Optimization algorithms for signal synchronization and bus priority on urban arteries

Abstract

This thesis is aimed at defining a simulation model representing the vehicular flow along an urban road artery with traffic signals. This platoon-based model can simulate the behavior of private and public transport vehicles and gives the opportunity to implement priority strategies for the latter. As a result of the simulation, it is possible to calculate the vehicles delay caused by the presence of traffic lights and this information was used to define a fitness function representing the quality of traffic light synchronization. In the second part of the work two optimization algorithms have been realized to minimize the fitness function: A genetic algorithm and particle swarm algorithm. The two algorithms, known to have comparable performance, were compared on real instances of some main roads in the urban area of Rome.