The microsimulation modeling as a tool for transport policies assessment: An application to a real case study

Nowadays, alongside the traditional statistical and semi-probabilistic methods, through which it is possible to obtain an estimate of the road network performances whatever its geometric-functional configuration, the use of microscopic traffic simulation techniques is widespread, allowing a “dynamic” approach to the problem (e.g. evaluation of infrastructural interventions, traffic management, etc.). The traffic micro-simulation models are able to analyze and process, instant by instant, the movement of single vehicles on the network, on the basis of laws related to the vehicle movement and the driving behavior.Based on this premise, this study proposes an overview of traffic simulation models, with a focus on the advantages of microsimulation. In this direction, the paper presents an application to a real case study in the city of Catania (Italy), in order to evaluate the impact of different traffic regulation strategies in terms of level of service (LoS), road emissions and fuel consuption through scenario evaluations. First results demonstrates that traffic modeling and the implementation of microsimulation tools represent a valid support for the transport policies assessment, providing a basis for future research steps that will address the simulation of larger areas, through before and after analysis and the evaluation of different key performance indicators.