[Traffic Survey Manual]

[Pakistan]

[Solution of all traffic related issues]

This detailed document encompass traffic surveys dynamics

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[Pakistan Traffic Survey Manual]

Purpose and Scope
of the Manual

In order to facilitate the

assessment of present and future
SPOT SPEED SURVEY
traffic demands, for the
Speed is an important parameter because it relates to safety, time, comfort, development of need-based
convenience, and economics. Spot speed studies are conducted to estimate the infrastructure accurate
information and continuous
distribution of speeds of vehicles in a stream of traffic at a particular location on monitoring of traffic by
defined length in all classification of roads. The speed of a vehicle is defined as the rate appropriate methods is necessary.
Implementing authorities must
of movement of the vehicle; it is usually expressed in miles per hour (mi/h) or
therefore ensure that sufficient
kilometers per hour (km/h). “Spot speed is the instantaneous speed of a vehicle at a and appropriate data is available
specified location. It is based on length of road segment or links”. Spot speed studies to undertake necessary planning,
design, construction and
are important for measuring different variables and factors needed in the design and maintenance of the country’s road
analysis of the roads. Spot speed is generally used for capacity analysis, geometric network, which is aimed at
meeting the prevailing traffic
design, safety measures, speed trends and assessment. flow, future traffic growth and
loading without considerable
USES OF SPOT SPEED deterioration in the quality of
Spot Speed plays a major role in traffic engineering. Their uses include: service.
This guideline has therefore been
1. To determine the design and posted speed. prepared with the main aim being
2. To establish the new speed limits due to any facility. to
Provide basic information,
3. To compare the variation in the speed before and after due to any proposed concept and principles with
facility. respect to traffic data collection
and analysis.
4. To predict the pavement conditions.
There are various methods of data
5. To analyze the rate of accidents at any spot. collection available and used by
6. To evaluate the effectiveness of traffic control devices, such as variable different
organizations/institutions.
message signs at roads.
7. To evaluate and determine the adequacy of road geometric characteristics,
such as radii of horizontal curves and lengths of vertical curves.
8. To evaluate the effect of speed on road safety through the analysis of crash
data for different speed characteristics.
9. To assist the location of certain traffic signs.
10. To design the emergency escape ramps to overcome speeding problem.
11. To determine whether complaints about over speeding is valid or not.
12. To determine the stopping sight distance.

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8. To evaluate the effect of speed on road safety through the analysis of crash data for different speed
characteristics.
9. To assist the location of certain traffic signs.
10. To design the emergency escape ramps to overcome speeding problem.
11. To determine whether complaints about over speeding is valid or not.

D e te r m in a tio n o f d e s ig n a n d p o s te d s p e e d

P r e d ic tio n o f p a v e m e n t c o n d itio n s

E v a lu a tio n o f e f f e c tiv e n e s s o f tr a f f ic c o n tr o l d e v ic e s

Uses of Spot Speed

E v a lu a tio n o f r o a d g e o m e tr ic c h a r a c te r is tic s

D e te r m in a tio n o f a c c id e n t r a te s

V a lid a tio n o f o v e r s p e e d in g

D e is ig n in g o f E m e r g e n c y e s c a p e r a m p s

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SPOT SPEED AS INPUT

Some of the key areas in which spot speed data is needed as input for development and management of the road
network include:

1. Checking the efficiency of the road network by comparing spot speed before and after of any proposed facility
2. Establish parameters for traffic operation and control, such as speed zones, speed limits (85th-percentile speed
is commonly used as the speed limit on a road), and passing restrictions.
3. Determination of the proportion of vehicles above or below a certain speed (for road safety and enforcement)
4. Determination of stopping sight distance
5. Classification of road links on their functional basis
6. Prediction of zebra crossing and signal timingss if necessary

LOCATIONS FOR SPOT SPEED STUDY

The following locations are used for different types of application listed:
1. Locations that represent different traffic conditions on roads are used for basic data collection as shown in Figure
1.
2. Mid-blocks of urban arterials and straight, level and, open sections of rural roads are used for speed trend
analyses as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3 Straight and Level sections of rural

roads. Figure 2: Mid-block of urban arterial
3. Figure 1: Straight, Level and open sections of High accident
rural roads
frequency purposes and at points where the installation of traffic
signals facility may be necessary are referred as problematic locations and specific traffic engineering solutions
are used to mitigate these problems.

