Abstract: A multilane cellular automaton model is proposed in investigating an isolated signalized intersection system with a versatile waiting-area. The effects of the length of waiting-area and the cycle time on the traffic capacity are analyzed. Numerical results show that proper setting of the versatile waiting-area can improve the traffic capacity significantly in the case of large inflow of vehicles. Both stop time and travel time at the intersection are reduced while the stop frequency is increased accordingly. For a given cycle time, a critical length of waiting-area exists. Below the critical value, the capacity increases with the length of waiting-area. When the length of waiting-area is larger than the critical value, the capacity decreases.

Key words:  signalized intersection, capacity, cellular automata, versatile waiting-area