The level of urbanization in developing world indicates that more people live in cities
than before. This pattern induces pressure on traffic flow and makes living in urban area
difficult. The situation, described above, has started to manifest in Akure, a medium
urban centre in Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out with the aim of applying
Geographic Information System (GIS) to investigate traffic congestion patterns in Akure
and determine the management techniques suitable for their reduction. Topographical
map of Akure as at 1966, Landsat images of Akure as at 1986 and 2002 were acquired
and processed to produce the base map on which the major analyses were based. Major
entities influencing traffic congestions were identified and modeled. Secondary data
collected in form of traffic census for some selected road junctions in Akure were also
processed and analyzed. The result shows two major ways by which GIS can provide
solutions to traffic congestion in Akure. The first way is the provision of traffic
information that enables commuters and motorists to take rational decisions as to which
route to take during peak hour travel. The second is the determination of appropriate
queries that can evoke graphical response, which could be used to manage traffic
congestions. The work recommends that a GIS structure in addition to existing traffic
management techniques should be put in place to monitor traffic congestions in the city.
It also recommends Traffic Information System (TIS) to the State and Federal Radio
from where traffic congestion situations could be relayed not only to motorists but also to
commuters. The paper also shows that GIS is a veritable tool that can be used to sustain
an endurable flow of traffic in urban environment, provided it is built on a properly
designed database, which must also be amenable to constant updating.