An Analytical Approach to Evaluating Traffic Performance at Urban Railway Level Crossings for Sustainable Mobility in Smart Cities

Irregular and non-cyclical railway level-crossing closures generate traffic disruptions that cannot be directly assessed using standard intersection analysis methods. Railway level crossings interrupt road traffic in irregular, non-cyclical intervals, yet no dedicated analytical methodology exists for estimating their traffic impacts. Microsimulation tools such as PTV Vissim and SUMO may support such analyses, although modelling adjustments are required to represent non-cyclical closures realistically. This study proposes an analytical alternative based on adapting capacity-calculation procedures for signalised intersections from Polish regulations, derived from Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) principles. The method provides approximate estimates of maximum queue length and average time loss. Empirical data collected in Wrocław, Poland, were compared with results from Vissim and SUMO. While the analytical model supports preliminary assessment of traffic performance at level crossings, its outputs depend on simplified assumptions and limited empirical calibration. The method is intended as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for detailed microsimulation.