TRAFFIC CONTROL AND SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION ANALYSIS AND DESIGN USING MICRO-ANALYTICAL SOFTWARE IN FHA LUGBE, ABUJA
This is a research work titled “Traffic control and Signalized Intersection Analysis and Design using micro-analytical software in FHA Lugbe, Abuja” with the idea of providing improved facilities along the intersection in the principal case study area for vehicles and pedestrians with the purpose of decreasing traffic delay and accidents as well as the performances of the infrastructure in the terms of cost and time targets. To achieve these, the research began with a general introduction under chapter one which described the background of the project, problem statement, aims and objectives of the project, significance of the research, scope and limitations and thesis structure. Chapter two, consists of an introduction that described the nature of the chapter and literature reviews of different concepts and ideas that have been used to achieve some goals of the project. Chapter three discusses the material and analysis techniques that contains some definitions and proceeded to the methodology of the project which are the traffic volume surveys (traffic volume survey, OD survey, Spot speed survey) that was conducted with the purpose of gathering traffic data and using them for the design of signalized intersection. Chapter four described the results and analysis of the gathered data and interpreted the results with tables and graphs. lastly, chapter five contains the conclusion and recommendation of the project where the entire work was summarized and widening/improvement works were proposed for identifies road stretches contributing to the causes of traffic.
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
This chapter sets the frame for the study. The beginning discusses the introduction to the research and furthermore looks into the background of the project. Lastly, it discusses and identifies the research problems, research questions and objectives, scope and organization of the project.
1.1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND
Transportation involves the movement of people, services and goods from one destination to another. For that, it has become a crucial aspect of human civilization. Transportation engineering on the other hand, involves the management of facilities for any mode of transport with the aim to achieve safe, economical, efficient, comfortable, rapid, convenient, and a compatible environment to enable the movement of people, goods and transport all by the application of scientific principles and technology to the operation functional, design and planning (Adeniyi, 2004).
Generally, we have six divisions relating to transportation engineering which are; highway, air, waterway, aerospace, coastal & ocean and urban (Adeniyi, 2004). Nevertheless, in this chapter we will focus on traffic control under the division of highway engineering. The phenomenon of traffic congestion has become predominant due to the high demand of transportation in virtually all transportation modes and how the number of vehicles increase rapidly.
Traffic congestion on road occurs when a high number of vehicles attempts to utilize a common infrastructure with limited capacity. In an ideal situation, congestion of traffic leads to infrastructure capacity which is the server and is fully utilized, while queue in phenomena and corresponding delays (Young, self optimizing traffic signal control, 2007). In the far more typical and worst case, congestion of traffic leads to a lower and degraded use of an available infrastructure which reduces throughput, thereby contributing to an accelerated increase in congestion, which further leads to degradation of infrastructure and so forth.
The congestion of traffic has affected so many places around the world as it causes surplus delays, reduces safety and increases environmental pollution. The emergence of traffic whereby high number of interacting vehicles utilizes a common infrastructure and subsequently traffic congestion whereby demand temporarily exceeds the infrastructure capacity have opened new innovation needs in the transportation area (plouchat, 2004).
The traffic management in Abuja, Nigeria is characterized with complexity and dynamism. Traffic management is said to be complex because there are many interplaying factors and dynamic because it is in a constant change (plouchat, 2004). The transport sector of any country is the prime motivator of the national economy. This is because a large proportion of the capital budget goes into the construction of new projects for transport modes or maintenance of old facilities (sambo, 2009). In Nigeria, a lot of resources have been invested into the transportation sub sector, particularly the highway system because the importance of the highway system in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized, since it provides the country with economic development (sambo, 2009).
Secondly, roads are not compromising for their vital importance in order to make a nation grow and develop. Especially in Abuja, good maintained road with controlled traffic congestion will also enhance the reduction of poverty by improving access within remote areas and enhancing socioeconomic growth and development.
Lastly, intersections will be looked upon for their higher priority in traffic control such as the traffic signal coordination and the intersection in the first order is the key intersection of the entire road network. Well-designed intersections use street space to bring people together and revive a city while making traffic more instantaneous, consistent and predictable for those passing through. At the end recommendations and solutions were made as to ways of controlling traffic congestion or possibly eliminating traffic in the given case study and proposing the improvement of identified road stretches roads and areas for further research suggested.
According to History, the emergence of Traffic congestion began in 1972. (Abdulazeez, European journal of social sciences, 2009). There was an existing Traffic Management System which aimed to issue road users with a secured, safer and faster trips on highways by the optimization of the utilization of accessible freeway capacity thereby managing special events and incidents efficiently, granting information of travelers, and providing ridesharing incentives. (Abdulazeez, European journal of social sciences, 2009)
The development of traffics and cities have come hand in hand since the beginning of human settlements (Abdulazeez, European journal of social sciences, 2009). Since the early age, modern cities have been going through traffic congestion which has become one of the fundamental issues faced. The closest trips with short distances may consume as much as half an hour or more due to slowdowns or traffic congestions. According to road safety officials, some of the issues caused by traffic congestions lead to major accidents, road rage and road bullies (C.N, 2011).
