Impact of Rainfall on Traffic Speed in Major Cities of China

Abstract

The construction of healthy transportation is an important ingredient for promoting the healthy development of cities. The establishment of an urban traffic evaluation mechanism can provide an important basis for the construction of healthy transportation. This study focused on the impact of precipitation on traffic speed and developed an urban traffic vulnerability index. This index reflects the degree of traffic affected by precipitation, which is calculated based on the traffic congestion index under different rainfall intensities. The traffic vulnerability indices of 41 major cities in China under rainfall conditions were evaluated. Based on the above traffic vulnerability indexes, the impact of socioeconomic factors on urban traffic vulnerability was analyzed. The three key findings of this study are as follows: there was a positive correlation between the vulnerability index and the gross domestic product (GDP); the urban population (POP) had a significant impact on the urban traffic vulnerability; and urban car ownership had little impact on traffic vulnerability. Based on these findings, possible measures to improve urban traffic vulnerability are proposed. The construction of an index system provides a basis for enhancing the urban traffic assessment mechanism, promoting the development of urban physical examinations and building healthy transportation and healthy cities.