DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK FOR REDUCTION OF URBAN TRAFFIC CONGESTION (A CASE STUDY OF AKURE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT)

Abstract

This research focused on the development of a framework for reduction of urban traffic congestion (A case study of Akure Central Business District), analyse factors responsible for urban traffic congestion in the CBD of Akure, develop and calibrate models that can be used to mitigate traffic congestion in the CBD; and validate the models using field data. The field survey was conducted on two major roads in the Central Business District (CBD) namely Oba Adesida and Arakale Road while considering the two directions along each road namely direction A and B. The primary source of data was collected from the field using cine camera and also secondary data involved the distribution of 100 copies of questionnaires to the selected respondents along each direction. Traffic parameters such as flow rate, speed and density were analyzed from data collected from each route along each direction. The field surveys were carried out for a week (from Monday to Sunday) during the peak period(7:00-9:00am, 12:00-2:00pm and 4:00-6:00pm for morning, afternoon and evening respectively.The data collected shows that the traffic along direction A of Oba Adesida Road was more compared to direction B. Conversely, the data collected shows that the traffic along direction A was less compared to that of direction B of Arakale road. The Level of Service (LOS) for both routes were determined as ‘F’ and with the projected traffic for Ten (10 years) indicated that, the future levels of service for both roads will be unfavourable (F). The speed along direction A of Oba Adesida road was low due to more vehicles traversing the route. The traffic parameters were plotted against each other for the four directions for the morning, afternoon and evening periods. Graphs of speed against Density, flow against density and speed against flow were plotted for each period. The derived linear models (equations) for morning, afternoon and evening along the four (4) directions were calibrated and validated with field data. The roads leading to Central Business District should be widened to reduce the traffic congestion.