Vehicular Emissions and Fuel Consumption Estimation in PASSER IV (SWUTC/95/465060-1)

Gasoline consumed by vehicles traveling within urban signalized networks constitutes a large portion of the total fuel usage in the united states. In addition pollutants emitted by these vehicles degrade urban air quality. It is well known that the optimal coordination of traffic signals on urban signalized arterials improves traffic flow and reduces gasoline consumption and vehicular emissions. A number of computer models are available to Traffic Engineers for the optimal coordination of urban traffic signals. However, none of these models have capabilities to estimate both fuel consumption and vehicular emissions to allow better assessment of proposed signal timing plans. The research performed in this project incorporated fuel consumption and emissions estimation procedures into PASSER IV, a program for optimizing bandwidth-based signal timings in traffic networks. The enhanced Passer IV software will allow Traffic Engineers to better assess the impacts of alternate signal timing plans on fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles traveling in signalized network.