It is important that unbiased data should be collected while conducting spot speed survey. This requires that drivers be
unaware that such a study is being conducted. Equipment used, should be hidden from the driver. Since the speed data
recorded eventually will be subjected to statistical analysis, it is important that a statistically adequate number of
vehicle speeds should be recorded.

FACTORS AFFECTED SPOT SPEED STUDIES

1. Driver
2. Vehicle
3. Roadway and environment
4. Time of day and duration

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1. DRIVER
Age, Gender, no. of passengers, distance of his trip is considered in driver behavior and it affects the spot
speed studies.
2. VEHICLES
Type and weight are categorized in the vehicles which affects the spot speed studies.

3. ROADWAY AND ENVIRONMENT

The graphical locations, grade, sight distance, no. of lanes, spacing of intersections and, good weather are
specifically chosen. (e.g. in snowy weather it is difficult to measure the spot speed same as for hot condition
weather. These parameters are included in the roadway and environment factor.

4. TIME OF DAY AND DURATION

The time of day for conducting spot speed studies is important to determine because it depends on the purpose
of study. When the purpose of the study is to establish posted speed limits, to observe speed trends, or to
collect basic data, it is recommended that the study be conducted when traffic is free-flowing, usually during
off-peak hours. Conversely, when a speed study is conducted in response to public complaints, then peak-
hours should be selected.

CATEGORIES OF SPOT SPEED SURVEY TECHNIQUES

It is important to know the extent of spot speed data required or reason to be collected. Spot
speeds are usually measured on links (not at junctions) and are surveyed separately for each direction, with the
surveyor normally positioned on the side of the road of the direction being surveyed usually sample size of 50
vehicles are preferred. The larger the sample size, the greater the probability then the results will be generated
from the data within acceptable error limits. Statistical procedures are used to determine this minimum sample
size. Spot speed mainly falls in to two main categories, namely; manual and automatic. Spot-speed data is
collected by either automatic or electronic devices or either manually with a stopwatch. The two broadly
classified survey techniques and their sub-classifications along with their execution methodology are mentioned
hereunder:

Manual Counts
The most common method of collecting spot speed data is the manual method, which consist of assigning a
person to record distances and time with stop watch at a definite length as vehicles pass.

Methods for Manual Counting:

1. Short Based Method:

The survey location is commonly at the middle of a road link. A specific point is chosen on the link, according to
study objectives (for example at a pedestrian crossing, to investigate an accident problem). A short-base length is

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created, over which vehicles can be timed. The length will depend on speeds on the road, with longer bases
(lengths) needed for higher speeds.
Table 1.1 relates approximate lengths to average speeds.

Table 1: It is showing the speed ranges with respect to short based lengths

 The ends of the short-base length are demarcated on the road surface with paint, chalk, or tape lines; the lines
should be as unnoticeable as possible to drivers. Otherwise, the end line can be defined by the surveyor
standing directly opposite a roadside object (for example, a power pole or tree) on the opposite curb. The
Surveyor must always be at the end line.
 The short-base length must be measured with a metal tape-measure rather than a measuring wheel.
 In addition a "sampling line" is marked on the start line. Sampling line must be visible to surveyor as shown in
Figure 3.
 The Surveyor starts the stopwatch as the sample vehicle crosses the start line, and stops it as the same vehicle
crosses the end line.
 The time and vehicle types are documented on the survey form. The procedure is repeated for the next vehicle,
and so on throughout the survey period.
 Vehicle speeds are calculated from the times and known short-base distance.
 Results may be presented numerically or graphically.
 Numerical results can be: mean speeds; the range of speeds; the proportion of vehicles above or below a
certain speed and 85th percentile is commonly used to describe speeds.

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Figure 1: Simplified Classification for Initial Letter Method

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Figure 2: Tally Marking Survey Form

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Figure 3: Classified Vehicle Count Sheet by Envision Engineering
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References:
1. Overseas Road Note 11, Overseas Centre Transport Research Laboratory, Crow Thorne,
Berkshire, United Kingdom
2. Traffic Data Collection and Analysis, Ministry of Works and Transport, Gaborone, Botswana
3. Computer Vision Based Real-Time Traffic Monitoring System, Kim-Sung Jie and Ming Liu.
Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University