Evaluation of Road Transport Studies with Google Map Traffic Technology, as A Basis for More Accurate Traffic Forecasts

Pellumb Cacaj
University of Vlora "Ismail "Qemali

Abstract

Rapid social and economic developments in Albania, after the change of the political and economic system in 1990, brought a strong development of road transport. Albania, from a country with backward road infrastructure and a park of old vehicles, now has an improved road infrastructure and a large number of road vehicles. The continuous increase of the number of vehicles brings the need for the construction of new roads and the increase of the capacities of the existing roads. Engineering studies should lead to infrastructural developments. This opportunity has been used in various road transport studies. Various studies have been done to assess the traffic flows of road vehicles and forecasts have been made for the possible traffic of vehicles for the coming years, to assess whether the road capacities can withstand these flows. The studies are based on social, economic, demographic factors, etc. as well as data collected on the territory where the study is conducted. Engineering modeling of current traffic flows and forecasts for the future are based on this data. Comparing different studies, it is noticed that the calculated values in some cases are far from reality. One way to control the values of traffic flows over the road network and to correct the values of other functions used in modeling, can be google maps traffic. This google map feature is based on direct measurement of the number of vehicles on the traffic and has accuracy of over 95%. This paper will build on this idea and will suggest google traffic as a way to evaluate calculations of traffic flows and road capacities.

Presentation