Expressway Rescue Route Planning Using A* Algorithm Enhanced with Delphi Technique

To enhance the crucial prompt and efficient emergency response on expressways, this research set out to develop a novel rescue route planning method. We implemented the A Algorithm*, with its cost function uniquely developed through the Delphi Tech-nique. This involved 17 experts who helped determine the weighted importance of factors like population density, resource readiness, and traffic fluidity in route selec-tion. A chemical spill simulation on an expressway allowed us to rigorously compare this A* Algorithm against Dijkstra's Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, and stand-ard Google Maps approaches. Our findings reveal that the developed A* Algorithm significantly outperforms these methods, yielding routes that are, on average, 3-5% faster and 8-10% safer, underscoring its practical applicability in expressway rescue operations.