Traffic issues are most usefully considered within the context of an overall strategy framework.
Traffic planning and engineering are essential to manage the road network safely and efficiently.
Traffic Planning
Traffic planning involves forecasting future traffic demand and traffic, management requirements, including:
Ø Estimation of future network conditions with and without capacity changes
Ø Traffic signal control policy
Ø Traffic management policy
Ø Allocation of road space to particular modes
Ø Safety analysis
Traffic engineering
Traffic engineering is undertaken within the context of traffic planning and involves:
Ø Optimising the use of available capacity
Ø Managing conflicts and safety issues
Ø Linkage to environmental planning and urban design objectives
Ø Achieving value for money
Ø Design
Supporting Techniques
In most cases, modelling of some sort will be required when traffic related issues are considered, and may include:
Ø 3 or 4 stage transport models (such as EMME, CUBE, TRACKS)
Ø Assignment models (such as SATURN)
Ø Micro-simulation (such as PARAMICS, )
Ø Network models (such as TRANSYT)
Ø Safety models (such as SAFENET)
Ø Junction models (such as SIDRA, LINSIG)
Ø Cost benefit analysis software (EEM compatible)
More comprehensive modelling will assist in avoiding predict and provide approaches to traffic issues being adopted.
