Praktijk Proef Amsterdam (PPA) translates to Field or Practice
Test Amsterdam. It is a coordinated
network-wide traffic management and ITS project that began in the Amsterdam
region by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment in 2012 and will
run through 2014, with final evaluation results to be
provided in 2015. The objective of this test is to achieve
shorter and more reliable travel times in the Amsterdam Region. What is learned will later be used to assist
with the development of a national policy and the Traffic Management 2030
Development Strategy. |
| In-car track by Connekt |
The system works by placing the information systems on,
above and alongside the roadways in an effort to identify and predict
congestion. Additional information
systems will be inside vehicles, either in-car, or with smart phones or
navigation systems. The system senses
traffic loads along a road and makes predictions about the possibility of
increased congestion. Using algorithms,
traffic controls devices in the area (signals and ramp meters) will alter their
patterns to either divert traffic, or slow incoming traffic in an effort to
keep the flow of vehicles moving. The basic idea is that with better
monitoring, the system will be able to predict when a traffic jam might occur
and take early measures to mitigate or avoid the issue. In addition to adjusting traffic control
devices, the program will communicate traffic conditions with drivers. Moving beyond the roadside reader boards, the
system will be able to communicate with smart phones and navigation
devices. This ability to talk to mobile
devices that people already own allows for better distribution of information
at a lower infrastructure cost since fewer reader boards are required. With this in-car information service, the
congestion should start later, be smaller in the area involved, and resolve
quicker. Specific to Amsterdam ,
the benefits will be better traffic flow on the Ring Road, and less lines on
the ramps to access the A10, and there will be less cut-through traffic on the intercity
streets.
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| Coordinated network-wide traffic |
Due to the complexity of the test project, this test was
divided into three phases, with evaluation before and after each phase. The first phase has begun and should be
completed in mid-2013. This involved
developing the software that would match traffic along each road within a very
limited area. Streamline is a dynamic
traffic model used for the whole area, while VISSUM is the micro simulation
used for the S motorways and major roads.
With the amount of data gathered during the before conditions, and additional information gathered after the changes, the traffic flow software can be reviewed for accuracy and revised as needed. If successful, phase two would expand the
pilot area, add digital information panels (DRIPs) which are involved in the
control concept and will work together with the in-car systems. Phase three would expand the pilot area to
the entire Amsterdam Region.
Evaluation will be on the functionality of the devices, the
cooperation between road authorities and the market, the impact of the measure
on the behavior and perception of road users, the effects on traffic, any
environmental impacts such as noise and air quality, the impact on the road,
and the policy effects which include a cost-benefit analysis and findings for a
national roll-out. With each evaluation,
there will need to be the decision whether to continue to the next phase of the
project based on the observed results.
References:
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