Simulating Large-Scale Events as a Network of Heterogeneous Queues: Framework and Application

Large-scale planned special events (PSEs) can pose unique transportation and logistics challenges. Data collection and simulation are important tools to address these challenges, although they are often difficult because of event size and complexity. This paper discusses methods to address the challenge of multimodal simulation at large PSEs through the context of AirVenture, a large week-long airshow organized by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Sampling and data collection techniques are discussed for a variety of modal processes like private vehicles, pedestrians, and shuttles, and for different situations like vehicle arrivals and departures, pedestrian queues, and shuttle systems. A flexible simulation framework for integrating these three modes and numerous activities is developed as a network of heterogeneous queues and queue-dependent choices. The simulation tested a variety of proposed policy changes around the site, including rerouting shuttle lines, and adjusting the system of vehicle arrivals to the site. Results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness and flexibility of the data collection and simulation methodologies. The techniques developed in this work can be used to improve planning and transportation systems at many other forms of PSE.

Traffic Management Solutions at Roadwork Zones During Planned Special Events

Planned special events (PSEs) attract more people than usual to specific areas, which leads to increased traffic flows and congestions on the roads. Roadwork zones are among the most vulnerable areas on the roads, where increased traffic can lead to congestion. In roadwork zones, the vehicle flow capacity is already lower than in the conventional situations without roadworks, but at the time of PSEs, these zones become difficult to pass if no attention is paid to the change of the traffic management scheme. This kind of events poses many threats for road authorities, thus, new traffic management systems should be considered. This paper analyzes 2 PSEs and one national celebration in Lithuania and a significant impact they have on the regular traffic flow. PSEs are taken into consideration as they attract traffic to a known place; however, national celebrations distort traffic along all roads and it is not known exactly, which roads will be congested the most. Since roadwork zones cause congestion problems even in conventional situations, this paper presents traffic capacity calculations at these road stretches during PSEs and considers how they change depending on the traffic management scheme.

Impact Analysis of Extra Traffic Induced by Project Construction during Planned Special Events

The questions of how serious the extra traffic impact induced by project construction is on urban road networks and whether the construction should continue during planned special events represent a critical problem. In this paper, a framework of methodologies and workflow is presented in analyzing the project construction induced traffic impact during special events. We first analyze the characteristics of the traffic flow attracted by special events and project construction induced traffic flow. We then show how to evaluate the project construction induced traffic impact during special events and propose some quantitative analysis methods, which are different in nature from the traditional approach of traffic impact analysis. Some management and improvement strategies are subsequently proposed to mitigate the negative impact of project construction. A case study of a vertical construction during Expo 2010 in Shanghai is discussed as an application of the proposed framework. The results show that the traffic impact of this vertical construction during Expo is moderate. Through our subsequent monitoring of this vertical construction practice during Expo 2010, it can be concluded that the analysis method is reliable, the negative traffic impact of vertical construction to Expo is insignificant, and the suggested operation and management strategies are effective.