Traffic Congestion Analysis and Route Optimization in an Urban Road Network Using Geographic Information System (GIS)

Traffic congestion is a critical challenge in urban transportation systems leading to longer travel times, higher fuel consumption, and increased environmental pollution. This study examines traffic congestion along the major urban road corridor in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, by Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Travel time data were collected from Google Maps under varying conditions, including weekdays, weekends, holidays, festivals, in different weather conditions, and special events, to capture temporal and situational variations in traffic flow. The collected data were analyzed to identify congestion zones based on speed across different road segments. QGIS software was utilized to perform Optimal Route Analysis by Contraction Hierarchies (CH) within the study area using the OpenRouteService (ORS) Directions API with the driving car profile, based on OpenStreetMap road network data. The study demonstrates that GIS provides an effective framework for traffic congestion analysis, route optimization, supporting improved urban traffic management and planning.