Traffic flow change after installing a tram system in consideration of road crossing by tram users

Abstract

Some cities in Japan have a plan to introduce Light Rail Transit (LRT), which is considered to be one of the promising measures to escape from auto-dependent cities. Utsunomiya is one of the cities that have a LRT project. In this LRT project of Utsunomiya is introducing LRT on the street, and besides, there is a large shopping complex nearby. However, there are some problems to be solved when introducing LRT on the streets, e.g., decrease in road capacity, influence of LRT passengers crossing streets on road traffic flow, etc. This study investigates how introduction of LRT affects traffic flow in Utsunomiya by microscopic traffic flow simulation. The simulation analyses show that traffic congestion occurs on both weekdays and holidays in the westward direction of the street which has LRT track. Also an increase in the number of pedestrians crossing streets toward a LRT stop adjacent to a large shopping complex much affects road traffic flow.