Análise comparativa do fluxo veicular em duas seções da Avenida Governador Rondon Pacheco na cidade de Uberlândia (MG)

Abstract

This study comparatively analyzes the behavior of vehicular flow in two sections of Governador Rondon Pacheco Avenue, in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, considering different periods of the day and directions of traffic. The research was conducted by processing original video recordings made by the author at the Carlos Saraiva and José Rezende Ribeiro overpasses, in three time periods: morning, intermediate period, and late afternoon. The videos were processed with computational support, using automated vehicle detection and tracking, and the data were organized into 15-minute intervals for the analysis of traffic volumes and the Peak Hour Factor. The results indicated relevant differences between the analyzed points and between the directions of traffic. In the west-east direction, the point corresponding to the José Rezende Ribeiro overpass presented higher volumes in all periods, with the greatest difference occurring in the morning. In the east-west direction, the point corresponding to the Carlos Saraiva overpass presented higher volumes in the morning and in the intermediate period, while in the late afternoon the results were practically balanced. The Peak Hour Factor values ranged from 0.836 to 0.963. Lower values indicate a greater concentration of traffic in specific 15-minute intervals, while values closer to 1.00 represent a more uniform distribution throughout the peak hour. It is concluded that Rondon Pacheco Avenue does not present uniform behavior along its length, being influenced by the urban and operational characteristics of each segment. Video-based counting proved adequate for organizing and comparing the data, although the analysis was limited to two sections and specific periods of the day.