Factors Determining the Management of the Traffic Congestion in the Urban Area

Abstract

The aim of the article is to investigate factors that can affect management of the traffic congestion in the urban area. The predictions according to the theoretical background presented are that such factors as: migrations (commuting), location within a functional zone, road constructions, presence of public institutions and facilities, traffic network arrangement, suburbanisation, significance of the route, road type, presence and the nature of junctions, grade crossings, bridges or public transport presence can to a different extent influence the traffic congestion pattern. The level of this influence in the urban area of Poznan (Poland) is stated using the self-created indicator - Synthetic Congestion Ratio (SCR). Moreover, it was predicted that the traffic volume is higher on week days than during weekends. In order check the truthfulness of the hypotheses the research was conducted by establishing some checkpoints near crossings where investigated factors are present and later by measuring the traffic volume in the urban area researched. The conclusions are that the most influential factors determining the management of the traffic congestion in the urban area are: level of road's significance as a communication route, central business district (CBD) approach or thoroughfare and road type (expressway, two-lane, multi-level junctions), whereas the other factors' influence is significantly smaller (streets' layout, facilities attracting people, location within a functional zone). Furthermore, it was observed in one of the checkpoints that there was a discrepancy between the predicted and the actual traffic volume. This was probably a result of yet another, not known (not taken into consideration) factor e.g. car accident.

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