•Last month, Kura called on bidders to apply for the tender of Maintenance of the Sh800 million ITS project.
•AI technology collects information on route in real time, sends data to the cloud, makes predictions and advises users on shortest route.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority is using Artificial Intelligence to reducing traffic in Nairobi.
The AI technology system collects information about the route in real time, sends data to the cloud and uses analysis for traffic predictions.
It notifies road users of the best routes to their destinations.
Kura director general Silas Kinoti said the system will connect transport networks and improve improve the experience for all road users.
“There are real world projects around the globe and the applications are continuously expanding," Kinoti said.
"The AI system will be key to help with data to identify patterns that would not have been seen without the system,” he said on Saturday.
He said Kenya will emulate Germany and other counties to initiate AI to optimise traffic light control and reduce waiting time at intersections.
“We’re able to constantly update the traffic patterns and thus traffic flow. This means less waiting time and fewer emissions," the director general said.
The government is using technology to control traffic in Nairobi through the Intelligent Transport System( ITS) .
ITS uses information an communication technologies to manage road transport and infrastructure.
It uses intelligent cameras, variable timing traffic lights and a control centre to observe and control traffic, easing traffic officers' work.
Kura and Huawei successfully piloted the ITS project on the Western Ringroad from Yaya Centre to Kileleshwa Ringroad extending to Waiyaki Way in 2018.
Last month, Kura called on bidders to apply for the tender to maintain the Sh800 million ITS system.
John Cheboi, Kura assistant director of corporate communications, said the bidder will only maintain the pilot project.
“The system has been under maintenance of Kura and Huawei but it is time to maintain it locally, hence, the tender notice.
A 2017 report by Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported consumer prices, ranked Nairobi the city with the world's second-worst traffic gridlock.
“We estimate in this city, due to traveling to work and school, 1,406.55kg of CO2 is produced per passenger yearly. You need 16.4 trees for each passenger to produce enough oxygen to cover that,”the report read.
The report said Nairobi residents spend 55.8 minutes in traffic, leading to an estimated loss of Sh58 million a day.
By using intelligent algorithms, the smart traffic lights system allows longer traffic flow from roads with the most traffic. It allocates less time where there are fewer vehicles, minimising waiting time.
ITS changes with time, depending on traffic flow within arms of the junction and that makes it more efficient, and more traffic flows effectively.
The systems also comes with a mobile electronic police system that enables flexible monitoring of roads. The command centre is able to identify law violations and when they occur in real time.
ITS is comprised of three components — Advanced Traffic Management System, Advanced Travel Management System and Advanced Traffic Information System
in November 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed Kura to build a Traffic Management Centre at City Cabanas to ease congestion on key roads.
He also said they will redesign and signalise 25 new intersections, set up 100 new road junctions and build a new traffic management centre.
“The control centre will utilise traffic cameras and censors and harmonise location data to provide a synchronised signal at 100 new junctions in addition to the existing traffic lights,” Uhuru said.
Kinoti said on February 15, Kura signed a Sh17.4 billion loan from the South Korean government to finance the ITS project.
The National Treasury signed two loans from the Korean Export and Import Bank, the first being Sh10.79 billion and the second Sh6.59 billion.
The loan will be repaid in 60 semi-annual instalments starting July 20, 2031.
This will allow the construction of the Traffic Management Centre (TMC) and connect 102 junctions.
Phase one will cost Sh6 billion for the construction of the TMC and connecting 25 junctions. In Phase II, Kura will connect an an additional 77 junctions.
Kinoti said technology will play a big role in bringing order to traffic chaos, that mainly relies on traffic police.
“Kura is an expert in Intelligent Traffic Systems with an example being Yaya Centre," Kinoti said.
"We will have cameras, signals and censors in all arms of the junctions. They will identify the junctions that have more traffic and will need more time for traffic to be put through the junction."
(Edited by V. Graham)