TrafficNet: Design, Analysis and Evaluation of a Next Generation Highway Traffic Management and Control System
Duration: 27 months (2007-2009))
Start: 28/12/2006
Project Website: http://www.trafficnet.cs.ucy.ac.cy/indexEN.html
Principal Investigator: Ανδρέας Πιτσιλλίδης
Main Funding Source: Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation
Partners: University of Cyprus, University of Southern California, Cellock Ltd
Total Cost: 65.256,61
The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can bring considerable improvements in terms of efficiency, travel times, safety, enviromental friendliness and congestion to the current highway traffic system of Cyprus. The rapid growth of Cypriot economy during the last few years, has led to a significant increase of congestion to the traffic network despite its extension. The negative effects of congestion go beyond the obvious one, the travel times that drivers experience, to include environmental and health effects, travel cost, safety and quality of life. In order to moderate the problem of congestion in Cyprus, the Ministry of Transport intends to extend the capacity of existing traffic network with the creation of new motorways. However, the lack of space, high cost of land, environmental constraints, and the time it takes to build a new highway as well as the possible disruption to the traffic system in already congested areas makes the building of new highways in many areas a very challenging proposition. In these areas, the only way to add additional capacity is to make the current system more efficient through the use of technologies and intelligence. The main objective of this proposal is to design, analyze and evaluate a Highway Traffic Management and Control (HTMC) system which can be implemented using developed vehicle and roadway technologies and can bring considerable improvements in terms of efficiency, travel times, safety and congestion to the current rather poorly controlled highway system.