Analysis of Inclement Weather on Traffic Flow – an Irish National Roads Case Study
Description
Transportation networks and infrastructure are increasingly exposed to and effected by inclement weather. The rise in the frequency and intensity of these events is increasingly affecting the normal operation, performance and functionality of roads and highways, leading to costly losses. Inclement weather creates risky and hazardous situations not only on the main roads, such as motorways, but also, on the smaller roads connecting rural parts of the country that experience lower traffic volumes. The effects of weather events, such as rainfalls or snowfalls, have been primarily addressed in main roads, leaving, smaller roads on hold. This has created a lack of specific policy and poor adaptation strategies for secondary layers of transport networks, and their users. The present paper investigates the link between inclement weather and traffic flow in various locations in Ireland. The results provide an examination of the impact that weather events such as varying levels of wind and rain can have on road network performance in multiple locations in Ireland. The varying levels of wind exposure (light, medium, intense) on the sections of the Irish road network examined were found to have a greater effect on traffic volumes than comparative levels of rain exposure. This analysis ultimately contributes to a better understanding and knowledge of characteristics of Irish road network and its performance under perilous conditions, which may support the creation of specific measures to improve the resilience of the transport network.
Analysis of Inclement Weather on Traffic Flow – an Irish National Roads Case Study
Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland
Transportation networks and infrastructure are increasingly exposed to and effected by inclement weather. The rise in the frequency and intensity of these events is increasingly affecting the normal operation, performance and functionality of roads and highways, leading to costly losses. Inclement weather creates risky and hazardous situations not only on the main roads, such as motorways, but also, on the smaller roads connecting rural parts of the country that experience lower traffic volumes. The effects of weather events, such as rainfalls or snowfalls, have been primarily addressed in main roads, leaving, smaller roads on hold. This has created a lack of specific policy and poor adaptation strategies for secondary layers of transport networks, and their users. The present paper investigates the link between inclement weather and traffic flow in various locations in Ireland. The results provide an examination of the impact that weather events such as varying levels of wind and rain can have on road network performance in multiple locations in Ireland. The varying levels of wind exposure (light, medium, intense) on the sections of the Irish road network examined were found to have a greater effect on traffic volumes than comparative levels of rain exposure. This analysis ultimately contributes to a better understanding and knowledge of characteristics of Irish road network and its performance under perilous conditions, which may support the creation of specific measures to improve the resilience of the transport network.
https://sword.cit.ie/ceri/2020/18/10
