Data-driven bottleneck detection on Tehran highways

• Data-driven approach identifies traffic bottlenecks in Tehran using Google Maps data. • Validation with CCTV data shows 92 % correlation, demonstrating reliability. • Pioneering adaptable big data solution for global urban mobility challenges. • Provides strategic insights for evidence-based decision-making in urban transformation and transportation policies. In metropolitan areas, traffic congestion has become a prevalent challenge due to rapid urbanization and increased vehicle usage, adversely impacting mobility, productivity, and quality of life. Identifying and mitigating persistent traffic bottlenecks is crucial for developing efficient transportation systems and guiding infrastructure planning decisions. This research proposes an innovative data-driven methodology to pinpoint recurrent traffic bottlenecks in Tehran's extensive highway network, addressing the limitations of traditional traffic monitoring methods. Through data mining and image processing techniques applied to 16 months of traffic flow maps from Google Maps, diverse information is extracted, including traffic nodes, congestion hotspots, and locations with the longest queue lengths. The image processing approach involves color-based segmentation, pixel-level analysis, and machine learning algorithms to determine congestion levels across the highway network. The identified bottlenecks are validated against ground truth data from CCTV cameras, demonstrating a remarkable 92 % correlation for key identified points. The proposed approach leverages the power of advanced analytics to comprehensively analyze all major highways, including areas lacking CCTV infrastructure. The robust validation process reinforces the reliability of this data-driven solution in capturing real-world traffic dynamics. As urban mobility challenges escalate globally, the integration of diverse data sources and cutting-edge techniques will be instrumental in guiding intelligent transportation planning and policy decisions.