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Traffic Studies

The document discusses different types of traffic studies including traffic volume studies, spot speed studies, and travel time and delay studies. It describes different methods for collecting and analyzing traffic data including volume counts, speed measurements, and travel time measurements. The purpose of traffic studies is to obtain factual traffic information that can be used for transportation planning and engineering.

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92 views12 pages

Traffic Studies

The document discusses different types of traffic studies including traffic volume studies, spot speed studies, and travel time and delay studies. It describes different methods for collecting and analyzing traffic data including volume counts, speed measurements, and travel time measurements. The purpose of traffic studies is to obtain factual traffic information that can be used for transportation planning and engineering.

Uploaded by

chesteramiel10
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CETRAN30: Fundamentals of Transportation

Engineering
MODULE 4: TRAFFIC STUDIES

Photo Taken from: https://www.photowall.se/nanpu-bridge-tavla


TRAFFIC STUDIES
Traffic studies generally involve time and may entail much cost. It is therefore necessary to plan carefully all data
collection efforts. This chapter discusses the methodology for conducting surveys, how they are processed and analyzed.

1. TRAFFIC VOLUME
The most basic data needed for any traffic study. Volume studies are conducted to obtain factual information on the
number of vehicles and/or persons that pass at a specified point on the highway system. The resulting volume data
are expressed in relation to time.

1.1 Types of Volume


a. Annual traffic is used to determine annual travel, estimate expected highway user revenue, and compute
accidental rates.
b. Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) is used for measuring the present demand of service by the road, and
programming capital improvements.
c. Hourly traffic is used for evaluating capacity deficiencies, geometric design, or improvement of streets and
intersections.
d. Short-term count is used to estimate the maximum flow rate and determine the characteristics of peak hour
volumes.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
1.2 Types of Data Collected
a. Mid-block counts are used for preparing traffic flow maps and determining trends.
b. Directional counts are used for determining directional distribution for capacity analysis, signal timing, justifying
traffic control, etc.
c. Turning movement or intersection counts are used for signal timing, designing or improving the geometry of
intersections, planning turning prohibition, and analyzing high accident intersections.
d. Classification counts are used for determining the modal split and estimating the effects of heavy vehicles on
capacity.
e. Cordon counts are used to determine the number of vehicles and/or persons entering and leaving an enclosed
area.
f. Screen line counts are classified counts taken at some points along a line that bisects a given area.

1.3 Time of Study


a. Twenty-four-hour counts from midnight to midnight.
b. Sixteen-hour counts from 6 AM to 10 PM.
c. Twelve-hour counts from 6 AM to 6 PM.
d. Peak period counts from 7 AM to 9 AM, 5 PM to 7 PM, or other time intervals corresponding to a very high level of
traffic volume.
e. Short counts of about one hour or less with intervals of 5-15 minutes to analyze characteristics of peak hours.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
Abnormal conditions are usually avoided unless the purpose
is to obtain information concerning those conditions. These
would include:
a. Special occasions such as public holidays or fiestas.
b. Days with abnormal weather conditions.
c. Strikes or demonstrations.

1.4 Methods
a. By tallying
This is the simplest and most practical in the absence
of any mechanic or automatic counting device. Tally
sheets are used to record the number of vehicles.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
b. Using Manual Counters c. Using Automatic Counters
A mechanical device that is useful when When a traffic count of very long duration is required,
the volume is high. one may resort to automatic counters through the use of
detectors. A simple type of automatic counter is a
pneumatic tube laid transversely across the road.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
d. Using Video Cameras
This may be used to take footage of the traffic flow. Counts may be then carried
out later through tally or manual method while watching the video.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
1.5 Presentation of Traffic Volumes
Traffic volume summaries may be presented in ways that should be easily understood by the readers, some of
which are as follows:

1.6 AADT and ADT


The Annual Average Daily Traffic or AADT is a common measure of daily traffic at a given location.
AADT = sum of all vehicles passing the site in a year / 365 days
TRAFFIC STUDIES
2. SPOT SPEED STUDIES
The objectives of conducting a spot speed studies are to:
a. Determine the range and magnitude of speeds as a basis for formulating
design standards;
b. Establish maximum and minimum speed limits;
c. Determine the need for posting advisory speed signs;
d. Determine the need for school zone protection;
e. Evaluate the performance of a geometric improvement or traffic control
device through a “before and after” study

2.1 Methods
a. Radar Speed Meter
The radar speed meter is positioned at the edge of the roadway at an
angle of about 15 degrees with the centerline and is directed toward the
incoming vehicles.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
b. Manual Method
Also called the “trap length” method. In this method, two lines, 30-50m apart, are drawn transversely on the
pavement. A stopwatch then measures the “travel time” of the vehicle within the “trap.” The length of the trap is
divided by the travel time to estimate the speed.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
3. TRAVEL TIME AND DELAY STUDIES
Travel time studies normally give information on the performance of a particular roadway. Independent
measurements of stops and their observed reasons may also be included to give information on delays.

Travel time is the time taken by a vehicle to traverse a given section of a highway.
Running time is the time a vehicle is actually in motion while traversing a given section of a highway.
Delay is the time lost by a vehicle due to causes beyond the control of the driver.
Operational delay is that part of the delay caused by the impedance of other traffic. Operational Delay

This impedance can occur either as side friction, where the stream flow is interfered with by other
traffic (parking or unparking vehicles), or as internal friction, where the interference is within the traffic
stream (reduction in the capacity of the highway). Stopped-time delay is that part of the delay during
which the vehicle is at rest.
Fixed Delay

Fixed delay is that part of the delay caused by control devices such as traffic signals. This delay occurs
regardless of the traffic volume or the impedance that may exist.
Travel-time delay is the difference between the actual travel time and the travel time that will be
obtained by assuming that a vehicle traverses the study section at an average speed equal to that for an
uncongested traffic flow on the section being studied.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
3.1 Methods
a. Test Car Technique
The method makes use of a test vehicle that is driven over the road section under study. The driver is
instructed to travel at a speed that in his opinion is representative of the speed of the traffic stream.
b. License Plate Method
When details on delay are not important, the license plate method may be conducted. The method basically
consists of observing and recording the license plates of vehicles and the time of arrival at two points or more
on the road where the vehicles are expected to pass.
c. Moving Observer Method
One of the most common survey methods for obtaining information on traffic volume, speed, and density of a
given section of road is the so-called observer method. The method consists of one or two test cars traveling
back and forth within the section. A team is composed of at least two observers and one timer. One observer
counts the number of vehicles moving in the opposite direction; another observer counts the number of
vehicles that pass them as well as the number of vehicles they pass; the timer notes down the time it takes to
traverse the section.
TRAFFIC STUDIES
3.2 Applications of Travel Time and Delay Data

a. Determination of the efficiency of a route for its ability to carry traffic.


b. Identification of locations with relatively high delays and the causes for those delays.
c. Performance of before-and-after studies to evaluate the effectiveness of traffic operation improvements.
d. Determination of the relative efficiency of a route by developing sufficiency ratings or congestion indices.
e. Determination travel times on specific links for use in trip assignment models.
f. Compilation of travel time data that may be used in trend studies to evaluate the changes in efficiency and
level of service with time.
g. Performance of economic studies in the evaluation of traffic operation alternatives that reduce travel time.

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