Identification and Improvement of Traffic Problems at the Canal Junction, Karad, Using Traffic Volume Surveys and Accident Data

The explosive population rise in student and commuter traffic in small townships in India has reached levels that can be compared to major urban centers. However, despite the widespread problem, cities are not thoroughly researched yet. The current study is discussing a study conducted on Canal Junction (Karad, Maharashtra), defined as an uncontrolled three-way junction. The paper describes the analysis for the intersection of College Road (D1) and the National Highway 166E, the two directions of which are indicated as D2 and D3 respectively. A traffic volume count survey was conducted over seven days (October 13–19, 2025). As a result of the analysis, several metrics were assessed: Passenger Car Units, Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), Peak Hour Factor and Volume-to-Capacity Based Level of Service for the junction as a whole. The research showed that D2 moves the most traffic (AADT = 49,834 vehicles per day) and has the highest congestion level (Level of Service F for four hours). At the same time, the overall junction volume reached 11,942 veh/hr (around 11,264 PCU/hr) with Level of Service F recorded during six out of twelve hours. In its design three legs converge at one point without any of the legs being collinear. Thus every vehicle entering the junction must turn on the roundabout and no traffic management aids such as signalling or channelising the lines of approach can help. The recommendations for short, medium and long-term measures regarding signalisation of the junction, creating channelised turning lanes and widening of the D2 entrance with approximate cost estimates have been developed which allow quantitative justification not only for Karad Traffic Police but also for Karad Municipal Council.