The document summarizes the development of an Aimsun hybrid transport model of the Parkville area in Melbourne to analyze the impacts of the Metro Tunnel Project. The model combined microsimulation of traffic around the Haymarket Roundabout with demand matrices from a regional transport model. It was used to test construction closure scenarios in 2021 and legacy scenarios after completion in 2031. Key findings included increased congestion during construction closures of Grattan Street and potential mitigation strategies. Legacy scenarios also showed congestion increases which could be addressed with intersection modifications. The hybrid approach allowed efficient testing of options.

1. AITPM National Conference
Melbourne Metro Tunnel
Integrated Transport
Modelling
Steve Cotton and Kevin Guo

2. Content
 Background - Metro Tunnel
Project
 Aimsun Hybrid Model
 Challenges
 Outputs
 Lessons Learnt

3. 3
Metro Tunnel Project
• New rail line under Melbourne’s CBD connecting NW to SE
• Will allow 39,000 additional passengers per day on the Melbourne rail network
• 5 new major stations, including Parkville
• Major impacts on surface transport during both construction and legacy

4. 4
 Parkville includes Melbourne’s principal educational
and medical precincts.
 Significant growth forecast over the next 20 - 30 years
 Parkville Station will lie directly underneath Grattan
Street, a busy local road.
 In the legacy, Grattan Street one lane in each direction
(currently two)
 Sections of Grattan Street closed for up to 5 years
during construction
Parkville Station

5. 5
 North-south network
focused on Haymarket
Roundabout, close to
proposed station
‒ Royal Parade
‒ Elizabeth St
‒ Flemington Rd
‒ Peel St
 East-west routes (Victoria
St and Macarthur Rd more
remote from station)
 Station underneath Grattan
St – local road but carries
approx. 20,000 vpd.
Parkville Road Network

6. 6
Royal Parade at Grattan Street

7. 7
Haymarket Roundabout Grattan Street

8. 8
 What is the impact of closing Grattan Street during construction?
 What is the impact of downgrading Grattan Street once
construction complete?
Further questions arose during development:
 Can Grattan Street be closed permanently?
 What can be done to improve capacity at Haymarket?
To answer these questions, an Aimsun hybrid model was developed
Key Questions

9. Parkville
Transport Model
 Aimsun Hybrid Model
 Microsimulation cordon around the
Haymarket Roundabout
 37 signalised intersections
 Dynamic SCATS signals within the
microsimulation area
 Demands matrices based on the
Victorian Integrated Transport Model
(VITM).

10. 10
 Traffic counts
‒ Intersection counts
‒ Tube counts
 Travel Time
‒ Flemington Road
‒ Royal Parade
‒ Peel Street
‒ Elizabeth Street
 Queue lengths
 SCATS files
 Public transport data
‒ Bus and tram schedule
‒ Tram speed
Data Collection

11. 11
 Link counts
 Turn counts
 Screenlines
 Queue lengths
 Travel time
 SCATS signal timing
 Tram counts and speed
Calibration and Validation

12. 12
 Route choice
 Multiple carriageways
 Haymarket Roundabout
Calibration and Validation Complexity
 Peer reviewed and is fit for purpose.

13. 13
 General Model
Statistics
 Level of service
 Link volumes
 Travel time
 Public transport
 Density plot
Option Scenario Analysis
Intersection Approach Movement 2031 Base 2031 Project Diff
L 22 31 9
T outer 39 54 14
T inner 95 58 -37
R 151 117 -33
T 68 47 -21
R outer 90 56 -35
R inner 63 40 -23
L 59 45 -14
T outer
T inner
L outer
L inner
T 98 50 -48
R outer 87 76 -11
R inner 82 55 -27
L 65 102 37
T outer
T inner
R 147 N/A N/A
L 37 76 39
T 31 72 41
R outer
R inner
L 0 17 17
T outer
T inner
R 145 70 -75
L 50 98 49
T 43 92 49
R outer
R inner
L 36 0 -36
T 31 30 -1
R outer 63 37 -26
R inner 60 41 -19
L 45 30 -15
T outer 30 31 1
T inner 33 31 -1
L 45 56 11
T 37 54 17
R outer 53 54 1
R inner 0 0 0
L 31 32 1
T outer 35 22 -14
T inner 25 23 -2
R 93 87 -6
Grattan St (E)
Flemington Rd (SE)
Wreckyn St (SW)
Flemington Rd (NW)
Flemington Road / Grattan Street / Wreckyn
Street
Royal Pde (N)
Grattan St (E)
Elizabeth St (S)
Grattan St (W)
Haymarket Roundabout
Elizabeth St (N)
Elizabeth St (SE)
Peel St (S)
Flemington Rd (NW)
Elizabeth Street / Grattan Street / Royal
Parade
27 17
82 -31
68 22
51
43
90
73 26
36 -15
56 -4215
99
21

14. 14
 2021 Construction Year
‒ Full closure of Grattan Street
‒ Revised University access
‒ Bus diversion routes
Future Year Option Testing

15. 15
2021 Construction Year
Model Findings
 Increase congestion on College
Crescent, Swanston Street and
Haymarket Roundabout
 Recommended mitigation
measures included:
‒ Clearway on College Crescent
‒ Improve signal coordination on
College Crescent
‒ Re-route bus routes
‒ Banning right turn movements
‒ Additional lanes on Queensberry
Street

16. 16
 2031 Legacy Year
‒ Reduce lanes on Grattan Street
‒ Southbound carriageway merge
‒ Northbound lane configuration
change
‒ Modified signals and
signal detectors
Future Year Option Testing

17. 17
2031 Legacy Year
Model Findings
 Increase congestion on Royal
Parade, Grattan Street and
Haymarket Roundabout
 Recommended mitigation
measures included:
‒ Extension of right turn movement
on the northern approach of
Haymarket Roundabout
‒ Extension of left turn movement
on the western approach of
Grattan Street and Royal Parade.

18. 18
 Software interaction
between modelling
pedestrians and SCATS.
 Hybrid model was ideal for
the project.
 The implementation of
SCATS simplified the
option testing stage.
Lessons Learnt

19. Thank You
Steve Cotton – steve.cotton@aurecongroup.com
Kevin Guo – kevin.guo@aurecongroup.com