A planning model for determining the optimal location and size of traffic centers: The case of Dammam Metropolitan, Saudi Arabia

Fixed traffic centers (FTCs) are usually the dispatching point for traffic patrol units (TPUs). Therefore, location of the optimal regional sites of TPUs is a major prerequisite for determining the optimal location of FTCs. In this paper, a planning model for determining the location and size of FTCs is developed through two stages. In the first stage, the optimal regional sites of TPUs are determined using a goal integer linear programming approach. Based on the results of the model at the first stage and other relevant data, the second stage determines the location and size of the FTCs using a binary integer linear programming technique. The model has been used to determine the regional sites of TPUs and the FTCs for the Dammam Metropolitan, Saudi Arabia, utilizing historical data.