Project information
Project manager
Johan Fransson
Other project members
Lars Ulander, Albert Monteith, Chalmers University of Technology, Achim Grelle, Johanna Witzell, Jorge Luis Zapico, Basam Dahy, Linnaeus University
Participating organisations
Linnaeus University, Chalmers University of Technology
Funder
The Södra Skogsägarnas Foundation for Research, Development and Education, and Seydlitz MP Bolagen. The project is funded through two parallel applications.
Timetable
March 2024 – June 2027
Subject
Forestry and wood technology (Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Faculty of Technology)
Research groups
Forest Management, The Bridge
Knowledge Environment
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Green Sustainable Development
More about the project
Northern Traffic Lights aims to develop a digital decision-support system for monitoring and forecasting the trafficability of private gravel roads across the Nordic region. The project combines data from satellites, lidar, sensors, and vehicles to build models that predict road bearing capacity in near real time.
Climate change is increasing the frequency of freeze–thaw cycles, heavy rainfall, and unstable ground conditions, reducing the accessibility of forest roads that are critical for transport. At the same time, transport volumes are rising, increasing the need for efficient and reliable logistics.
The project develops:
- dynamic trafficability models
- a network of road weather stations
- a digital platform visualising road conditions using a traffic light system
The platform will support decision-making for transport planning, road maintenance, and logistics for forestry and other rural industries.
Linnaeus University contributes expertise in remote sensing, particularly in the analysis of radar satellite data, which is used to estimate soil moisture and improve trafficability modelling.
The project contributes to improved resource efficiency, reduced costs, and more resilient supply chains for the green economy.
The project is part of the research in the Forest Management research group, the collaboration The Bridge, and the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment Green Sustainable Development.
