Traffic Software News - TRL Software

Traffic Software News Quarterly Issue No. 8. December 1998

Transport Research Laboratory

The Maintenance Contract Newsletter

CONTRAM 7 Launch at TRL The new look CONTRAM 7 was launched at the UK User Group Meeting at TRL on Wednesday 28 October 1998. Delegates attended from local authorities, consultants and universities in the UK as well as from the Netherlands and Finland. The centrepiece of the meeting was the demonstration of a completely new integrated version of CONTRAM which has been developed for 32 bit Windows 95/NT platforms. The response from delegates following the meeting has been very positive and some of their suggestions have already been included in the new software.

The meeting was opened by Garth Clarke, TRL Chief Executive. He described how the new transport modelling software had been developed: “This redesigned version of TRL’s CONTRAM traffic assignment model has been developed as a joint project between TRL and Mott MacDonald. Building on the existing CONTRAM 5 model

and Mott MacDonald’s CONTRAM graphical interfaces, the opportunity has been taken to bring the CONTRAM concept into a modern Windows based environment. The TRL/Mott MacDonald partnership brings together a team of transport and software specialists to produce a worldclass product. The partnership unites TRL’s extensive

Sales Enquiries Contact Sue Starks, Mott MacDonald Tel: ++44 (0) 1962 893139 Fax : ++44 (0) 1962 863224 E-mail: [email protected]

research and development in transport modelling in general, and in CONTRAM in particular, with Mott MacDonald’s wide knowledge gained from applying such models in a broad variety of applications and their experience in developing graphic interfaces”. From the outset TRL and Mott MacDonald decided to produce a true Windows product, both to improve the userfriendliness of the model and to provide a secure development framework in which the graphics and the modelling can be viewed as a seamless product. Such an approach also provides a secure base on which to develop future enhancements. The graphical interface has been completely re-designed and re-written to provide an extremely user-friendly Windows based tool for building the network, running the dynamic assignment model and displaying results. This works with new look data structures that are much easier to under-

Technical Enquires Contact Chris White, Mott MacDonald Tel: ++44 (0) 1962 893164 Fax : ++44 (0) 1962 863224 E-mail: [email protected]

stand and process. Conversion of old version 5 models to CONTRAM 7 can be achieved in seconds. Because of CONTRAM’s unique dynamic assignment and its ability to model the effects of time varying demand, there has been increasing interest in using CONTRAM in projects which address issues arising from the applications of new technologies to network control, such as information provision through Variable Message Signs and incident control. There has also been a tendency for CONTRAM to be used for larger and larger networks. In the afternoon guest speakers described recent work on the dynamic modelling of drivers’ information systems using CONTRAM derivatives and important research on modelling peak spreading. For more information please call one of the contacts below or visit the CONTRAM web site.

Technical Enquires Contact Nicholas Taylor Tel: ++44 (0) 1344 770494 Fax : ++44 (0) 1344 770643 E-mail: [email protected]

A demonstration version of CONTRAM 7 is now available for you to download from the website: www.contram.com

32-Bit Arcady and Picady versions available Both Arcady 4 and Picady 4 are now available in a 32-Bit version as well as their corresponding ‘International’ versions featuring right-hand driving. Running under Windows 95 or NT the 32-Bit versions offer advanced features such as: l Automatic inclusion in the Windows Start Menu l Availability of the use of Long filenames l Synchronised scroll bars in the viewer program allowing easier comparison of output l Increased speed of analysis runs A 32-Bit version of Oscady 4 is expected early in the New Year. For more information on these products please call TRL Software support on 01344-770018

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR READERS

MODERN ROUNDABOUTS CONFERENCE LOVELAND, COLORADO Roundabouts are quickly becoming a favoured junction type in the USA. They are seen as offering lower costs, safer operation and less demands on space (compared to typical generously sized US signal layouts). They are also seen as a way to embellish key town locations, with the islands providing natural settings for sculptures or floral displays. American Traffic Engineers are looking for appropriate design tools and software, to help them achieve safe and efficient designs. The British design method (as typified by ARCADY) is seen as such a tool. The Loveland conference provided a forum for US engineers to have these methodologies presented to them, with their supporting research detailed. The conference was very successful, attracting interest from across the whole of the US - 150 engineers from 23 states attended. The British empirical methods were described and details of the extensive supporting research programme given in a paper presented by TRL. At today’s values the research programme would cost approximately £7m over 10 - 15 years. The strengths of the method in giving the engineer a powerful tool linking capacity and safety to junction geometry

