ABSTRACT

Gloria St. Barangay Suklayin, Baler Aurora is the main road that leads straight to the public

market of Baler Aurora and providing access to other adjacent routes, wherein traffic congestion

is inevitable and has been consistent during peak hours. This study aims to analyze the factors

contributing to traffic congestion, particularly assessing the influence of high volume of vehicles,

road capacity and design, road quality, behavioral factors, and peak hours. By identifying and

understanding these factors, the researchers seek to propose effective strategies and solutions to

alleviate traffic congestion and improve the overall commuting experience in Gloria Street.

BACKGROUD OF THE STUDY

Traffic congestion is a complex and persistent problem as it significantly disrupts the efficiency

of the transportation system. This issue has been particular in urban areas, but it also occurs in

continuously developing towns like Baler Aurora. As the number of vehicles increased rapidly,

the existing road infrastructure is not able to accommodate the present capacity, which leads to

congested traffic environment (Samal, Satya & Mohanty, Malaya & Selvaraj, Moses. 2022).

Traffic congestion happens due to demand-supply imbalance in the transportation network.

Traffic flow slows down when the number of vehicles traveling on the road increases, or the

roadway capacity decreases due to various reasons. It brings a series of issues including extra

travel times for the drivers and passengers, increased fuel consumptions and greenhouse gas

emissions, higher vehicular crash rates and so on (Tang, Hu, 2019). The complexity of this issue

stems from multiple contributing factors, each playing a crucial role in exacerbating congestion

on roadways. Factors Contributing to Traffic Congestion; (1) High Volume of Vehicles: The

increasing population resulting in an inevitable surge in the number of vehicles directly

contributing to congestion during rush hours. (2) Road Capacity and Design: Insufficient Road

capacity, poorly designed or maintained roads, narrow lanes, and lack of proper drainage, curbs

and gutters can lead to congestion. (3) Road Quality: Deteriorating Road conditions

characterized by the distress of concrete including distortion, cracking, and disintegration can

disrupt the smooth flow of traffic, leading to congestion, particularly during peak hours. (4)

Behavioral Factors: Driver behavior including impatient and aggressive driving, unexpected and

frequent change of lane, and overtaking, significantly contributes to congestion. (5) Peak Hours:

This typically occurs during the morning and afternoon due to daily errands, going in and out of

school and work, wherein a surge in the volume of vehicles significantly strains road capacity,

leading to congestion. The objective of this paper is to assess the factors that lead to traffic

congestion.

Samal, Satya & Mohanty, Malaya & Selvaraj, Moses. (2022). Assessment of Traffic Congestion

under Indian Environment - a Case Study. Komunikacie. 10.26552/com.C.2022.4.D174-D182.

Qing Tang, Xianbiao Hu, in Advances in Transport Policy and Planning, 2019