A field research on pedestrian and transport activities in Kaliningrad represents the traffic intensity of pedestrians and vehicles while taking into account their direction. On weekdays, measurements were taken in the morning and evening rush hours (8:00–11:00 and 17:00–19:00) and on weekends (11:00–16:00).
360º panoramic cameras were used for collecting data. Computer vision and mapping algorithms analysed the data and presented it in a form ready for visualisation. The measurement accuracy is 90-95%. The study touched on the entire city center. On weekdays, measurements were carried out in 60 points, on weekends in 47 points. Measurements at one point were carried out for 15 minutes and later normalised to an hour. Video processing was made in several stages: initial processing by computer vision algorithms with calculation in the movement direction (for pedestrians, trucks, public transport, bicycles); aggregation of data for the points researched; vector data drawing on a map; final processing and data drawing on a web map.
The study identified problematic areas in the road network: on the Chernyakhovsky St. and Gorky St. and at the crossroads surrounding Pobedy Square congestions often occur on the weekdays. On the weekend, although the traffic is heavy, traffic jams do not typically occur. The hub overloaded with a pedestrian traffic is located at the crossing of Chernyakhovsky St. and Gorky St. Up to 5000 people per hour cross this area in the morning rush hours. This crossroad is less busy on weekends.
The second overloaded hub is located at the crossing of Chernyakhovsky St. and Proletarskaya St. In this case, evening rush hours are the busiest (up to 4000 people per hour).
Leninsky Prospekt runs through the historical center and is the main artery that connects the northern and southern parts of the city. However, it is not attractive to pedestrians. Pedestrian flow becomes more intense only closer to the Pobedy Square.
A study of Kant Island demonstrated that despite its historical value (the Cathedral built in 1380 is located there) residents do not use routes that run through the island. Tourists and excursion groups appear periodically.
On the embankment of the Pregol River, at the crossing of Marshal Baghramyan St. and Victor Hugo St., despite the residential buildings, the Museum of the World Ocean and the sports complex located nearby, pedestrian flows are poor. Reconstruction of the embankment near the Fish Village did not make the route popular among the residents: the most intense flows here are 650–700 people per hour on weekends.
The study provides a database for analysing the quality of the urban environment, identifying the main pedestrian routes and calculating the vehicles movement intensity. The application of obtained data to elaboration of urban developmental plans will contribute to increasing the urban comfort.