Traffic Engineering

Safety in Transportation • Composition of traffic consists of pedestrians,

cyclists, two wheelers, three wheelers, cars,
tempo, truck, buses and so on. The number of
vehicles increasing consistently
Traffic Engineering
• This leads to traffic congestion, delays and
accidents.
• To avoid this and to have safety it is necessary
to study the traffic characteristics and traffic
operations before planning and designing.

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Traffic engineering Implentation

• Traffic engineering is the branch which deals
with these aspects of highway engineering
• Basic objective is to have safe, efficient, free
and rapid flow of traffic without accidents.
• Includes studies of traffic aspects like
Characteristics, Operations, Planning,
geom.design, administration.
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• All the traffic study phases are
implemented thru three E’s . . .
• Engineering: improving road geometrics,
and providing additional road facilities
• Enforcement: making laws, rules,
regulations and controls
• Education: training public in schools,
colleges, publicity, radio, TV to improve
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 Traffic Studies (Census, Surveys) Traffic Studies

• It is all the data collected to analyze the • a. Traffic Volume study

traffic characteristics used for design and
control. Includes. . . • b. Speed Studies
• Type of traffic, volume of traffic, nature of – i Spot Speed Study
traffic, speed of traffic, condition of – ii Speed and Delay Study
vehicles and accidents (place, cause, c. Origin and Destination Study
time) or other items (axle load, tyre
pressure etc) d. Traffic Flow and Capacity Study
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e. Accident Study 25/04/2016
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Traffic volume study Traffic volume study

• Traffic volume is the number of vehicles crossing a
section of road per unit time at any selected period.
• Traffic volume is used as a quantity measure of flow; the
commonly used units are vehicles per day and vehicles
per hour.
• A complete traffic volume study may include the classified
volume study by recording the volume of various types
and classes of traffic, the distribution by direction and
turning movements and the distribution on different lanes
per unit time.
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• There are variations in traffic flow from time to time.
Hourly traffic volume varies considerably during a day, the
peak hourly volume may be much higher than average
hourly volume.
• Daily traffic volumes vary considerably in a week and
there are variations with season.
• Hence if a true picture is to be obtained, the hourly traffic
volume should be known along with the patterns of hourly,
daily and seasonal variations
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 Traffic volume study: Traffic volume study:
Counting of traffic volume Counting of traffic volume
Mechanical counters Manual counts

• These may be either fixed (permanent) type or portable type. This method employs a field team to record traffic volume on the
The mechanical counter can automatically record the total prescribed record sheets.
number of vehicles crossing a section of the road in a desired
By this method it is possible to obtain data which can not be
period. The working may be by the effect of impulses or stimuli
collected by mechanical counters, such as vehicle classification,
caused by tyre movements on a pneumatic hose placed across
turning movements and counts where the loading conditions or
the roadway or by using any other type of sensor.
number of occupants are required.
• Other methods of working the mechanical detectors are by
photo-electric cells, magnetic detector and radar detectors. The
main advantage of mechanical counter is that it can work
throughout the day and night for the desired period, recording
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the total hourly volume, which may not be practicable in
manual counting

Traffic volume study Traffic volume study

Presentation of traffic volume data Presentation of traffic volume data
The data colleted during the traffic volume studies are sorted out and are (c) Variation charts showing hourly, daily and seasonal variations
presented in any of the following forms depending upon the are also prepared. These help in deciding the facilities and regulation
requirements. needed during peak traffic periods.

(a) Annual average daily traffic (AADT or ADT) of the total traffic as (d) Traffic flow maps along the routes, (the thickness of the lines
well as classified traffic are calculated. This helps in deciding the relative representing the traffic volume to any desired scale), are drawn. These
importance of a route and in phasing the road development programme. help to find the traffic volume distribution at a glance.
In order to convert the different vehicle classes to one class such as
passenger car, conversion factors known as Passenger Car Units (PCU)
are used.

(b) Trend charts showing volume trends over period of years are
prepared. These data are useful for planning future expansion, design
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and regulation.

