Factors Influencing Travel Demand and Traffic Congestion : A case study of Karachi, Pakistan.

Growth of cities is contributing to extensive use of land and transportation system. This growth process in most of the developing countries results as increased pressure on urban transportation systems. The rapid increase in population and better socio-economic condition raise the demand for travel and private vehicle ownership. This however resulted in decreasing the travel speeds and increasing the average distance travelled per vehicle. The aforementioned growth surmounts the capability to increase road capacity, and affect the efficient functioning of the urban economies in mega cities, and raises the level of road traffic congestion.Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is a classic example of the above, facing rapid population, high vehicle growth and traffic congestion.The purpose of this book is to analyze travel demand factors, assessing transport supply and infrastructure, investigating traffic congestion and identification of possible solutions and recommendations.