Driving the other way, at the skiing resort in Vail, Colorado

Showing the street furniture - a rounabout in Vail, Colorado

Our Licensing explained To clarify how our licencing works For one site (one address) we can provide the following types of licence Single PC - One Company, One Site (the purchasing site), One PC Four PC - One Company, One Site (the purchasing site), up to Four PCs Unlimited/Network - One Company, One Site (the purchasing site), Unlimited or Networked PCs Educational - One Educational establishment (i.e. University), One Site (the purchasing site), Unlimited or Networked PCs. This is for educational use only, no commercial applications, and does not give rights of running commercial training courses specific to the software. For a multi site (multiple addresses) we can provide the following type of licence For Multi Sites, definition being, one licence (any of ,or a combination of types the above) covering one company at a declared number of sites (3 or more addresses).There would be one licence holder who is technically the owner of the licence and the only addressee that would handle any invoicing that may be

was stressed. ARCADY of course remains the only software able to predict accidents, and the British methodology is based on a massive database of real junction data, for both capacity and accident prediction, unlike the other methods. Australian methods, based on gap acceptance, give poor linkage between capacity and geometry. One American paper detailed the only accident at a new roundabout - a Porsche had driven straight over it, the driver was changing his clothes as he drove to the office!!! Following the conference. As part of promoting the British Technique, TRL presented an ARCADY workshop in Seattle to 24 Washington State DoT Traffic Engineers.

UPDATE TO OSCADY 4 ! The latest Version of TRL’s signal analysis program ● ● ● ●

WINDOWS Version with much improved user friendliness Gives Signal Timings, delays and accident prediction Full maintenance and support service Discounts for OSCADY workshops (maintenance holders only) ● Discounts for OSCADY/3 users - £105 off single PC price, rising to £210 off unlimited PC price N.B. TRL no longer supports OSCADY/3, and therefore will not be assessing its Y2K compliance For further details, apply to Julie Flack, TRL Software Bureau +44 (0)1344 770018 E-mail: [email protected], Fax: +44 (0)1344 770864

required for licencing or maintenance agreements. However all other names on the multi site are customers, who will receive information, and for those with maintenance contracts, upgrades where appropriate and the quarterly Traffic Software Newsletter and of course access to the helpline facilities. Multi-site discounts are as follows: 10% for 3 to 5 sites, 15% from 6 to 7 sites, 20% for 8 and 9 and 25% for 10 or more. This discount applies to the purchase price and is not applied to maintenance agreement renewal fees.

IS YOUR ROAD NETWORK SAFE? TRL has developed a new software product called SafeNET. This innovative software package will assist traffic engineers in the design of safer road networks in their towns and cities. SafeNET will provide the engineer with a rapid assessment of the effects of potential network management changes. Its graphical display will enable the engineer to see, immediately, how changes in junction design, form of control and traffic assignment affect the accident frequency on the network. See the next issue of Traffic Software News for more details of SafeNET and its launch, expected in March 99.

TRANSYT TIP - FLOW FACTORING EFFECTS The 1998 TRANSYT User Group meeting caused a number of interesting issues to be raised, one of which concerned bottlenecks and apparent excessively high arrival flow rates on the downstream link. In fact the problem is not related to the bottleneck mechanism at all, but is perhaps most likely to be recognised there. Bottlenecks are used to constrain traffic to lower saturation flows than would otherwise occur - e.g. platoons passing over a narrow bridge. A brief statement of how TRANSYT matches up differing values of total link inflow and outflow is helpful. There is no requirement in TRANSYT for the sum of inflows and the total link flow to be the same; after all they are at different junctions and will almost certainly have been measured on different days. TRANSYT handles this situation by assuming that the link total flow is accurate, and factoring the inflows such that the sum of the factored inflows is equal to the specified total link flow. This system is fine if the inflows and outflows are roughly equal, which is of course normally the case. If however there is a gross mis-match in the inflows, then the factoring process will of course not only raise the total flow value, but also proportionately raise the flow in each individual step. The modelling is such that the increase (or decrease) has to occur by factoring the flow in each time step, and not by spreading the increased (decreased) flow across more (less) time steps. Fig 1 shows how, in a very simple case, a link outflow profile can be higher than the previous link saturation flow due to the effects of factoring. Thus, despite the effects of dispersion, it is possible to get traffic arriving at a downstream stop line at a higher rate than the saturation flow at the upstream stop line. This is clearly impossible, and warns that the model needs to be checked. First check that all the inflows have been specified - if one is missing, this can cause substantial factoring of the others! Otherwise it is just a matter of reconciling the flow differences. Flow Factor = 1000

1000 =2 500 500

Twice Sat Flow

Dispersed Factored Platoon Max. Flow "GO" pattern rate still higher than (Prior to dispersion) original saturation flow

500

Saturation Flow

"GO" Pattern

TRANSYT 10 From Bug Box l

Excess Q-Penalties wrongly calculated in some over-saturated conditions

l

Overlapping of stages after - 1 hill climbing step for very small stage minimums

N.B. Most users will not have experienced these problems since they only occur in specific circumstances. The forthcoming Mod 2 will resolve these problems.

