GIS aided roads and traffic management system (RTMS) A case study for Nairobi Central Business District

Abstract

Roads and Traffic Management (RTM) is one of the main areas in the transportation industry and of great interest in both urban and rural planning It is part of core functions in the administration of major cities and town because it has immense impact on the overall developments of the same Various activities are involved in road and traffic management whose reliance on spatial data cannot be overemphasized. Such data is collected, analyzed and processed to generate the much needed information for the purposes of effective and efficient decision making process. This study aimed at evaluating and demonstrating the role information Technology (IT) and in particular GIS in finding solution to the ever increasing complex problems in Traffic and Roads Management within Nairobi CBD The study specifically analyzes the problems and demonstrate possible approach in addressing the road and traffic problems on JCT platform. Different attributes of roads, traffic, car parks and roundabouts data were used in the analysis, design and development of a prototype Road and Traffic Management System (RTMS) through which the researcher envisages an ideal representation of desired and hopefully better solutions to the problems. RTMS is designed usmg some of the principles in structured system development methodologies. The main tools in the development process being ArcGIS 9.0, Visual basic 6 0, Ms Access 2000, GeoVIS and crystal report designer The tools are used in the design of both the system's back-end and front-end. The design of RTMS is illustrated, its inherent characteristics explained and general sample reports (output) necessary in decisions making are also presented in this study. The main advantages of integration of spatial and statistical data for various entities in RTMS are clearly demonstrated; for generation of improved decision making framework in roads and traffic management The concept of GIS data modeling is illustrated in the developed prototype system The results obtained shows the power behind modern GIS tools in spatial data processing.