A Case Study: Simulation Traffic Model as a Tool to Assess One-Way vs. Two-Way Traffic on Urban Roads around the City Center

Abstract

This article evaluates changes in the organization of transport on urban roads through the transport model in the OmniTRANS program. The selected location for the case study in this article is the internal traffic circuit of Kosice, which borders the historic core of the city. Currently, the proposal is being prepared to change the organization of transport in the town’s monument reserve and its protection zone. The transition to a one-way road around the historic center is being considered. Before introducing the new proposed change in traffic, it is necessary to test this proposed change and determine how it will affect the traffic situation. The aim of this article is to compare the current transport organization with the proposed change in transport organization in terms of traffic intensity. The use of transport models in the world is not a new concept, but it is often not used in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. However, traffic and simulation models can save money and time and avoid possible unexpected problems before putting the proposed changes into practice. Solving the given problem is an excellent benefit for transport planning and traffic engineering for Kosice and other places with a similar arrangement of the historical center and a similar number of inhabitants. The proposed changes can be tested by modelling traffic and then to adjust them when the cons are identified. Thanks to the traffic simulation model, it is possible to compare the capacity load of the inner traffic circuit of the city before and after the introduction of the one-way circuit.