Heavy traffic and congestion are common challenges in large cities, and require intelligent vehicle and parking management to solve them.
As the population grows, congestion becomes a hindrance on daily mobility and a concern for citizens’ quality of life and the city’s own economy. Vehicle accumulation on the streets increases travel times and thus causes unnecessary fuel consumption and the emission of harmful gases that affect air quality, public health and the environment.
Intelligent traffic management refers to the strategic application of advanced technologies to optimise traffic flow. These strategies range from traffic monitoring and control systems to the implementation of smart parking infrastructures. The combination of information technology and urban planning can alleviate road congestion and promote a safer and more accessible environment for all.
Innovative traffic management strategies
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)
By using information and communication technologies, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) can improve transport efficiency and safety. These systems can detect and rapidly respond to accidents and problems on the road in order to avoid disruptions and improve road safety.
Parking guidance and control systems
One of the most effective and cost-efficient strategies in the short term is the implementation of parking guidance and control systems. This technology, which is usually accessible through signage panels or mobile applications, helps drivers find the nearest free spaces and so reduces the time they spend looking for parking and eases congestion in the area. Furthermore, technology also achieves more efficient control of regulated parking spaces such as loading and unloading areas, disabled parking, or parking for charging electric vehicles. Respect for the use of these places avoids vehicles being parked where they should not be or being double-parked, with the chaos that this causes for the city.
Urban parking guidance
Low emissions zones
More and more cities are implementing Low Emission Zones (LEZs) to restrict access to certain areas of the city for high-polluting vehicles. The aim is to reduce air pollution and encourage the use of alternatives such as public and active transport.
Well-connected Park & Ride areas
A measure that complements this last one is the establishment of Park & Ride areas on the outskirts of the city, which allow drivers to park their vehicles and continue their journey on public transport. This strategy helps to reduce traffic in city centres and promotes more environmentally responsible mobility. In these cases, the technology applied in the car parks of these Park & Ride zones encourages their use.
Park&Ride
Predictive traffic analysis
By analysing recorded and real-time city traffic data, we can achieve predictive models that anticipate traffic patterns and congestion. Traffic management systems can implement proactive measures such as traffic light timing adjustments, areas reserved for specific uses such as loading and unloading or disabled drivers, and the optimisation of routes for public transport.
Promotion of public and active transport
To reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, especially during peak hours, it is also important to encourage public transport, as well as cycling and pedestrian mobility. Improvements in urban infrastructure such as safe bicycle lanes and large pedestrian areas can encourage more people to opt for healthier mobility.
Intelligent traffic management success stories
Ibiza: Traffic optimisation in tourist areas
Ibiza is an example of how intelligent traffic management can transform a city’s historic core. In La Marina, sensors were installed to provide real-time data on parking space availability. This measure has made it easier to find these spaces, but has also reduced traffic jams and air pollution and improved resident and tourist access and quality of life.
Vienna: Improving the customer experience
In Vienna’s Shopping City Süd, Austria’s largest shopping centre with outdoor parking, sensors were installed on entrances and exits as a strategy to direct drivers to available parking spaces and reduce vehicle congestion. This strategy improved the customer experience, but also increased the number of visitors and sales at the shopping centre itself.
Benefits of intelligent traffic management
As well as improving mobility and reducing travel time, intelligent traffic management also helps reduce harmful gas emissions. This improves air quality, benefiting both public health and the environment in the long run.
Data analysis detects traffic patterns and allows traffic jams to be predicted before they occur. Involving citizens in urban planning through predictive modelling allows institutions and companies to fine-tune optimal measures for the use and management of public and private transport. By taking citizens into account, it is possible to adopt solutions that respond to their real needs.
Less congestion means less time wasted in traffic, which increases productivity and reduces costs associated with fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance. Intelligent traffic management also improves accessibility to shopping areas, thus encouraging a greater use of public spaces and contributing to local economic development.
There are a multitude of solutions that contribute to smoother mobility in both city centres and outskirts, so it is important to choose measures that meet each area’s specific needs. Innovative technologies such as those offered by Urbiotica make it possible to optimise vehicle flow and reduce travel times through smart parking systems.
