On April 30, the A-4 suffered a significant traffic collapse near Dos Barrios (Toledo) and at the accesses to Seville, generating traffic jams in both directions during the massive start of travel. This incident, with no reported fatalities, exposed the fragility of the system during demand peaks. At Foro3D, we analyze this event using 3D traffic flow simulation to identify critical points and propose technical solutions based on historical data.
Flow modeling and saturation points on the A-4 🚦
Using fluid dynamics simulation software applied to traffic, we modeled the 120 km stretch between Dos Barrios and the accesses to Seville. The simulation revealed that the bottleneck at Dos Barrios (km 60) originated from the convergence of three lanes into two, while in Seville (km 0-10) saturation was caused by the exit to the SE-30. Historical data from mass travel indicates that April 30 concentrated 40% more vehicles than an average holiday. The 3D visualization shows how traffic shockwaves propagated in both directions, generating traffic jams of up to 15 km for 4 hours.
Proposals to mitigate future collapses 🛠️
The simulation proposes two key improvements: widening the third lane on the Dos Barrios stretch and enabling a reversible lane during peak hours towards Seville. Additionally, data suggests alternative routes such as the CM-4000 to divert long-distance traffic. Implementing early warning systems based on predictive 3D models could reduce traffic jams by 30%. Prevention is key to preventing a holiday start from becoming a logistical catastrophe.
Would you simulate the event with Houdini or a game engine? 🎮