Modelling Multi-mode Transportation Networks in Kuala Lumpur

The role of urban transportation becomes increasingly important. An efficient transportation network can stimulate economic transformation, physical development and improve mobility activities. In urban domain, people tend to use more than one mode of transportation to travel from origin to destination. Development in the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to urban transportation problems represents one of the significant areas of GIS-technology and urban planning field nowadays. To prove how GIS can be used in assisting urban network analysis, this paper aims to highlight the determination of the best route in highly developed complex transportation system in the metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur based on multi-mode transportation concept. More essentially, it integrates urban transportation including facilities such as Light Rapid Transit (LRT), Kereta api Tanah Melayu (KTM) Komuter, Express Rail Link (ERL), KL Monorail, bus, road driving as well as pedestrian mode into a single intelligent data model. To expedite and implement such analysis, ArcGIS’s Network Analyst is adopted. As the compliment to the model, closest facility and service area analysis are also taken into consideration. With the advancement of GIS software, the final output will allow users to have a better interpretation of results in terms of visualization, total distance, total travelled time and directional map produced to find the optimal route based on either time or distance as impedance. Hence, the developed data model will facilitate policy makers and transportation planners to have a reliable decision effectively, and produce high quality geospatial information to the end users.