Investigation of Rainfall Impact on Traffic Characteristics of Urban Roads | ||||
| JES. Journal of Engineering Sciences | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 19 August 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jesaun.2025.368476.1452 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Terseer Ako   1; Lenin Oyesigye2; Pathias Ndyabijuka3; Jonan Bainomugisha 2; Philip Tibenderana2; Sholagberu Taofeeq Abdulkadir 4
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| 1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Jos, Nigeria | ||||
| 2Department of Civil Engineering, Kabale University, Uganda | ||||
| 3Department of civil and building services engineering, Mbarara University of science and Technology. | ||||
| 4Department of Water & Environmental Engineering, University of Ilorin, Nigeria | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Adverse weather conditions such as rainfall, significantly affect road safety and traffic performance by altering surface conditions and driver behavior. This study aimed to investigate how varying intensities of rainfall influence key traffic characteristics and the resulting stopping sight distance (SSD) on the Kabale–Kisoro road in Uganda. Using rainfall data from the Kabale meteorological station, the study categorized rainfall into low, moderate, and heavy intensities. Traffic data were collected during both dry and rainy conditions and analyzed to determine changes in speed, flow, density, and headway. A comparative analysis was then used to assess the impact of these changes on SSD. The findings reveal that increasing rainfall intensity consistently reduces mean speed, traffic flow, and critical speed, while increasing time headway. Consequently, stopping sight distance is significantly reduced under wet conditions, highlighting the heightened safety risks posed by rainfall. These results underscore the need for adaptive traffic management and road design strategies that account for weather variability in regions prone to frequent rainfall. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Rainfall effects; Road safety; Stopping sight distance; Traffic Characteristics; Urban roads | ||||
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