Integrating Spatio-Temporal Graph Convolutional Networks with Convolutional Neural Networks for Predicting Short-Term Traffic Speed in Urban Road Networks

Abstract

The rapid expansion of large urban areas underscores the critical importance of road infrastructure. An accurate understanding of traffic flow on road networks is essential for enhancing civil services and reducing fuel consumption. However, traffic flow is influenced by a complex array of factors and perpetually changing conditions, making comprehensive prediction of road network behavior challenging. Recent research has leveraged deep learning techniques to identify and forecast traffic flow and road network conditions, enhancing prediction accuracy by extracting key features from diverse factors. In this study, we performed short-term traffic speed predictions for road networks using data from Mobileye sensors mounted on taxis in Daegu City, Republic of Korea. These sensors capture the road network flow environment and the driver’s intentions. Utilizing these data, we integrated convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with spatio-temporal graph convolutional networks (STGCNs). Our experimental results demonstrated that the combined STGCN and CNN model outperformed the standalone STGCN and CNN models. The findings of this study contribute to the advancement of short-term traffic speed prediction models, thereby improving road network flow management.