Winter Road Traffic Evaluation Using Taxi Probe Data in Sapporo, Japan

Traffic smoothness must be ensured through winter road management. The average travel speed is an index of traffic smoothness. In this study, the authors used taxi probe data to obtain average travel speeds in the Sapporo urban area for a year, and analyzed the relationship between the average travel speed and various winter weather and road surface conditions. Also, the authors calculated the monetary value of the increase in average travel speed afforded by snow and ice control operations. The authors have been acquiring taxi probe data 365 days a year since 2001, with the cooperation of a taxi company. Differences in average travel speed between the winter season and the non-winter season have been found to vary depending on weather and road surface conditions. The authors survey has found that snow and ice control operations increase the average travel speed of road users. Improved average travel speed increases the benefit of the road for road users. The authors cost-benefit analysis of snow and ice control operations for national highways in Sapporo found that the estimated benefit of snow and ice control operations exceeded the cost of such operations.