Smart road infrastructure: Shaping the future of Shengjin accessibility.

Abstract

Albania is a strategic area in terms of tourism, because of its unspoiled beaches, cultural heritage, mountainous landscapes, connection with other countries, etc. Tourists suffer from the lack of smart infrastructure in Albania, which makes them face with traffic congestion during summer, in road segments towards beach areas. Lezha region is one of these Albanian attractions, among others, famous for the Shengjinbeach. Visiting it in summer is a real challenge, because of traffic congestion caused by insufficient road infrastructure, influx of visitors, lack of signaling, etc(Ora News, 2022). As long as, this concentration of tourism during the summer is associated with many natural, economic and social consequences, the issue of infrastructure should be addressed and improved. The improvement of physical infrastructure is an important and valuable tool related to the development of tourism(Lee et al, 2020). The chosen area for intervention is the segment from Shengjin to the main intersection at the entrance, which is considered also as ‘point of death’. Nowadays, technology facilitates our lives in many directions(Javaid et al, 2018), thanks to its unlimited components and it can be applied as well in road infrastructure.This paper aims to achieve these goals by using internet of things technology and different types of sensors based on it (speed sensors, IP CCTV cameras, smart traffic lights, digital signage, etc). Applying technology in this segment, provides an enhancement of Shengjin accessibility and developing more sustainable tourism in this area, contributing also to the reduction of accidents. In this way, we increase the efficiency of existing roads and improve their maintenance. Despite suggesting other mobility alternatives our proposal will convert the existing infrastructure into a better one, providing in this way a higher quality of tourism in this area and encouraging visitors to access Shengjin more often.