Analysis of Traffic Flow Study in Akure Urban Centre

With increase in urban mobility and motorization of movement in Akure, traffic congestion has become a major issue in the development planning of the metropolis. The knowledge of the stream speed of traffic corridors of the metropolis as well as the rate of capacity utilization of the road network as well as the externality cost of the various traffic stream becomes a vital asset for road and urban transportation planning. These issues were what this study tackled. To this end, traffic surveys were done along selected traffic corridors to determine the stream speed by multiplying the vehicular concentration (vehicles per unit distance of roadway) with speed (distance per unit time), then the rate of capacity utilization was gotten using the determined capacity stream speed (traffic flow) as a ratio of the installed stream speed. The study showed that traffic speed varies from time to time and for different days too. These variations were noticed to be tangible for direction of traffic at any point time. For those, travelling towards the central business district during the mornings traffic streams are higher and at reduced speed. The study showed that certain roads require capacity expansion as capacities were over utilized. These expansions, if must be done, must be weighed carefully using social cost benefit analysis to ascertain true cost and benefits (socially and economically) to the society.