Traffic Simulation for Improving the Atmospheric Environment of Roadsides in Kawasaki City

Abstract

We proposed a traffic flow simulation model using the cellular automata method to investigate reducing the environmental load along the roads in the coastal area of Kawasaki City. Specifically, if multiple travel routes are available from a given starting point to a destination, we search for a route that is economically advantageous, i.e., one that reduces the load on the atmospheric environment while also shortening the travel time required. The intention is to improve the roadside environment by suppressing the traffic volume and encouraging vehicles that produce larger quantities of exhaust fumes, such as large diesel vehicles, to choose routes that would balance their distribution within the area. Via numerical experiments, we verified to what extent NOx emissions are affected by changes in the mixing ratio of large vehicles to regular vehicles and the number of switched routes.