The influence of the corona virus pandemic on the characteristics of vehicle flow on the e-661 highway

Abstract

In this work, the characteristics of the traffic flow on the section of the Gradiška - Banja Luka highway, which is part of the European road route E-661, were analyzed in the period from 2019 to 2022. Data on the size of flow requests were taken from the database of the toll station “Jakupovci” on the Gradiška - Banja Luka highway. When defining the size of the flow request, the structure of the traffic flow was also taken into account, in accordance with the categories according to which the toll is collected. The period in which the analysis of flow characteristics was performed also includes the period in which the coronavirus pandemic reigned, when certain travel rules and prohibitions were in force. In accordance with that, the work will specifically analyze the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the characteristics of the traffic flow on the Gradiška - Banja Luka highway section. Given that the „Jakupovci“ toll station is the busiest toll station on the Gradiška - Banja Luka highway, the results of the analysis can be applied to other sections of highways in the Republic of Srpska.