This study aimed to evaluate the effect of key operational factors on traffic performance in long underground expressways. This study was motivated by the increasing policy interest in underground expressway infrastructure as a solution to chronic surface-level congestion in dense urban regions. A scenario-based microscopic traffic simulation was conducted using VISSIM considering combinations of traffic volume, proportion of heavy vehicles, and longitudinal slopes. A total of 72 scenarios were simulated, and the weighted average speed and total throughput were analyzed. The simulation results showed that the entry traffic volume and longitudinal gradient significantly affected the average speed, particularly in uphill exit segments. The heavy vehicle ratio also contributed to consistent reductions in speed. However, the overall throughput remained relatively stable despite variations in heavy vehicle proportions, suggesting that speed is more sensitive to flow composition than to volume capacity. Although interaction effects were not statistically tested, the combined scenario trends suggested that steeper slopes and high heavy-vehicle ratios jointly intensify speed reduction. These findings support the early-stage design and traffic planning of underground expressways.

In this study, the effects of a hypothetical autonomous vehicle (AV)-exclusive roadway were estimated through a step-by-step approach using both microscopic and macroscopic simulations. First, the AV-exclusive roadway was classified into four types—entry lanes, mainlines, merging lanes, and intersections—and the C, α, and β values of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) function were estimated for each type through a microscopic simulation. These estimated values were then applied to a 3×3 (20 km) network, and a macroscopic simulation was conducted to compare the effectiveness of AVs and conventional vehicles (CVs) in terms of traffic volume and travel time.The analysis showed that for the same travel time, the traffic volume increased by more than 12% with AVs compared to that with CVs. Conversely, for the same traffic volume, the total travel time decreased by 11% for AVs. The estimated capacity of the AV-exclusive roadway, similar to the U-Smartway with a size of 3×3 (20 km), was approximately 400,000 vehicles, which was more than 140% higher than that of CVs. Assuming that each AV carries five passengers, up to two million people can be transported per day, indicating a significant potential benefit. However, these results were based on theoretical analyses using hypothetical networks under various assumptions. Future studies should incorporate more realistic conditions to further refine these estimations.

PURPOSES : Even when autonomous vehicles are commercialized, a situation in which autonomous vehicles and regular drivers are mixed will persist for a considerable period of time until the percentage of autonomous vehicles on the road reaches 100%. To prepare for various situations that may occur in mixed traffic, this study aimed to understand the changes in traffic flow according to the percentage of autonomous vehicles in unsignalized intersections. METHODS : We collected road information and constructed a network using the VISSIM traffic simulation program. We then configured various scenarios according to the percentage of autonomous vehicles and traffic volume to understand the changes in the traffic flow in the mixed traffic by scenario. RESULTS : The results of the analysis showed that in all scenarios, the traffic flow on major roads changed negatively with the mix of autonomous vehicles; however, the increase or decrease was small. By contrast, the traffic flow on minor roads changed positively with a mix of autonomous vehicles. CONCLUSIONS : This study is significant because it proactively examines and designs traffic flow changes in congested traffic that may occur when autonomous vehicles are introduced.

PURPOSES : The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the QUEENSOD method and the gravity model in estimating Origin-Destination (O/D) tables for a large-sized microscopic traffic simulation network. METHODS : In this study, an expressway network was simulated using the microscopic traffic simulation model, VISSIM. The gravity model and QUEENSOD method were used to estimate the O/D pairs between internal and between external zones. RESULTS: After obtaining estimations of the O/D table by using both the gravity model and the QUEENSOD method, the value of the root mean square error (RMSE) for O/D pairs between internal zones were compared. For the gravity model and the QUEENSOD method, the RMSE obtained were 386.0 and 241.2, respectively. The O/D tables estimated using both methods were then entered into the VISSIM networks and calibrated with measured travel time. The resulting estimated travel times were then compared. For the gravity model and the QUEENSOD method, the estimated travel times showed 1.16% and 0.45% deviation from the surveyed travel time, respectively. CONCLUSIONS : In building a large-sized microscopic traffic simulation network, an O/D matrix is essential in order to produce reliable analysis results. When link counts from diverse ITS facilities are available, the QUEENSOD method outperforms the gravity model.

PURPOSES : This study evaluated the feasibility of implementing protected-permissive left-turn (PPLT) signals at three-leg signalized intersections. METHODS: A three-leg signalized intersection with permissive left-turn was first selected. A VISSIM simulation model was constructed using data collected from the test site. The VISSIM network was calibrated by adjusting related parameter values in order to minimize the difference between the simulated and surveyed critical gap. The calibrated network was validated by the number of waiting left-turning vehicles per cycle. Finally, the mobility and safety measures were extracted from simulation runs in which permissive, protected left turns as well as PPLTs were realized based on diverse traffic volume scenarios. RESULTS : The mobility-related measures of effectiveness (MOEs) of the case with PPLT outperformed the other two left-turn treatment scenarios. In particular, the average waiting time per cycle for the left-turn vehicles in the case with PPLT was reduced by 30 s. The safetyrelated MOEs of the case with PPLT were somewhat higher than those in the case with protected left-turns and much higher than those in the case with permissive left-turns. CONCLUSIONS : Based on the mobility- and safety-related MOEs generated from the VISSIM simulation runs, the use of PPLT seems to be feasible at three-leg signalized intersections where the left-turn is permissive and a pedestrian signal exists at the conflicting approach. However, in order to use the PPLT in earnest, it is necessary to revise the road traffic act, traffic signs, and related manuals.