As with all research endeavors, everything starts from simple ideas.

The roadway primarily functions as a medium for vehicular movement. However, if its performance is compromised or if problems concerning safety and comfort arise, then the roadway may be deemed insufficient to serve this purpose. Japan is among the leading nations in the application of advanced technologies in transportation, but despite having such resources at its disposal, the present traffic condition still remains below satisfactory levels. This is mainly seen as a result of the lack of proper planning, design and operational analysis methodologies for the Japan road network. Precisely understanding the functionality and actual nature of each roadway while adopting flexible concepts shall lead to the application of appropriate schemes necessary to advance the procedures concerning highway design and operations.

Our laboratory recognizes these issues and is currently working hard to properly address these problems. We are among the few who are leading in this field of transportation research in Japan, whose main goal is to achieve better efficiency of roadways by providing rational road design methodologies and innovative operational analysis techniques. Our group conducts research on roads ranging from the national to the local levels, contributing significantly to policy decisions of administrative organizations. We are also very active in publishing technical papers in renowned journals and participating in domestic and international academic conferences, not only to share our research with other experts in the field but also to enhance our knowledge of the state-of-the-art in transportation research worldwide.

1. Performance-based Highway Planning and Design
Hierarchical Planning Theory of Road Network Systems Highway Planning Methodology based on Traffic Fluctuation Research on Highway Planning Evaluation Procedures

2. Design and Operation of Urban Roads
Parking Design and Management Design of Urban Streets and Highways Evaluation of the Influence of Transit Malls to Road Traffic

3. Intersection Design and Operation
Planning and Design of Roundabouts Traffic Signal Control Operation and Design Driver and Pedestrian Behavior at Intersections

4. Highway Efficiency and Bottleneck Capacity
Capacity at Signalized Intersections and Delay Estimation Driving Behavior of Road Users Two-Lane Highway Design and Operation Capacity and Driver Behavior at Merging Sections Travel Time Reliability

5. Influence of Dynamic Information Systems on Traffic

6. Development and Application of the Microsimulation Software INSPECTOR

7. Development of the Image Processing System TrafficAnalyzer for Video Analysis