Modeling the Future of Island Traffic in Trinidad and Tobago
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Technology Profile | | Our Connected Future by Mike Schagrin USDOT’s next Modeling the future of island big experiment – connected vehicle traffic in Trinidad and Tobago pilot deployments n an island, traffic problems can quickly In my previous column, s as spiral out of control. Byp o nd na er F an I mentioned USDOT’s S y O a w h g i H Alternative routes are y o h c o H n Connected Vehicle (CV) Cipero Road o m o l o C S ip n e ansio ro Exp R limited and traffic is usually oad o R unk a th Tr tor d Sou Golconda Connec Pilot Deployment program to establish Golconda Interchange sion Road Expan South Trunk y a concentrated on urban centers w h ig ion H oad Expans runk R y several real-world deployments. The T South o h c o H n H o n R m sio M lo n - o a F p p S x e E r close to road-restricting o r d n a p o a R o k n s n d ru e goal of these pilots is to demonstrate o T d y h t S a ou 4 i w S - p l h a a g n r i i e a H h E y i r o g i n h h c w R o a o H coastlines. On the southwestern y a d n ( n o e H m how CVs, generating vast amounts of R F w o M e l ) - p r o r n o S po a se n d d 4 o -l an S e i h p ig a h r w i a a South Oropouche Interchange y peninsula of the Caribbean E ( n r e i w n data, can contribute to greater ) R o L a a d F o H r R d M-p t ropo a s u ed 4-la o n n e highw R e ay (new y ) e a P h Debe Interchange w l h c u g u c island of Trinidad, roads are i k H o p R operational efficiencies for our roads. n o i o t r r a o O F d t Fe in r o na P n o d d o n S a i n d pa r a r S S Erin Road e o ce ia F d R a ) r E n a k T ri becoming overloaded more than a o c w e n S e The establishment of these sites is R u b l R n o e P ( De a h e d c d n u a u o t o r r d p o o a r F n i o a O a R L m n / i s r s E a a i yp r b a very important for the growth of the most. The narrowing coastline p i S e S San Fer i n nando Point Fortin H pa ighway a Mon Desir Interchange o d ria l - a O d 2 o ld n R R a o d a n d e d r M s a d e o b a o Ro F n a ck p d lu o P r e yz e s F un p S rt - ir o i F p a M De a L R CV industry. These sites will become r i H to the north and south lh a Su c hit i O Tr R ace Debe Proper l o d F a e R d r o n a a d ) Delhi Road n L w d a e o F n ( S o r i d p Fyzabad t a u a o n r r i e a environments of innovation for n Francique Road i San P E sandwiches between it several a l r u i m n c / San k s Fra Batchyia village R nciq s R ue o Road a F o San a a d yz Fra yp a d nc b ba ique d Ro e G ad n d u a a ap l o o - R R 2 in oa Er d d technologies, applications and business a S e ri al s pa e tm o Si urban regions: Debe, Penal, c p a in o r e o d T Tr r n e a p a n ce - rn i Fe ltm M Sal a e R tm S c H ine a Tra r ce T y a Sudama Village r r S u models. These sites will provide a oad Penal ip M rin R a ia E r ipar Siparia, Fyzabad, La Romaine, ia o S and O Fern ld e c R a Charlo Village o r d a T a d y o a r R r n u i M r E glimpse into the future on what a CV a i r a e p i S c S Oropouche, La Brea and Point i a p r Syne Village o a T r d i y a n a a r O r n r l u d e M F R o a d Fernando Siparia Erin Road ecosystem can provide. And while the oad rin R ria E Fortin. Road building in the Sipa ando Fern region is seen as essential, and Siparia De Gannes Village program being set up in 2015 may show Figure 3.5 Traffic Assignment Peak Hour Morning 2035 Total Vehicle Trips only incremental improvements, it “How will customers some improvements have <empty> positions the industry for something much already been carried out. Now, greater in 2017, when the feds initiate the a local activist group (LAG) has (Left) Trinidad’s urban centers initially get value from are concentrated close to second round of CV pilot deployments. By developed a plan for where the (Left) Caption coastlines, which presents then, technology will be that much further DSRC technology?” next essential arteries should be (Right) Caption particular challenges when it along, the industry will have had more constructed. Transportation comes to managing traffic time to consider additional innovative planning consultant Dr Rae J (Above) Aimsun software was applications, and travelers and road Furlonge used TSS-Transport used to model the potential operators will have established more technology to enable any noticeable Simulation Systems’ Aimsun effects of new road building on traffic flows in southwest of a comfort level with the evolving benefits immediately. So, OEMs are software to model exactly Trinidad over the next 20 years CV capability and services. concerned customers will think they what effects the proposed Each site that gets selected is expected are paying for something that has no improvements will have. to establish a sustainable business model immediate value. However, if they bundle | Need to know Assessing the impact Assignment; and display results of life for local residents and that extends beyond the federal funding. the DSRC with other CV communications Getting active Aimsun software was used on a map, showing traffic severe road safety implications. Sites are to become seeds for organic (cellular, wi-fi, satellite, etc), customers The LAG has presented its for travel-demand forecasting, volume to capacity ratios. Despite the drawbacks of growth that also exhibit capability that will get day-one benefits, albeit mostly Optimum Connectivity Features of Aimsun 8 as well as traffic macroscopic Aimsun modeling the LAG proposal, the Aimsun has national relevance. Said another way, from non-DSRC capability. And as DSRC Proposal to the National Expert’s new four-step network modeling and analysis. established that the LAG models concluded that an they are intended to operate without penetration grows over time (both across Infrastructure Development demand modeling The software was able to: proposals will lead to very high urban primary arterial system federal support and provide confidence the vehicle fleet and with the Company Limited. The LAG determine the functional road volume/capacity ratios (above is indeed urgently needed on to other locations that may be thinking infrastructure), consumers will benefit of doing the same but may not want to from the additional capability and new wants to capitalize on network requirements of the 1.0) on key parts of the network Trinidad’s southwestern be on the ‘bleeding edge’. services offered for many years to come. improvements to the main study area; build and edit the and also significant and peninsula to improve > Transportation modeling Another interesting aspect of the CV The connected vehicle environment coastal highway (the South projects can now be spatial network, including road, unnecessary overuse of the accessibility to the major Deployment Pilot program is that while it is on the cusp of an industry explosion. Trunk Road) by joining it up started from scratch with intersection and interchange South Trunk Road expansion. urban centers in the region. does not have any direct bearing on the While we hear things now and again to the inland population center raw geographical and types, as well as lane widths, As a secondary conclusion And it will be necessary to NHTSA path toward regulation on DSRC, about new developments in this area, it’s of Debe, using further road socioeconomic data number of lanes and other the modeling also concluded adjust the new arterial system it does converge with this effort in a way the things we’re not hearing about (yet) improvements.