Improving traffic efficiency through dynamic traffic speed control (Kazan case study)

Introduction. The article discusses the problem of improving the efficiency and safety of urban transport systems through the introduction of dynamic speed control. The relevance of the study is due to the need to adapt traffic parameters in real time to changing road and weather conditions. The work analyzes the evolution from classical traffic control systems to advanced systems integrated into intelligent transport systems (ITS). Particular attention is paid to dynamic speed control methods using variable information display (VMI) and the prospects for the introduction of infrastructure-vehicle (V2I) communication technologies. Materials and methods . The main research method is simulation modeling in Aimsun using the example of the Kazan street and road network. 12 strategies for zonal speed control (from 20 to 80 km/h) were developed and their comparative analysis was carried out by means of meso- and micromodeling methods for the morning peak period. Results. It has been shown that differentiated control has an effective impact on the flow parameters. The best results were demonstrated by the C3 Strategy (limits of 80, 60, 60 km/h by zone), ensuring the minimum total time spent (769,253 seconds), maximum average speed (35.33 km/h) and throughput (35,566.5 T/h). Strategies with uniformly low constraints resulted in deteriorated indicators. Discussion and conclusion. The conducted research confirms the high efficiency of dynamic zonal speed control for optimizing traffic flows in urban conditions. It has been established that differentiated regulation (rather than a single strict restriction) makes it possible to find a balance between bandwidth, speed of movement and the level of network load. The best results have been shown by the C3 Strategy, which assumes relatively high speed limits on main routes. Further research will provide increased control efficiency associated with the integration of V2I technologies to allow for individual and continuous speed control for each vehicle, which will lead to further harmonization of traffic flow and increased safety.