The correlations between investments in transport infrastructure and territorial development continue to concern public authorities. They are responsible for optimising the allocation of financial resources, and they are interested in the correct short- and long-term estimations of investments in transport infrastructure’s consequences for development. The direct and indirect effects of transport infrastructure are present in the socio-economic assessment methodologies of projects. Despite the recorded progress, uncertainties remain in technical assessments, especially socio-economic ones, and they do not remove decision-makers’ concerns regarding the necessity and appropriateness of investments. Based on these aspects, this paper aimed to clarify the effects of new infrastructure on socio-economic development.
At the present time, the increase in the level of motorization has led to levels of congestion that are difficult for the inhabitants of large cities to bear, with negative implications on quality of life. Solving the problem of congestion can no longer be achieved just by expanding and developing the networks; other solutions must be found that fit the requirements of the sustainable development of society. One of the solutions that is becoming more and more promoted today is that of increasing the degree of use of high-capacity public transport networks. For this, the network must serve a surface as large as possible of the territory, and the operating conditions must deal with transport requests with a varied structure and with different intensities in short time intervals. The paper aims to review several models of the topological accessibility of transport networks and to analyze how the Bucharest metro network serves the territory, after the last extension carried out in 2020. It is noted that only 56% of the city’s surface is currently covered by the metro network, while the city is in a continuous territorial expansion. Through the case study presented in the paper, the accessibility of some points of interest for Bucharest residents who use the metro network is also determined. At the end, there are formulated conclusions regarding the development and territorial coverage of the metro network and proposals for further developments, so that the services offered can benefit as many of Bucharest’s residents as possible.
As automation technologies continue to advance within the automotive industry, urban road traffic is gradually shifting from conventional driving toward fully autonomous. This transition is supported by the progressive integration of partially automated functions, such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and lane-keeping assistance, which are already implemented in commercial vehicles and increasingly affect both individual driving behavior and overall traffic flow dynamics. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact of automated vehicles presence in a complex signalized intersection under mixed traffic conditions, considering different penetration rates and demand levels. A review of previous modeling approaches from the literature was conducted, highlighting critical aspects to be considered in the design and simulation of road traffic. Field traffic data were collected and used as input for a microsimulation model developed in AIMSUN. A base scenario and a 20% growth scenario were analyzed to assess the impact of AV-ACC penetration, varying the AV-ACC’s rates in traffic composition. The results indicate that increased AV-ACC penetration rates, especially beyond 50%, contribute significantly to improving traffic stability and efficiency.
Parking management and operation represent a major challenge for both users and administrators, who seek to ensure efficient utilization, accommodate as many demands as possible, and reduce maintenance costs. This paper presents a theoretical model for an integrated IT system designed for parking management and administration. The modeling process involved designing a parking facility using the AutoCAD Vehicle Tracking v25.00.2775 software package, in accordance with current design standards. To simulate system operation, a dedicated Python v2025.12.0 program was developed to assign parking spaces to arriving vehicles based on specific allocation criteria. Three allocation strategies were applied: random allocation, allocation aimed at minimizing the driving distance within the parking lot, and allocation aimed at reducing the walking distance from the assigned space to the destination. The simulation results show that, in the absence of allocation criteria, parking spaces are utilized in a quasi-uniform manner. The calculated values of variance and standard deviation are significantly lower in this case, increasing as allocation restrictions are introduced, but then returning to reduced values as the occupancy rate grows, since under intensive use the potential for controlled allocation decreases. The relationship between the number of allocations of each parking space and the applied allocation strategies was examined using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. The results reveal a direct linear dependence under moderate demand and an inverse dependence under high demand—patterns consistent with situations observed in practice. The proposed software application provides a practical tool for effective parking management, contributing to the rational use of parking spaces, reduced travel distances within the facility, lower fuel consumption, and consequently, reduced pollution.