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 Speed studies
One of the simplest methods of finding spot speed is by
using enoscope which is just a mirror box supported on a
tripod stand.
In its simplest principle, the observer is stationed on one
side of the road and starts a stopwatch when a vehicle
crosses that section.
Origin and Destination Studies
The origin and destination (O & D) study is carried out
mainly to (i) plan the road network and other facilities for
vehicular traffic and (ii) plan the schedule of different -roads
of transportation for the trip demand

An enoscope is placed at a convenient distance of say 30 m

in such a way that the image of the vehicle is seen by the
observer when the vehicle crosses the section where the
enoscope is fixed and at this instant the stop watch is
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stopped.

Origin and Destination Studies Origin and Destination Studies

• The various applications of O & D studies may be summed up as follows • Road side interview method
• to judge the adequacy of existing routes and to use in planning new network
of roads. • License plate method
• to plan transportation system and mass transit facilities in cities including
routes and schedules of operation. • Return post card method
• to locate expressway or major routes along the desire lines. • Tag on car method
• to establish preferential routes for various categories of vehicle including
by-pass. • Home interview method
• to locate terminals and to plan terminal facilities.
• Work spot interview method
• to locate new bridge as per traffic demands.
• to locate intermediate stops of public transport.
• to establish design standards for the road, bridges and culverts along the
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Traffic Control Devices Mandatory or Regulatory Signs
• The improvements made or facilities provided • Sign indicating prohibition,
Speed 600 dia,
to the road user to obtain safe, efficient, free red disc
the nonobeyance of which
and rapid flow of traffic 30 is punishable by law.
Limit
150
mm 150 x 150 Includes signs . .
• Types: Traffic Signs, Traffic Signals, Traffic
Markings and Traffic Islands. Def Plate • Speed limit, Weight limit,
2.8 m No entry, direction sign, no
Post
• Traffic Signs: Symbols or inscriptions, mounted parking, overtaking
80x80x8,
on fixed or portable support to give warning, painted prohibited, sound
direction or guidance to road users. white and
prohibited, one way entry,
black 250
• Types: Mandatory, Cautionary and Informatory.
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Warning or Cautionary Signs

450
equlateral
• Signs indicating to road
triangle with user about their approach
80 border to a place where caution
150 is necessary. Includes . .
mm 450 x 450
explanatory • Rough road, speed
plate
breaker, Zig zag, cross
2.75 m road, left turn, right turn,
Post
level crossing, school
80x80x8,
painted ahead, dead end road,
white and steep slope, hairpin bend,
black 250 narrow bridge, ghat road
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 Informatory or guiding Signs
• Give information of interest to the
road user and guide them.
Miraj
• May be of rectangular shape of
specified size indicating,
Kupwad Dhamani
Road junction approach, End of
speed limit, Parking sign, village
and place name signs, names of
route/road, km stone, 200 m
stones.. .. ..

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Traffic Markings

• The lines and patterns over the carriageway

such as center line marking, lane marking,
pedestrian crossing for controlling and guiding
the traffic
• Traffic Signals: devices used to control and
guide the traffic, include
• Traffic control signals, pedestrian control
signals, special signals.

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 Traffic Signals Traffic Islands: Raised platforms of
suitable shapes built on road intersections

• Help in orderly movement of traffic,

reduce accidents, control the speed • Objects: orderly
• Types: Rotary flow of traffic,
maintain the
Fixed Time, Manual, Traffic actuated:
speed, conflict
The phase and cycle time are point elimination,
controlled by fixed time, manually, Zebra Channelizing self governing
depending on demand of traffic Crossing or refuge
islands flow of traffic

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Segregation of traffic
• Means separation of traffic. May be w. r. t.
• Time: done by signals
• Place: bye pass or ring road
• Speed: foot path, cycle track, slow-fast lane
• Direction: one way or no entry signs
• Grade: flyovers or under passes
• Trumpet and Cloverleaf junctions
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