| Traffic models are a major component of the software products used for the planning, design and evaluation of transportation networks. While the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) modeling process is widely accepted, a significant disparity is often observed between estimated and field measured arterial travel speeds. The primary objective of this dissertation is to reconcile the differences among estimated, simulated and measured travel time components related to signalized arterial streets.; One important determinant of travel time is the quality of progression obtained in a coordinated signal system. This dissertation explores the current descriptors of progression quality and introduces a new moment-based measure for quantifying the extent of platoon dispersion. The flow profiles from three widely used computer models, TRANSYT-7F, PASSER and CORSIM are compared using existing index measures, the newly developed moment-based index and graphical.; When arterial analyses are performed using different models, a through understanding of each model's delay definitions is essential for producing valid comparisons. This dissertation provides insights and guidelines when applying the HCM process to either simulation data or field data. A database of fifteen hundred cases was used to exercise the CORSIM model.; The results of this dissertation include four products. The floating car correction applied to the HCM delay term offering a reasonable explanation of discrepancies between estimated and measured delays on arterial streets. The introduction, development and application of a new moment-based platoon index. The development, validation and verification of a new delay term in the CORSIM software. An adjustment in the second term of the HCM delay equation producing better agreement with the corresponding CORSIM control delay. |
