TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT

(ECG554)
TOPIC 3.0: FUNDAMENTAL OF TRAFFIC ENGG. APPLICATION
FOR TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT (TIA)

Synopsis: This topic covers: Fundamental of traffic stream

characteristics and scope under level of service evaluation.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the topic students should be

able to;
6. Describe the characteristics of traffic stream under various
travel conditions,,
7. Evaluate basic capacity of roadway under ideal condition, and
8. Assess the level of service of facilities.
 Traffic Engineering
• Recapitulate ECG 504:
– Traffic engineering: deals with the safe and efficient movement of
people and goods on roadway. It includes; planning, geometric design,
traffic operation and control, traffic safety, maintenance and
management of traffic.

– Elements of traffic engineering:

• Studies and data collection,
• Geometric design,
• Capacity analysis and evaluation,
• Control, operation and management

– Work of traffic engineer: quantifying how well a facility or system

working, for the purpose of,
• Assessing existing condition,
• Evaluating alternative improvements,
• Quantifying associated costs and benefits,
• Communicating the results to both technical and non-technical audiances
Traffic Stream Characteristics
 Volume Characteristics
• Traffic volume are distributed in both time
and space
 Volume Characteristics:
Hourly variation in traffic volume
 Volume Characteristics:
Daily variation in traffic volume
 Volume Characteristics:
Seasonal variation in traffic volume
 Speed Characteristics:
Speed distribution
• Each vehicle in a traffic stream has a
different speed. Most traffic streams have
speeds that are normally distributed which
is consistent with driver behavior.
 Speed Characteristics:
Presentation of speed distribution
• Frequency distribution curve
• Cumulative frequency distribution curve
 Basic Capacities under
Ideal Conditions (Textbook page: )
• Traffic volume
• Capacity
– Ideal capacity
– Practical capacity
 Capacity for
Uninterrupted Flow Facilities
• Under ideal conditions, possible capacity for uninterrupted flow are:
– For 2-lane two way (total) = 2,000 pcu/h
– For multilane (per lane) = 2,000 pcu/h

• Ideal conditions for two-lane roads are:

– Design speed equal or greater than 100 km/h,
– Lane width equal or greater than 3.65 m,
– Clear shoulder wider than or equal to 1.83 m,
– No “No passing zone” on the highway,
– All passenger cars in the traffic stream,
– A 50/50 directional split of traffic,
– No impedance to through traffic due to traffic control or turning vehicle,
– Level terrain
 Capacity for
Interrupted Flow Facilities
• Capacity of signalized intersection approaches – the
saturation flow rate is used. Saturation flow rate of an
intersection approach lane is the amount of traffic
volume that can be discharge during the green time and
that can be sustained constant.

• Saturation flow rate for signalized approaches is 1800

pcphgpl under ideal conditions, which include:
– Lane width of 3.5 m,
– Level approach grade,
– All passenger cars in the traffic stream,
– No left- or right turning vehicles in the traffic stream,
– Intersection located in a non-CBD area,
– No parking within 76.2 m (250 ft) from intersection
 Level of Service Concept (LOS)
• LOS is defined as qualitative measure describing operational conditions
within a traffic stream and their perception by motorists.
• Facilities performance measured in term of LOS index, and is letter coded
from A (excellent quality of flow) – F (unsatisfactory operation)

• Parameters used are:

– Volumes or flow rates
• Demand volume
• Discharge volume
– Speeds or delay
• Average travel speed/spot speed/space mean speed
• Delay per vehicle (seconds)/stopped delay/total delay
– Trip times
• Average travel time
– Demand to capacity ratio
• V/c ratio