Development of a Computer Simulation Model of Mixed Motor Vehicle and Bicycle Traffic on an Urban Road Network

Abstract

The first step has been taken in the effort to develop a microscopic simulation model of mixed motor vehicle and bicycle traffic over an entire network. The primary objective was to develop the main algorithm of BICycle SIMulator and translate it into a working computer program. To achieve the goal, the gaps in the existing literature were filled by data collected at the University of Delaware campus in Newark. An equation of mixed bicycle and motor vehicle following was developed and used for the representation of longitudinal interaction of vehicles. The program was implemented in C+plus; programming language and tested on real-world data. The resulting software is the first in the world to allow the inclusion of bicyclists in the analysis of urban transportation by the means of microscopic simulation.