, with a specific focus on the human factors methodology and considerations used to evaluate the performance of drivers within the proposed crossing environment. The report concludes with a discussion of the advantages, limitations, and challenges associated with using a driver simulator approach to evaluating real-world application scenarios. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E216511.
Samenvatting