Sing, Mika Vernadeth L.

CIEN 4122 | Traffic Engineering

2017-08727-MN-1 | BSCE 5-1 Assignment 1

ASSIGNMENT 1
To be submitted thru: gabrielbughao@gmail.com

Define the following terms:

 Uninterrupted flow
It is the flow regulated by vehicle-vehicle interactions and interactions between vehicles and
the roadway. For example, vehicles traveling on an interstate highway are participating in
uninterrupted flow.

Reference: Types of traffic flow. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021, from
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/niatt_labmanual/chapters/trafficflowtheory/theoryandconcepts/
TypesOfTrafficFlow.htm

Uninterrupted flow Conditions apply to traffic operations on road links between

intersections, i.e. where intersectional flows do not interfere with continuous traffic movement.

Reference: O'Flaherty, C. A., & H., B. M. G. (1997). Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering. Arnold.

 Interrupted flow
Interrupted flow is flow regulated by an external means, such as a traffic signal. Under
interrupted flow conditions, vehicle-vehicle interactions and vehicle-roadway interactions play a
secondary role in defining the traffic flow.

Reference: Types of traffic flow. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021, from
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/niatt_labmanual/chapters/trafficflowtheory/theoryandconcepts/
TypesOfTrafficFlow.htm

Interrupted flow conditions apply to at-grade intersections where the effects of intersecting
traffic flows and associated control devices predominate.

Reference: O'Flaherty, C. A., & H., B. M. G. (1997). Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering. Arnold.

 Volume
Volume is the number of vehicles (or persons) passing a point during a specified time period,
which is usually one hour, but need not be.

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Rate of flow
Rate of flow (q) is the equivalent hourly rates at which vehicles pass a point on a highway
during a time period less than 1 hour.
Sing, Mika Vernadeth L. CIEN 4122 | Traffic Engineering
2017-08727-MN-1 | BSCE 5-1 Assignment 1
Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

Rate of flow is the rate at which vehicles (or persons) pass a point during a specified time
period less than one hour, expressed as an equivalent hourly rate.

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Annual average daily traffic

Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) is the average of 24-hour counts collected every day
of the year. AADTs are used in several traffic and transportation analyses for:
a. Estimation of highway user revenues
b. Computation of crash rates in terms of number of crashes per 100 million vehicle miles
c. Establishment of traffic volume trends
d. Evaluation of the economic feasibility of highway projects
e. Development of freeway and major arterial street systems
f. Development of improvement and maintenance programs

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

Average annual daily traffic is the average 24-hour volume at a given location over a full
365-day year; the number of vehicles passing a site in a year divided by 365 days (366 days in a
leap year).

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Average annual weekday traffic

Average annual weekday traffic (AAWT) is the average 24-hour volume occurring on
weekdays over a full 365-day year; the number of vehicles passing a site on weekdays in a year
divided by the number of weekdays (usually 260).
Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Average daily traffic

Average Daily Traffic (ADT) is the average of 24-hour counts collected over a number of
days greater than one but less than a year. ADTs may be used for:
a. Planning of highway activities
b. Measurement of current demand
c. Evaluation of existing traffic flow

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.
Sing, Mika Vernadeth L. CIEN 4122 | Traffic Engineering
2017-08727-MN-1 | BSCE 5-1 Assignment 1
Average daily traffic is the average 24-hour volume at a given location over a defined time
period less than one year; a common application is to measure an ADT for each month of the
year.

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Average weekday traffic

Average weekday traffic (AWT) is the average 24-hour weekday volume at a given location
over a defined time period less than one year; a common application is to measure an AWT for
each month of the year.
Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall .

 Hourly volumes
The traffic volumes are the flow rates (equivalent hourly volumes) for the analysis period.
Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

Volume varies considerably over the 24 hours of the day, with periods of maximum flow
occurring during the morning and evening commuter “rush hours.”
Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Space mean speed

Space mean speed (u s ) is the harmonic mean of the speeds of vehicles passing a point on a
highway during an interval of time. It is obtained by dividing the total distance traveled by two
or more vehicles on a section of highway by the total time required by these vehicles to travel
that distance. This is the speed that is involved in flow-density relationships.

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

 Time mean speed

Time mean speed (ui ) is the arithmetic mean of the speeds of vehicles passing a point on a
highway during an interval of time.

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

 Density
Density (k), sometimes referred to as concentration, is the number of vehicles traveling over
a unit length of highway at an instant in time. The unit length is usually 1 mile (mi) thereby
making vehicles per mile (veh/mi) the unit of density

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

 Spacing
Sing, Mika Vernadeth L. CIEN 4122 | Traffic Engineering
2017-08727-MN-1 | BSCE 5-1 Assignment 1
Spacing is defined as the distance between successive vehicles in a traffic lane, measured
from some common reference point on the vehicles, such as the front bumper or front wheels.

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.

 Headway
It is the “spacing” in seconds between each vehicle. There is also Time Headway and Space
Headways.

Reference: Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2018). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.

Headway is defined as the time interval between successive vehicles as they pass a point
along the lane, also measured between common reference points on the vehicles.

Reference: Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2004). Traffic engineering. Prentice-Hall.