Graph Convolutional Gated Recurrent Unit Network for Traffic Prediction Using Loop Detector Data

Traffic prediction is challenging due to the stochastic nonlinear dependencies in spatiotemporal traffic characteristics. We introduce a Graph Convolutional Gated Recurrent Unit Network (GC-GRU-N) to capture the critical spatiotemporal dynamics. Using 15-min aggregated Seattle loop detector data, we recontextualize the prediction challenge across space and time. We benchmark our model against Historical Average, LSTM, and Transformers. While Transformers outperformed other models, our GC-GRU-N came in a close second with notably faster inference time — six times quicker than Transformers. We offer a comprehensive comparison of all models based on training and inference times, MAPE, MAE, and RMSE. Furthermore, we delve into the spatial and temporal characteristics of each model’s performance.