Identifying Critical Locations on Road Networks Using Google Traffic Data

This paper presents a novel approach to identifying critical locations on road networks based on relative traffic flow speeds. Using Google Maps Traffic Layer data, we develop a method to obtain data from Google Maps API and identify locations with consistently low traffic flow speeds. The method then assigns a Traffic Load Index to each location, which can be used to prioritize locations for further analysis and/or treatment. The results show that the proposed method is able to effectively identify critical locations on large road network without any prior knowledge of analyzed area. This method could be used to to improve the transport infrastructure, increase its safety, and ensure sustainable and resilient transport systems in the monitored areas.