Simulation of impacts of yards on flow conditions using a mesoscopic traffic assignment approach

This paper describes the activities carried out to check, in terms of transport analysis, impacts generated by the construction of the third lane on the A4 motorway, in the stretch between the gates of S. Donà di Piave ed Alvisopoli, in Italy. The purpose of this study is to choose the optimum configuration of yards, in terms of length and location, which reduces the effects of outflow. In particular, the application of a mesoscopic method for the simulation of outflow is dictated by the need to simulate a network broad enough to properly evaluate the influences between the disruption of the flow introduced by the yards that generate phenomena of queuing. The mesoscopic method allows us to analyze broad contexts congested with good reliability, but without the computational costs and efforts required for the calibration of microscopic models, suited to represent small networks.