Analysis of one-way and two-way street configurations on urban grid networks

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, we study traffic behavior on three different street configurations: one-way streets, two-way streets, and two-way streets with prohibited left turns. This study is novel because it employs three assignment and simulation methods to evaluate the networks under different conditions: analytical formulations, a Static Traffic Assignment algorithm, and a microsimulation software with a Dynamic Traffic Assignment. In general, the study reveals that two-way networks provide the shortest distance traveled but they are severely penalized by restrictions in capacity at the intersections. One-way networks offer the longest travel distances but have intersections with very high capacity. They perform better in congested scenarios. Finally, two-way networks with prohibited left turns provide the best compromise between distance travelled and intersection capacity, making them suitable for many different scenarios. Their main weakness is the lack of route redundancy that can lead to large travel times when networks are congested.