Traveler oriented dynamic traffic assignment based on multiclass cell transmission model

This paper proposes a model which incorporates the traveler dynamics into the cell transmission model (CTM) by decoupling the travel demand from the traffic demand, in order to simulate traffic dynamics in a more controllable way. The model takes travelers as the source of the traffic load and formulates the relationship between these two demands mathematically. With the proper design, the model can be used as an enhancement to any existed cell transmission model. For implementation in this paper, an open source macro-simulation tool, called Aurora Road Network Modeler (AuroraRNM), is adopted. The experiments are conducted on a real road network with the help of this tool, and the results show the traveler oriented model can reflect the traffic dynamics properly and reasonably. Besides, based on the simulation results, the model also provides a way to find out the manageable status in a nonequilibrium traffic. This is more practical as though user optimal or system optimal solutions present optimal equilibrium traffic, such equilibrium status remain analytical and hard to apply to the real world management due to limited resources or other reasons.