Speed Data Analysis of Nationla Highway (N5) and Motorway (M1) of Pakistan

Abstract

The supply component of any transportation system hinges on the provision of facilities (roadways, parking spaces, etc.), services (interchanges, tolls), policies, and regulations that create movement opportunities. As far as facilities are concerned, roadway infrastructure becomes an important part of the road for the development of any country. A traffic stream consists of multiple vehicle types making it a heterogeneous platoon of vehicles. The difference in driving behavior on motorways and highways alters the traffic stream characteristics. For analyzing the characteristics, traffic flow parameters to evaluate the condition of traffic on any road network are speed, flow, and density. This research is conducted to assess the macroscopic flow parameters together with evaluating the spatial, temporal, and climatic impacts on speed for motorways and highways in Pakistan. Motorways and Highways are major constituents of the road infrastructure of a country. For this research, Motorway M1 and National Highway N5 are selected. M1 is in Punjab and KPK provinces and becomes the central link to Afghanistan and Central Asia. This research provides a detailed study on the Speed relationship with Flow, Congestion Index, and Speed Performance Index. Moreover, in this research, a comparison of average speed at different traffic flow conditions is made for N5 and M1. In a heterogeneous traffic platoon, with varying operating speeds a comparative study is conducted on the traffic speeds of each vehicle class. This research is further extended to assess the time of day and weather impact on travel speed for each vehicle class. The Speed Prediction models are also developed for Motorways based on Flow and demand. Evaluation of road traffic conditions can be more objective by calculating the road traffic congestion index which contributes to traffic planning and management. The traffic congestion index reflects the congestion state of possibility which can be sensed by travelers. It can be calculated using several traffic flow parameters based on fuzzy mathematics. The relationship of the congestion index with traffic flow parameters is developed for both motorways and national highways.