Comparative Evaluation of Synchro and VISSIM Traffic Simulation Software to Model Railroad Crossings

Increasing congestion and air quality problems have led agencies in urban areas to implement mass transit systems to improve mobility, safety, and quality of life. These transit systems cause significant delays to vehicular traffic at railroad crossings. Literature documents limited research on modeling railroad crossings. With increasing emphasis on transit systems, there is a need to develop models to simulate and evaluate railroad crossings to maximize the derived benefits and reduce the impact of mass transit systems on other modes of transportation. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate and compare the features available in commercial traffic simulation software programs such as Synchro and VISSIM and to simulate railroad crossings. Data collected at a study location during peak and off-peak hours are used to evaluate the capabilities of Synchro and VISSIM traffic simulation software programs in simulating existing conditions. The number of stops and maximum queue lengths are collected to validate the effectiveness of these traffic simulation software programs. Results from such evaluations serve as necessary inputs for decision makers to identify potential solutions to improve operational performance of railroad crossings. Recommendations based on factors such as system requirements, data requirements, need for calibration, ease of use, accuracy of performance measures reported in the output, and their versatility are discussed.