CE 242-4

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
REGULATORY MEASURES
Reference

Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering, Edited by C. A.

O’Flaherty (1st Edn)
Chapter 24, Regulatory Measures for traffic managements. (Page
451 to 460)
General
These include
speed limits
Restrictions on turning movements
One way streets
Tidal flow operations
Priority for high occupancy vehicles
On street waiting restrictions
Parking control
And others
Managing the Management
Speed Limits
Implementing maximum speed limits modify speeding
behaviour and reduce number and severity of accidents
by: -
Reducing stopping sight distance.
Reducing rear end collisions by maintaining min
desirable clear distance (24.4 & 73.2 m against 48 km/h
& 90 km/h respectively).
Maximizing available skid resistance.
Pedestrian safety, easier to judge speed.
Types are ‘absolute speed limit’ and ‘prima facie speed
limit’.
World wide trends are: -
Limits applicable throughout the year.
Different for different roads.
Different for different roads.
Lower speed limits.
Different for different times of day.
Greatest hindrance to motorist observance is
application of a general restriction where it is
obviously inappropriate. Factors considered for
establishing speed limits is: -
Design speed.
Prevailing vehicle speeds.
Road cross section, curvature, gradient and surface
quality.
Frequency and spacing of intersection.
Traffic volume and composition.
 Accident history.
Pedestrians and parked vehicles.
Traffic control devices.
Should not be much less than 85 percentile speed.
Observance encouraged by police, speed cameras, Self
policing by traffic calming methods etc.
Restrictions on Turning Movements
Right turning cause accidents and congestion. At
signalized intersection coped up by inserting extra
phase, early cur off / late start or sometimes banned
completely or partly during the day.
Simple Diversion. Right turning directed to next minor-
minor intersection of higher capacity.
‘G’ Turn. Left turning prior to critical intersection and
crossing it later straight ahead. Careful signing so as
drivers do not overshoot.
‘Q Turn. Crossing critical straight ahead and coming
over again to cross straight ahead. Least obstructive
but crosses over intersection twice.
On all above, alternate routes be available, buses may
be exempted because of specific areas served,
Sometimes minor to major may be completely banned.
One-way Streets
Simple tool to relieve congestion requiring less
policing. More easily introduced on grid iron street
pattern, roads pattern having complementary streets.
Advantages are: -
Increase in road capacity.
Odd lanes can be utilized fully now.
Slow/ stopped vehicles safely overtaken.
Turning movements not delayed.
Linking of traffic signals facilitated.
Public transport system more reliable.
Parking facilitated.
Lesser accidents.
Disadvantages are: -
Increase in traveling distance.
Opposing direction bus stops, relocated.
More severity of non head-on accidents.
Mid block weaving actions.
Problems for non locals.
Loss to amenity as traffic redirected through residential
streets.
Disadvantages are: -
Increase in traveling distance.
Opposing direction bus stops, relocated.
More severity of non head-on accidents.
Mid block weaving actions.
Problems for non locals.
Loss to amenity as traffic redirected through residential
streets.
Tidal Flow Operations
It is a management tool in which carriageway is shared
between two directions of travel in near proportion to
flow in each direction. Number of lanes assigned
varies with the time of the day providing extra capacity
during peak commuter periods. Traffic is not to be
diverted to minor streets.
Disadvantages are: -
Expensive.
Poor implementation, increased head on collisions.
Central pedestrian refuge has to be removed.
No parking restrictions are normally imposed.
Controlling tidal flow operations
Special signals indicating green arrows, red crosses over
gantry boards. Detectors in the pavement monitor
draining of vehicles. Costly but save.
Moveable barriers (traffic cones) hand shifted. Labour
intensive.
Moveable rigid barriers economically justified on
heavily trafficked routes, uses self propelled transfer
vehicle.
 
I I Chundrigar Road Karachi
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

Study the handout provided. It is included

in quiz, OHT and ESE
END