ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. Background of the Study

The control of traffic at road junction which was done purely by human effort proves to be inefficient owing to the increasing rate of both motorists as well as the complexity of road networks. Vehicular travel is increasing throughout the world, particularly in large urban areas, therefore, the need arises for optimizing traffic light control system algorithms (Danko et al., 2010).

The rapid growth in the population of our cities, the busy nature of our roads and the need to maximize one’s time, there arise a need for a more dynamic, systematic and efficient traffic algorithms which seeks to reduce unnecessary congestion and lawlessness resulting from undue delays. It would be imperative that a new design be developed so as to enhance the flow and control of traffic using the density of vehicles on a particular lane by automatically assigning the left-over time in an idle lane to the lane with more traffic density, hence, reducing traffic congestion in those lanes (Osigwe et al., 2011).

Millions of vehicles pass via roads and cities every day. Various economic, social and cultural factors affect growth of traffic congestion. The amount of traffic congestion has major impacts on accidents, loss of time, cost of money, delay of emergency, etc. Due to traffic congestions, there is a loss in productivity from workers, people lose time, trade opportunities are lost, delivery gets delay, and thereby the costs go on increasing. To solve these congestion problems, it is better to build new facilities and infrastructure but at the same time make it smart. Many traffic light systems operate on a timing mechanism that changes the lights after a given interval. An intelligent traffic light system senses the presence or absence of vehicles and reacts accordingly. The idea behind traffic systems algorithm is that, it will aid the traffic system such that drivers will not spend unnecessary time waiting for the traffic lights to change. An intelligent traffic system detects traffic in many different ways. The older system uses weight as a trigger mechanism. Current traffic systems react to motion to trigger the light changes. Once the infrared object detector picks up the presence of a car, a switch causes the lights to change. In order to accomplish this, algorithms are used to govern the actions of the traffic system. While there are many different programming languages today, some programming concepts are universal in Boolean Logic (Muzhir et al., 2015).

The traffic crowds seen in intersection of urban road networks are highly influential in both developed and developing nations worldwide. Urban residents are suffering poor transport facilities, and meanwhile the considerable financial loss caused by traffic becomes a large and growing burden on the nation’s economy, including costs of productivity losses from traffic delays, traffic accidents, vehicular collisions associated with traffic jams, higher emission, environmental pollution, and more. The idea that the improvements to transport infrastructure are the efficient way has been central to transport economic analysis, but in fact this problem cannot be resolved with better roads (Dimitrakopoulos et al., 2010).

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have been proven to be a scientific and efficient solution. Comprehensive utilization of information technology, transportation engineering and behavioral sciences to reveal the principle of urban traffic, measuring the traffic flow in real time, and try to route vehicles around them to avoid traffic congestion before its formation promotes a prospective solution to resolve the urban traffic problem from the root, thus our proposed system to create a simulation of a traffic control system (Orosz et al., 2015).

Statement of the Problem

The discipline of transportation science has expanded significantly in recent decades, and particularly traffic flow theory, which plays a great role in intelligent transportation systems, several traffic control systems have been formulated to reduce congestion in many urban roads and humans have been used in major roads to control traffic, this has been a huge burden on traffic wardens. to solve congestion problem on junctions and reduce the burden on traffic wardens, we proposed a road traffic simulation system.

1.3     Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this research is to design and simulate a road traffic system. The objective is to design a software;

i. That simulates road traffic control system.

ii. That will aid the development of a road traffic system, when need arise in a real case scenario.

iii. That runs on any web browser, either on desktop or android device.

1.4     Significance of Study.

This research will help in tackling the problems involve in many urban roads in terms of traffic congestion.

The traffic simulation system is relevant in the following ways;

i.   The traffic system will aid in simulating traffic control system.

ii.  The designed software will be useful to road traffic wardens to understand the how traffic light operations work.

iii. The proposed system will be also relevant to other researchers in related field of study.

1.5     Scope of the Study

This research is centered on the development of a road traffic simulation, that works on any web browser to simulate how traffic control system operates.

1.6     Limitation of the Study

The researcher faced some limitations during the course of this research. Some of this limitations/constraint includes;

i.        Time constraint: Time factor were also the major factors as the timeframe to submit the project was too short for an extensive research.

ii.       Financial constraint:  Lack of adequate finance to fund the researcher as to visit many places was another major setback.

1.7     Definition of Terms

1. Traffic: Traffic on roads consists of road users including pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, buses and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel.
2. Simulation: A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or process, whereas the simulation represents the evolution of the model over time
3. Window:  A window is a separate viewing area on a computer display screen in a system that allows multiple viewing areas as part of a graphical user interface (GUI). Windows are managed by a windows manager as part of a windowing system. A window can usually be resized by the user.
4. Algorithm: In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is a finite sequence of well-defined, computer-implementable instructions, typically to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation.
5. System:  a system is an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal. The system has various inputs, which go through certain processes to produce certain outputs, which together, accomplish the overall desired goal for the system.
6. Control System: A control system manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems using control loops. It can range from a single home heating controller using a thermostat controlling a domestic boiler to large industrial control systems which are used for controlling processes or machines.
7. Traffic Lights: Traffic lights, traffic signals, stoplights or robots are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations to control flows of traffic.
8. Vehicle: A vehicle is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles, railed vehicles, watercraft, amphibious vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft.

Road: A road is a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface which vehicles can use. Roads consist of one or two roadways, each with one or more lanes and any associated sidewalks and road verges