Modeling traffic dynamics: An innovative simulation framework for urban planning

Vehicle traffic is one of the most significant and complex phenomena in modern urban environments, with a substantial impact on safety, energy consumption, pollution, particle emission, and urban planning efficiency. Ensuring an optimal balance between traffic volume and road network capacity is crucial for efficient and sustainable mobility. The increasing urbanization and complexity of road networks call for innovative solutions capable of addressing challenges related to congestion, vehicular efficiency, mobility safety, and sustainability. This study proposes a simulation of vehicular mobility within the University of Salento campus, which serves as a scaled model of a complex urban environment. Using the Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) platform, traffic dynamics are analyzed, highlighting the main issues related to the road network layout and vehicle flow. The conducted simulations replicated realistic traffic scenarios, allowing an exploration of circulation dynamics and the critical aspects associated with the road network configuration. Additionally, the study examines how targeted modifications to the network can improve traffic efficiency and optimize energy consumption. The final results demonstrate how the implementation of vehicular simulation enables a better understanding of traffic characteristics, consumption, and the vehicular efficiency of the road network, and how, through targeted interventions, the network can be made more intelligent and optimized to provide effective solutions in reducing road congestion. This paper thus underscores the importance of simulation as a tool for automotive design, urban planning, and for the development of policies aimed at improving the sustainability and safety of modern cities.