The Impact of Rainfall and Temperature on Peak and Off-Peak Urban Traffic

This paper focuses on quantifying the effect of rainfall and temperature intensities on urban traffic characteristics at peak and off-peak periods respectively using traffic data from Greater Manchester, UK, as case study. Three broader issues are addressed: (1) the impact of rainfall on urban traffic; (2) the impact of rainfall intensity on traffic flow parameters at peak and off-peak periods respectively; (3) the impact of atmospheric temperature level on peak and off-peak urban traffic. Our contribution arises both from the combination of factors included in the study as well as distinct analyses of peak and off-peak traffic data. This is the first study undertaken in a real urban environment with reduced operating speed (30 mph), and can provide urban traffic policymakers with crucial information that can be used to modify or develop traffic planning decisions in order to maximize traffic network utilization.