COMPASS – New traffic model for the capital area of Denmark

Artelia is developing a new state-of-the-art traffic model for the capital area of Denmark. The model will be the first operational activity-based traffic model in Europe. Compared to existing traffic models, it will make it possible to calculate combined journeys and parking behaviour as well as to model new transport technologies.

The new model will be activity-based which is a paradigm shift compared to the current OTM traffic model (Danish Ørestad Traffic Model) that is based on trips. While a trip-based model is based on daily trips with different purposes, the activity-based model is based on people’s behaviour and activities.

New advantages
The activity-based model seeks to describe our daily activities – e.g. a father might drop off his child on his way to work and do the grocery shopping on his way home while the mother then picks up their child in the afternoon.

It will be possible to calculate combined journeys with public transport such as Bike & Ride, bikes on the train and parking behaviour. The latter mentioned making it possible to in turn assess different parking policies. The new model will also make it possible to describe congestion on cycle tracks and capacity restrictions on public transport. Furthermore, the model will enable consequence assessments of improved cycle parking facilities by train stations.

The network of roads and paths is based on OpenStreetMap (OSM), which allows for interconnected modelling and visualisation of public transport, driving, cycling and walking. The interconnection between the network of cycle paths and roads makes it possible to incorporate models of cycle traffic in terms of turns in junctions into calculations concerning the junction capacity for car traffic.

The model focuses on user-friendliness, and the different user groups, from users who need results from simple calculations to users who need to perform calculations of large, new infrastructure projects. Thus, it will be possible to access and present model results via a web-based interface.