Another contributing factor to this problem is the limited road capacity (C.N, 2011). When the required road capacity is not achieved, traffic jams occur and of course with the great increase in number of private cars over the years.
Simple improvements can serve as an easy way to eliminate the problems concerning road infrastructure. Another effective and workable method that will in fact solve the issue is the restriction of the number of vehicles owned by or in a family. This can be considered as laws passed on by local government municipals.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Each and any individual who travels from or to Lugbe has undoubtably experienced issues relating to traffic at high levels congestion related problems. The effects of traffic jams are in fact affecting roadways in the parallel and adjacent direction in the densely developed corridor so they are not just limited to Lugbe intersections.
These issues were recognized in a daily sun article in June 2008. The letter that supported the need to make improvements noted five key elements that include;
- Ease traffic jams in all entrances and exits of the airport road(segun, 2008)
- Decrease traffic jams on local roadways(segun, 2008)
- Upgrade access to centers with regional activities(segun, 2008)
- Enhance the vitality of economy of activity centers(segun, 2008)
- Issue expeditious evacuations for emergency from Abuja traffic(segun, 2008)
According to what the study shows, the traffic congestions begin at a peak period on the airport road in the morning and right before the evening period (segun, 2008). congestion has been noted from the entrance of the city gate in the morning and evening periods to the airport road accessway (segun, 2008). Some of the identified root causes for this congestion include inadequate capacity on the Umaru Musa Yaradua expressway and the need for the availability of transit system in the study area so that alternative routes for road users, ridership and bus transits operated by offices, can be maximized (segun, 2008).
In addition, from my own perspective the major purpose of the enhancement of traffic capacity in this study area serves as a method of relieving traffic jams in the junction.
1.3 AIM OF RESEARCH
This research project aims to improve transport operations in the study area by redesigning the existing roundabout with a traffic signal using a micro-simulation software (SIDRA intersections).
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The principal objective of this project research is to conduct traffic surveys (traffic volume survey, spot speed survey and Origin Destination survey) and using the survey data to design a signalized intersection.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RESEARCH
The significance of this project is to provide understanding about the polices and projects of traffic control and management. It is important in the sense that it explores major traffic problems encountered by motorists, traffic officials and the public.
Other significance of this research is to encourage safe traffic activities, which is essential for equipping motorists to become safe road users. To enhance the movement of people, vehicles, goods and services from one destination to another with ease. To encourage traffic discipline for new road users and foreigners are new to the driving system in Abuja. To analyze the different approaches of highway infrastructure rejuvenation in the principal case study and proposing possible solutions that will benefit road users. Effort was made critically into the various system in which the rejuvenations is executed and finally try to formulate new strategies for achieving successful and effective congested free expressway.
Similarly, the scope of this study will be limited to transportation engineering works relating to traffic management and infrastructure rejuvenation as given in the case study.
This will cover the activities of the rejuvenation target outputs in terms of cost, time and quality control.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH
This project will be focused on the assessment and development of performance, whether the study is reliable and also finding out the possibility of the imaginary solutions coming into real life forms. The study will also focus on showing the possibility of the suggestions make the imaginary outcome come into real life form. The system will be developed using software and will utilize instruments of data for the final outcome of the project.
1.6.1 Geographical Scope
This project investigated the infrastructure performance and Traffic congestion in FHA Lugbe Abuja
1.6.2 Content Scope
The study was focused on how Traffic works and its performances, how congestion begins, collection of traffic data for analysis, and finally processing the data to the design of improved intersection and traffic signal.
1.6.3 Time Scope
This study was conducted July-August 2021
1.7 THEISIS STRUCTURE
Chapter One: discusses introduction of this research project. This chapter comprises of Introduction, Problem statements, Aim of the study, Objectives, Significance of the study, Scope and limitations of the study, and thesis structure.
Chapter Two: this chapter contains the literature review and related works that explains Introduction, Ideas or Concepts Opinions from Authors or Experts in the field, existing system and previous work, Gap and Chapter summary.
Chapter Three: Requirement Analysis: This chapter discusses the supposed proposed approach alongside the entire project draft that was taken in the development of this study such as:
Introduction, Research design, Area of study, sampled and sampling techniques, description of data collection instrument, validity of questions, method for data collection and methodology.
Chapter Four: Results and discussion: This chapter discusses and analyzes the results gotten from the previous chapter of methodology. It consists of the interpretation of data experiments, Graphs, tables, observations and precaution.
Chapter 5: Recommendation and conclusion: this chapter discussed the conclusion of the research project and that includes introduction, conclusion, references and appendixes.
TRAFFIC CONTROL AND SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION ANALYSIS AND DESIGN USING MICRO-ANALYTICAL SOFTWARE IN FHA LUGBE, ABUJA