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PTV Vissim

Increase the efficiency and performance of your traffic network

PTV Vissim enables transport authorities and consultants to design, validate, and optimize traffic operations under real-world conditions before implementation.  

Its high-resolution, multimodal traffic simulation provides detailed, network-wide analysis of traffic signal performance,  congestion patterns across intersections and corridors, and overall network capacity. 

This supports the reliable implementation of –signal optimization strategies, improved network performance, safe multimodal integration, and measurable congestion reduction.   

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Optimization of signal timings

Microscopic traffic simulation enables you to quantify the impact of alternative signal control strategies before deployment, providing an evidence-based foundation for decisions.  

With PTV Vissim, alternative signal control strategies, including fixed-time, actuated and adaptive control, can be evaluated within a detailed representation of traffic operations. Vehicle interactions, lane-changing behaviour, public transport dwell times and pedestrian crossings are explicitly simulated at the individual vehicle level. 

Signal control logic can be implemented using built-in controllers or external algorithms via interfaces such as VAP, RBC or open APIs. This allows coordinated signal systems, green-wave strategies, transit signal priority and demand-responsive control to be tested under variable demand conditions. 

The resulting performance metrics, including queue development, level of service and travel time distributions, provide a robust basis for performance-based signal optimisation prior to implementation. 

Traffic impact assessment

When new developments, infrastructure changes or policy measures are proposed, their impact on network performance must be assessed before implementation. Clear evidence of intersection capacity, corridor traffic flow and network stability is essential for regulatory approval and public acceptance. 

PTV Vissim enables defensible traffic impact assessment through microscopic traffic simulation. By modelling individual vehicle and pedestrian interactions within complex urban networks, it identifies bottlenecks, queue development, and multimodal conflicts that intersection-based tools often overlook.  

Complex geometries, multi-modal interactions, and operational constraints are represented with high fidelity. Scenario comparison allows the evaluation of base and future conditions, including peak-hour stress tests and sensitivity analyses under varying demand levels. 

This provides a robust foundation for transparent decision-making and resilient planning outcomes. 

C-ITS and public transport prioritization

PTV Vissim provides a controlled simulation environment to test Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) strategies, priority measures, and connected vehicle logic, quantifying their impact on reliability, passenger travel time, and overall network performance.  

Transit signal priority, conditional priority rules, queue-jump lanes, and dedicated corridors can be implemented and tested under varying demand conditions.  

PTV Vissim focuses on high-resolution behavioral realism and integration with professional signal control systems (e.g., VAP, RBC, SCATS, SCOOT), ensuring that C-ITS strategies are validated under operationally accurate conditions.  

Through integration with LISA+, real-world signal control logic can be directly tested within the traffic simulation environment. 

Combination of active modes with traffic

Urban mobility strategies increasingly prioritize cycling and walking, yet infrastructure changes must balance safety objectives with network performance. PTV Vissim, in combination with PTV Viswalk, enables realistic simulation of interactions between vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, micromobility devices, and public transport within one integrated environment.  

Interaction between modes is simulated using conflict area logic, priority rules, and customizable behavioral parameters.  

This allows detailed analysis of protected intersections, shared spaces, bus-bike interactions, and pedestrian crossings with signal integration.  

In addition to operational indicators such as delay and throughput, safety surrogate measures, including conflict analysis, can be derived to assess potential risk. 

 As a result, active mobility strategies can be evaluated in terms of both safety and traffic efficiency before implementation. 

Parking planning and management

Parking strategy has a direct impact on traffic circulation, congestion, and the efficient use of urban space.  

Poorly managed parking can generate search traffic and localized bottlenecks that affect overall network performance.  

PTV Vissim enables detailed simulation of on-street and off-street parking facilities, including access points, internal circulation and capacity constraints. Parking search behavior and dynamic occupancy patterns can be represented to assess their influence on surrounding traffic conditions.  

In practice, congestion often begins at access points: queue spillback occurs, vehicles block traffic while searching for spaces, and flows are redistributed across neighboring streets. Traffic simulation in PTV Vissim captures these effects and makes them measurable. 

Scenario analysis then allows planners to test supply changes, pricing strategies, time restrictions, and parking guidance under realistic demand conditions, providing a clear basis for operational and policy decisions. 

Why traffic planners use PTV Vissim

Network-wide operational insight

Validate network-wide traffic dynamics, not just isolated intersections.

Realistic multimodal performance

Simulate vehicles, pedestrians, micromobility and transit in one simulation.

Advanced signal control depth

Test real controller logic under realistic traffic conditions.

Authority-defensible decisions

Deliver results that stand up to regulatory and stakeholder scrutiny.

Reduce implementation risk

Validate performance before infrastructure is built.

Convince with 3d clarity

Engage stakeholders and the public with realistic, easy-to-understand visuals.

PTV Vissim provides decision-makers with confidence

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Ready for advanced insights? Take the next step – in-depth expert sessions

Sign up to access expert-led Customer Webinars that explore how PTV Vissim is applied in complex, real-world projects. Industry specialists and academic partners present methodologies, challenges, and lessons learned from practice. Registration is required to unlock the full series.

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Success Stories: Learn how our customers use PTV Vissim

Success story
Revolutionary roundabout transformation cuts congestion in England

PTV Vissim plays key role in intelligent redesign and modelling of complex roundabout junction.

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