Talk by Adamo Cerioli

Urban mobility faces growing challenges due to congestion, pollution, inefficient land use, and traffic-related fatalities, all heavily linked to private car dependency. Traffic light timing plays a key role in shaping commuting choices. However, it is often designed to prioritize cars, reinforcing unsustainable transport patterns. We introduce a traffic model to explore how signal timing influences the balance between cars and alternative transport modes. We allow commuters to adapt their choices by exploring options and selecting the fastest transport mode available. This process continues until no individual can further reduce commuting time, leading to a stable equilibrium. By incorporating traffic simulations, we assess how modifying the traffic light cycle (the green time allocated to different transport modes) affects both overall commuting times and mode choices. Additionally, we tested these results across different population densities, demonstrating that the model is versatile and can be adapted in various ways to fit the specific characteristics of different cities. Potentially, this makes it a valuable tool for urban planning, providing preliminary estimates of the impacts of altering traffic light cycles.