Traffic Congestion Analysis and Carbon Footprint Assessment using IRC and Indo-HCM Methods

Nilesh Suresh Kadam1

1ME Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pune

Dr. S. S. Shastri2

2HOD, Department of Civil Engineering, Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pune

ABSTRACT- Rapid urbanization and the growing vehicular population in Indian cities have intensified traffic congestion, leading to operational inefficiencies, prolonged delays, fuel wastage, and elevated CO₂ emissions. This study presents an integrated congestion-emission assessment framework combining traffic performance metrics such as volume-to-capacity (v/c) ratio, saturation flow, delay, and Level of Service (LOS) with carbon emission estimation using Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Indo-HCM standards. Field data were collected from high-traffic intersections at Bhumkar Bridge in Pune, capturing vehicle volume, composition, speed, queue length, idling duration, and fuel-type distribution. Traffic classification was converted to Passenger Car Units (PCUs) to standardize heterogeneous traffic, while Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling predicted congestion indices and CO₂ emissions under varying traffic and geometric conditions. Saturation flow, capacity, and LOS analyses revealed that sub-arterial and 4-lane roads operate well beyond design capacity during peak hours, causing LOS F conditions and substantial emissions. Heavy vehicles, including buses and HCVs, contribute disproportionately to the carbon footprint despite their lower numbers. ANN optimization demonstrated high predictive accuracy (R² = 0.9928) and enabled scenario-based evaluation of traffic management strategies. The framework supports sustainable urban traffic planning, enabling targeted interventions such as signal optimization, lane management, and low-emission strategies. The findings highlight the critical interplay between congestion and environmental impact, offering practical insights for improving mobility, reducing emissions, and promoting low-carbon urban transport in rapidly growing Indian cities.

Keywords: Traffic congestion, Carbon emissions, Level of Service, Passenger Car Units, Saturation flow, ANN modeling, Urban intersections, Pune