diff --git a/trafficlightfrontend/apps.py b/trafficlightfrontend/apps.py
index 720639f..455502d 100644
--- a/trafficlightfrontend/apps.py
+++ b/trafficlightfrontend/apps.py
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ class TrafficlightfrontendConfig(AppConfig):
         if TrafficlightfrontendConfig.initialized or os.environ.get("RUN_MAIN") is None:
             return
 
-        print("Traffic Light Frontend: initialization.")
-        print("Current working directory: {}".format(os.getcwd()))
+        # print("Traffic Light Frontend: initialization.")
+        # print("Current working directory: {}".format(os.getcwd()))
 
-        periods = json.load(open("periods.json"))
+        periods = json.load(open(os.path.join(settings.BASE_DIR, settings.SIMULATION_DATA_FILE)))
 
-        SimulationThread.initialize(periods, start_time=datetime.time.fromisoformat("07:59"), time_factor=4.0)
+        SimulationThread.initialize(periods, start_time=datetime.time.fromisoformat(settings.SIMULATION_START_TIME), time_factor=settings.SIMULATION_TIME_FACTOR)
         SimulationThread.get_instance().start()
 
         TrafficlightfrontendConfig.initialized = True
diff --git a/trafficlights/settings.py b/trafficlights/settings.py
index 2dc214b..224a15c 100644
--- a/trafficlights/settings.py
+++ b/trafficlights/settings.py
@@ -122,3 +122,8 @@ STATIC_URL = 'static/'
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#default-auto-field
 
 DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
+
+# Simulation-specific settings
+SIMULATION_DATA_FILE = 'periods.json'
+SIMULATION_START_TIME = '07:59'
+SIMULATION_TIME_FACTOR = 4.0