New method for optimizing traffic over large regions

Science Daily covers a topic that may prove helpful during regional disasters: How can traffic be monitored and controlled more effectively? In the ORINOKO project, scientists have developed methods of determining the traffic situation across a wide area, and have refined processes that enable traffic to be optimally channeled.

Traffic jams on the way to work, to the shops or to a holiday destination – a common experience for most of us. Traffic management systems can provide help. Various concepts and measures are being tested, for example in the transport research project ORINOKO (Operative Regional Integrated and Optimized Corridor Control). The project received funding to the tune of almost three million euros from the German federal ministry of economics and technology BMWi over a period of about three years.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI in Dresden was among the project partners. The IVI team led by Ulf Jung and Georg Förster performed a variety of tasks. “One thing we did was set up a central database containing a digital map of the road network. A vast amount of relevant measurement data flows continuously into this database,” says Georg Förster. “We also provided software interfaces that enable dynamic data from a variety of sources, such as journey times, traffic volume or tailback lengths, to be used for control and information purposes within the scope of the traffic management system.”…

Traffic jam in Sao Paolo, shot by Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz Mariordo, Wikimedia Commons, under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license, Version 1.2