$($a$)$ What is 'short$-$term traffic forecasting'? Discuss the classification of

existing methodologies in short$-$term traffic forecasting with examples of

methods.

$2+8$

$($b$)$ At College Green, inductive loop$-$detectors are used for measuring traffic

flow.

The traffic volumes measured by an inductive loop$-$detector were $1800vph$

at $5$:$00$pm and $1500vph$ at $5$:$30pm$ on $3$rd April $2022.$ At $5pm,$ the vehicles

spent an average of $0\mathrm{.}135$ secs on the $1\mathrm{.}5m$ long loop$-$detector and at

$5$:$30$pm$,$ the vehicles spent an average of $0\mathrm{.}12$ secs on the same loop$-$

detector.

Determine the maximum flow for the traffic stream.