ENGR. JOMAR S.

RAMOS
Transportation is essential for a nation’s development and growth. In both
the public and private sector, opportunities for engineering careers in
transportation are exciting and rewarding. Elements are constantly being
added to the world’s highway, rail, airport, and mass transit systems, and
new techniques are being applied for operating and maintaining the
systems safely and economically.
THE PROFESSION OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
1. Transportation Planning

2. Transportation Infrastructure Design

3. Traffic Operations and Management

4. Maintenance Operations and Management

THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THE SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Bureau of Design

Bureau of Equipment

Bureau of Construction
Bureau of Maintenance

Bureau of Research and Standards

Bureau of Quality and Safety
 TRANSPORTATION IN THE UNITED STATES
• Approximately 18 percent of U.S. household expenditure is related to transportation.

• Transportation accounts for about 28 percent of total energy consumption.

• Almost 100 percent of the energy utilized for propelling transport vehicles is derived
from petroleum resources.

• Over 50 percent of all petroleum products consumed in the United States are for
transportation purposes.

• Over 80 percent of eligible drivers are licensed to operate a motor vehicle.

• Each person in the Unites States travels an average of 12,000 miles each year.

• Over 10 percent of the work force is employed in a transportation-related activity.

 INTERACTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND

• State of the economy – produces the demand

for transportation

• Extent and Quality of the System – supply of

transportation facilities
and services
 INTERACTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Relationship between Transportation Demand and Cost

 INTERACTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Relationship between Transportation Supply and Cost

INTERACTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Equilibrium Volume
Highway Transportation

The Highway Project Development Process

(Virginia Department of Transportation)

1. Planning (6 to 24 months)
2. Design (15 to 24 months)
3. Environment (9 to 36 months)
4. Right-of Way (6 to 21 months)
5. Construction (12 to 36 months)
Highway Transportation

The Highway Project Development Process

(Wisconsin Department of Transportation)

1. Select Project
2. Investigate Alternates
3. Obtain Final Approvals
4. Develop Project Design
5. Prepare for Construction
6. Construct Project
INTRODUCTION TO TRAFFIC
ENGINEERING
Traffic engineering is that phase
of transportation engineering
which deals with the planning,
geometric design and traffic
operations of roads, streets, and
highways, their networks,
terminals, abutting lands, and
relationships with other modes
of transportation.
The principal goal of the traffic engineer remains the provision
of a safe system for highway traffic.

The definitions of transportation and traffic engineering

highlight additional objectives:

• Speed
• Comfort
• Convenience
• Economy
• Environmental compatibility
CONCEPTS OF MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

Transportation systems provide the nation’s population with both mobility

and accessibility.

Mobility refers to the ability to travel to many different destinations, while

accessibility refers to the ability to gain entry to a particular site or area.

Mobility focuses on the through portion of trips and is most affected by the
effectiveness of through facilities that take a traveler from one general area
to another. Accessibility requires the ability to make a transfer from the
transportation system to the particular land parcel on which the desired
activity is taking place.
ELEMENTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Traffic studies and characteristics involve measuring and quantifying

various aspect of highway traffic. Studies focus on data collection and
analysis that is used to characterize traffic, including (but not limited to)
traffic volumes and demands, speed and travel time, delay, accidents, origins
and destinations, modal use, and other variables.

Performance evaluation is a means by which traffic engineers can rate the

operating characteristics of individual sections of facilities and facilities as a
whole in relative terms.
ELEMENTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Facility design involves traffic engineers in the functional and geometric

design of highways and other traffic facilities. Traffic engineers, per se, are
not involved in the structural design of highway facilities but should have
some appreciation for structural characteristics of their facilities.

Traffic control is a central function of traffic engineers and involves the

establishment of traffic regulations and their communication to the driver
through the use of traffic control devices, such as signs, markings, and
signals.
ELEMENTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Traffic operations involves measures that influence overall operation of

traffic facilities, such as one-way street systems, transit operations, curb
management, and surveillance and network control systems.

Transportation systems management (TSM) involves virtually all aspects

of traffic engineering in a focus on optimizing system capacity and
operations. Specific aspects of TSM include high-occupancy vehicle priority
systems, car-pooling programs, pricing strategies to manage demand, and
similar functions.
ELEMENTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) refers to the application of

modern telecommunications technology to the operation and control of
transportation systems. Such systems include automated highways,
automated toll-collection systems, vehicle-tracking systems, in-vehicle GPS
and mapping systems, automated enforcement of traffic lights and speed
laws, smart control devices, and others.