Optimization of Parking Capacities at Railway Station Using Firefly Algorithm

Abstract

In present years, many cities face way more challenges than before especially those related to themobility of people and land usage. Parking management which links transportation and land use is one ofthe most challenging problems to encounter. Parking can be a nuisance when there is a shortage ofavailable parking spaces, especially during peak hours. The main challenge is the scarcity andmanagement of parking spaces. This is because of the unmet demand due to lack of parking spaces andineffective use of available facilities. It is a common issue in overcrowding area where drivers need toface this critical situation as the parking spaces provided are not enough to support the increasingnumber of the automobile on roads due to economic growth. KTMB Ipoh faced the same situationespecially during peak hours where the parking area is always congested with drivers who drive incircles to find a parking spot. The average time spent by drivers to find the parking spot is estimated to behalf an hour. Thus, this research is done to help the parking management team to improvise the efficiencyof parking spaces provided to optimize the parking area. Furthermore, the purpose of this study is tomaximize the number of parking. A firefly algorithm method is used to find the maximum number ofparking lot that can optimize the parking area. It is shown that with the current parking area, the numberof parking spaces can be increased by 48 lanes which can optimize the parking spaces to the fullest. Keywords: firefly algorithm, parking spaces, optimization.