Development of a Floating Car Data (FCD) model to evaluate traffic congestion : a case of Kampala, Uganda

Date
2023-03
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Traffic congestion remains a stumbling block in an efficient and accessible road network. Attempts have been investigated to monitor congested areas and propose mitigation measures to alleviate the issue. However, transport planning models, such as the four-step traditional models, are expensive and complex. This research develops a novel floating car data (FCD) model similar to the traditional model but is more cost-effective and efficient for transport planning. Many African cities cannot afford complex planning models, but the need to improve road networks remains indisputable. Using FCD's cost-effective traffic data collection strategy, this research proposes a model designed to monitor and thus alleviate city traffic congestion. This study focuses on a novel FCD model for evaluating traffic congestion in developing African countries like Uganda. This research aims to contribute to alleviating traffic congestion in African cities by exploiting FCD. The methodology adopted to achieve this was developing a novel FCD model. This study utilized traffic speeds and travel times during peak and off-peak hours to determine the congestion intensities in different sections of Kampala. The speed reduction index (SRI) was used to classify the congestion levels into no, low, and high congestion areas. Delay rates were used to determine the varying delays in different city areas. Then, PTV VISUM software was utilized to develop a road network model and visualize the varying intensities of congestion. Then, two highly ranked zones in terms of delay rates were analysed to ascertain the causes. The causes were mainly high volumes of vehicles on the major arterials, non-operational traffic lights, and social and economic hubs in the adjacent areas of those zones. This study further proposed mitigation measures using the PTV VISSIM software by conducting a simulation analysis. When signal timings were altered, the simulation indicated a 42% reduction in vehicle delay on the major route at the intersection in zone 13. The research concluded that African cities could embrace technological advancement in traffic statistics and improve their cities.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Verkeersopeenhopings bly 'n struikelblok in 'n doeltreffende en toeganklike padnetwerk. Pogings is ondersoek om oorbelaste gebiede te monitor en versagtingsmaatreëls voor te stel om die probleem te verlig. Vervoerbeplanningsmodelle, soos die vierstap tradisionele modelle, is egter duur en kompleks. Hierdie navorsing ontwikkel 'n nuwe drywende motordata (FCD) model soortgelyk aan die tradisionele model, maar is meer koste-effektief en doeltreffend vir vervoerbeplanning. Baie Afrika-stede kan nie komplekse beplanningsmodelle bekostig nie, maar die behoefte om padnetwerke te verbeter bly onbetwisbaar. Deur FCD se kostedoeltreffende verkeersdata-insamelingstrategie te gebruik, stel hierdie navorsing 'n model voor wat ontwerp is om stadsverkeersopeenhopings te monitor en sodoende te verlig. Hierdie studie fokus op 'n nuwe FCD-model vir die evaluering van verkeersopeenhopings in ontwikkelende Afrikalande soos Uganda. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om by te dra tot die verligting van verkeersopeenhopings in Afrika-stede deur FCD te ontgin. Die metodologie wat gebruik is om dit te bereik, was die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe FCD-model. Hierdie studie het verkeersnelhede en reistye tydens spits- en buite-spitsure gebruik om die opeenhopingsintensiteite in verskillende dele van Kampala te bepaal. Die spoedverminderingsindeks (SRI) is gebruik om die opeenhopingsvlakke in geen, lae en hoë opeenhopingsgebiede te klassifiseer. Vertragingskoerse is gebruik om die wisselende vertragings in verskillende stadsgebiede te bepaal. Toe is PTV VISUM-sagteware gebruik om 'n padnetwerkmodel te ontwikkel en die verskillende intensiteite van opeenhoping te visualiseer. Toe is twee hoogs gerangskik sones in terme van vertragingskoerse ontleed om die oorsake vas te stel. Die oorsake was hoofsaaklik hoë volumes voertuie op die hoofkare, nie-operasionele verkeersligte, en sosiale en ekonomiese spilpunte in die aangrensende gebiede van daardie sones. Hierdie studie het verder versagtingsmaatreëls voorgestel deur gebruik te maak van die PTV VISSIM sagteware deur 'n simulasie-analise uit te voer. Toe seintydberekeninge verander is, het die simulasie 'n vermindering van 42% in voertuigvertraging op die hoofroete by die kruising in sone 13 aangedui. Die navorsing het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Afrika-stede tegnologiese vooruitgang in verkeerstatistieke kan aangryp en hul stede kan verbeter.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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