Multi-criteria decision-based safety evaluation using microsimulation

Abstract

The choice of intersection type in a road network is one of the most important decisions to be made in transportation engineering. Capacity and level of service are the two main factors considered in the type of intersection design, but safety and economy should also be taken into account when determining the intersection type since these are equally important. A number of parameters can be used to evaluate the performance of an intersection, including travel time, average delay, queue length, fuel consumption and vehicle exhaust emissions. Adding safety and construction costs to these parameters makes decision-making more difficult. In this study, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used as a multi-criteria decision approach to overcome this problem. Three intersection types were modelled and tested using Vissim software in line with the above parameters. An AHP model was then generated using the Vissim results and the AHP results and applicability were analysed.