The Cause, Effect, and Possible Solution to Traffic Congestion on North Nicosia Roads, Cyprus: Experimental and Theoretical Approaches

G�K�Ekus H�Seyin,Kassem Youssef,Shawakha Ahd

doi:10.17485/ijst/2018/v11i41/132020

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze traffic congestion at North Nicosia intersections in Cyprus. Eight intersections in North Nicosia ware considered and analyzed using experimental and theoretical approaches. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Field data were collected and analyzed using SPSS software to find the most congested intersections in North Nicosia. Moreover, this paper presents a comparative analysis of the operational efficiency of intersections under a range of traffic conditions with different volume and turning ratios using SIDRA software. Average delay time, the degree of saturation, Level Of Service (LOS) and travel speed were used represent the operational efficiency of the intersections. Furthermore, SIDRA software produces many Measures Of Effectiveness (MOEs) of which four (HC, CO, NOX, and CO2 ) were chosen for analyzing the environmental impact of intersections. Findings: Based on the field data and SPSS results, it is found that Gönyeli, Göçmenköy, and Yenikent intersections are the most congested intersections in North Nicosia. Results of the current case demonstrated that the level of service for the intersections in North Nicosia is F with average delay and degree of saturation ranged from 10 to 51 second/veh and 0.42 to 1.03 veh/c, respectively. It is concluded that North Nicosia intersections need further developments to reduce traffic issues. Based on SIDRA results, it is observed that LOS of the proposed intersections was B for Gönyeli, D for Göçmenköy and C for Yenikent intersections. In addition, statistical tests showed that the decrease in MOEs in all proposed intersections was statistically different from the emissions that occurred in the current cases. Application/Improvements: The proposed intersections could be used as a viable alternative to cut down vehicular emissions, making intersections more environmentally friendly and reducing the traffic issues. Keywords: Level Of Service (LOS); Measures Of Effectiveness (MOEs), North Nicosia, SIDRA Software, SPSS Software, Traffic Congestion

Highlights

Traffic congestion is one of the numerous genuine worldwide issues for both developed and developing nations[1,2,3,4,5]
This paper describes the Level of Service (LOS) and Measures Of Effectiveness (MOEs) of the current and proposed intersections in North Nicosia, Cyprus to reduce the traffic issues and cut down vehicular emissions
Results illustrated that Göçmenköy intersection Level Of Service (LOS) in the current case is (F)

Summary

Introduction

Traffic congestion is one of the numerous genuine worldwide issues for both developed and developing nations[1,2,3,4,5]. Traffic congestion is one of the most conspicuously worsening problems associated with traffic engineering and urban planning[6], with clear implications on spheres of the urban environment[7] and lifestyle[4,8]. It has become a serious problem in many cities, especially in large cities[2]. The continuous increase of traffic problems has serious effects on the city’s environment (air pollution, noise, etc.), road safety, and the quality of life and as a result, the city’s attractiveness for business, shopping, and living is reduced

Objectives

Results

Conclusion