Abstract

Congestion and delays are serious issues in many cities around the world in both developed and developing countries. Road intersections are the most complex locations in a city traffic system and considerably influence vehicle safety, free flow, and movement efficiency. Conflicts do, however, frequently arise where two or more roads intersect. In order to evaluate the severity of the problems, their impacts on the road users, and the causes and severity of traffic delays at those intersections, this study was framed to identify intersections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, that have traffic flow challenges. The data was gathered using an intersection delay count. Analyzing the data sets involved using a straightforward descriptive technique and data representation. Results revealed that most intersections are made of T-Junctions (69%), with those around offices and residential areas experiencing more traffic congestion and delays, which is attributed mostly to illegal parking at those locations, especially during peak hours. The delay at various intersections rose to 42% of the vehicle within the selected intersection, about half of the total vehicles considered in the study area. This is attributed to the mixed land use. During peak hours, office buildings, with 41.5% traffic generators, cause chaotic flow and illegal parking. Crash trends indicate decreasing pattern from 2011 through 2015. These show that intersections create significant traffic problems impeding travel time and economic activities within the study area.