COURSES, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS 1998 3 December 98 Surface Treatment Seminar TRL 10th March 99 MOVA User Group TRL 11-13 May 99 TRANSYT 10 Workshop TRL 18-20 May 99 SCOOT Workshop TRL 25-27 May 99 MOVA Workshop TRL 21 - 25 June 99 Residential Course on The Management of Appropriate Technology in the Roads Sector for Developing and Emerging Economies TRL 28 June - 9 July 99 Residential Course on Roads and Transport in Developing Countries TRL

BUG BOX

New E-mail addresses Please note that due to a change in service provider at TRL the E-mails have changed for all staff at TRL. The new E-mail addresses for the Software Bureau are:-

CURRENT PROGRAM VERSIONS Visual PICADY 4 V4.02 AJ/2.1 Visual ARCADY 4I V4.01 AF/2.1 Visual OSCADY 4 V4.01 AC/2.1 (16 BIT and 32 BIT versions available)

‘International’ Versions Visual PICADY 4I V4.02 AJ/2.1 Visual ARCADY 4I V4.01 AF/2.1 (16 BIT and 32 BIT versions available)

Mrs Julie Flack: E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Janette Potter: E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Carole Dixon: E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Debbie Daniels: E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Ruth Tietjens: E-mail: [email protected] Mr John Peirce: E-mail: [email protected] Mr Peter Webb: E-mail: [email protected] Mr Mark Crabtree: E-mail: [email protected] Mr Jim Binning: E-mail: [email protected]

TRL Traffic Consultancy Services

TRL Safety Consultancy Services

l Traffic Impact Assessment l Review TIA l Junction/Network Modelling l Traffic Signal Design l MOVAVerification Service, design and installation

l Accident Prediction Models l Route Treatment l Safe Route to Schools l Safety Audit l Speed Management l Traffic Calming

TRANSYT 10 V 1.3.2 Mod 1 TPM V1.0 BUNDLE V 2.0 MOVACOMM V 2.6.0 MOVASETUP V 2.3 CONTRAM5 V5.16 MAAP for Windows 2.0.9 PARC 2M & PARC 2P

Who’s Who in Traffic Software

Announcing MOVA User Group 10 March 1999 @ TRL

BUGS REPORTED IN ISSUE 7: Printing problems in Windows 95 are now rectified ARCADY4 - Exit/Entry count data-entry bug is also fixed See alsoTRANSYT 10 box on page 3

The Second User Group meeting will be held at TRL on 10 March 1999. The Group will discuss practical problems encountered, difficulties setting up data sets, any areas where Users feel that TRL could give better guidance, and any other items of interest. For its part TRL will present an update on latest features which should soon be commercially available. These include more active bus priority trial results, and a further development of the automated stage selection process. TRL hope for strong support for this Group from all parties with interests in MOVA, over 300 sites nationally - Highway Authorities, the Highways Agency, DETR centrally and in the regions, as well as consultants involved in the specification and installation of MOVA. Contributions in the form of short papers (5-10 mins) would be warmly welcomed. If you need further information, please contact Julie Flack , Telephone: 01344-770018, Fax: 01344 770864 , E-mail: [email protected]

Debbie Daniels Debbie joined our Software Bureau in October having worked for the past 2 years in the Personnel and Development Unit. Debbie brings with her a wide range of administrative skills, she will be part of our Sales Team, answering customer enquiries, processing orders and staffing the Helpline. As a qualified cartographer, her drafting skills will be an asset to our traffic consultancy work. Debbie is on hand to help with your enquiries and we welcome her to the team.

For further information about TRL software and training courses please contact: Mrs Julie Flack: +44 (0)1344 770018 E-mail: [email protected]. Fax: +44 (0)1344 770864 Mrs Janette Potter: +44 (0)1344 770758 E-mail: [email protected]. Fax: +44 (0)1344 770864 Transport Research Laboratory, Old Wokingham Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire. RG45 6AU Tel: +44 (0)1344 773131 Fax: +44 (0)1344 770356 Web Address - www.trl.co.uk