iTRAQ – An Integrated Traffic Management and Air Quality Control System Using Space Services
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Abstract
There is a strong need for local authorities to meet the challenges of sustainable transport as well as complying with air quality targets. iTRAQ - Integrated Traffic Management and Air Quality using Space Services is a European Space Agency funded project. During the course of a feasibility study a consortium of UK industry, academic and local authority partners developed and validated a dynamic system for optimising the use of the road network balanced with the need to sustain high standards of air quality. iTRAQ uses a number of inputs that enable it to sense the current situation in near-real-time and provide accurate forecasts using a computational intelligence module. Traffic flow, queues, and congestion are gathered using traditional ground-based sensors as well as Global Navigation Satellite Systems based vehicle data. Air quality information is obtained from in situ monitors, a City-wide Gaussian dispersion model (Airviro), a European-scale ensemble model (MACC), and direct measurements from low-earth orbit satellites (OMI and GOME-2). The concept has been tested and validated using near-real-time data and a simulation environment, providing enhanced strategies to the local authority. Following a successful feasibility study, a larger demonstration phase is now being planned and other local authorities are being encouraged to participate. This paper gives an overview of this novel system and presents some initial test results that confirm the feasibility of this integrated system, reducing the traffic delay, increasing the flow and optimising the local air quality levels.