A soft traffic management approach for achieving environmentally sustainable and economically viable outcomes: An Australian case study

Yan Kuang, Tzu-Hui Yen, Emiliya Suprun, Oz Sahin*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transport infrastructural strain is a pressuring issue for the urbanised world due to the increasing demand for public transport. Transport operators, planners and policymakers are constantly searching for low-cost solutions to such transport issues. Therefore, it is critical to developing an environmentally sustainable and economically viable efficient traffic network to relieve traffic pressure (i.e., traffic congestion, transport infrastructure investment needs). The objective of this research is to propose a “Soft Traffic Management (STM)” concept to proactively analyse the traffic impact of transport planning strategy before implementation. This study investigates the effectiveness of a STM for easing the traffic pressure by carrying out a pilot research project on the proposed South East Busway extension in Logan City, Australia, by employing a stepwise process consisting of a multi-stage analysis and stakeholder-based modelling approach. The results indicate that the extended busway can significantly relieve traffic congestion. In addition, the proposed strategy has significantly positive impacts on the environment since it aims to reduce air pollution and fuel consumption as well as to improve the safety and efficiency of the whole transport system. This study confirms the effects of STM on improving the use of existing infrastructure more efficiently and deferring future transport infrastructure investments.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)379-386
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Environmental Management
Volume237
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2019

Keywords

  • Soft traffic management
  • Traffic congestion
  • Transport planning
  • Visum

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A soft traffic management approach for achieving environmentally sustainable and economically viable outcomes: An Australian case study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this