transit, portable water, sanitary sewer service, solid waste removal, drainage, and public open

space and recreation facilities. Level of service is given on a scale from A-F with A being the
highest and F being the lowest. Level of service is often used at signalized intersections. For
example, an intersection in which traffic movements produce conflicting turns might yield a
level of service of D or E. The level of service here approaches an unstable flow and fluctuations
in volume and temporary restrictions cause a substantial drop in the operating speed.
Level of service was first developed for highways in an era that experienced rapid
expansion in the use and availability of the private motor car. The primary concern was
congestion, and it was commonly held that only the rapid expansion of the freeway network
would mitigate congestion. Since this time, levels of service have been modified to take into
account public transportation as well. Most urban areas will receive a level of service of F
because stoppages occur for short or long periods of time due to downstream congestion.
However, these locations are typically still operational due to improved pedestrian, bicycle, or
transit alternatives. Most level of service standards call for roads to be widened to help improve
LOS grades; however, this may not always be feasible. Because of this some planners
recommend increasing population density in towns, narrowing streets, managing car use in some
areas, providing sidewalks and safe pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and increased beautification
of the area (2).
Scope:
The LOS study was conducted for the 4 intersections in Washington D.C.; 10th street
NW & U Street NW (Figures 1), Sherman Ave NW & Barry Pl NW (Figures 2), Sherman Ave
NW & Girard Street NW (Figures 3), and Georgia Ave NW & Gresham Pl NW (Figures 4).

Figure 1: Street view of 10th street at U street NW

Figure 2: Street view of Sherman Ave NW at Barry Pl NW

Figure 3: Street view of Sherman Ave NW at Girard Street NW

Figure 4: Street view Aerial View of Georgia Ave NW at Gresham Pl NW

Methodology and Data Collection:

The LOS data for all 4 intersections were obtained by HCS and Synchro on December 5,
2014. Highway Capacity Software (HCS) implements the procedures defined in the Highway
Capacity Manual for analyzing capacity and determining level of service for Signalized
Intersections, Unsignalized Intersections, Urban Streets, Freeways, Weaving Areas, Ramp
Junctions, Multilane Highways, Two-Lane Highways and Transit (3). Synchro is a software
application for optimizing traffic signal timing and performing capacity analysis (4). The
software improves splits, offsets, and cycle lengths for individual intersections, an arterial, or a
complete network and it also provides detailed time space diagrams that can show vehicle paths
or bandwidths (4). To use Synchro, pervious data from all 4 intersections must be provided for
the software. They are Turning Movement Count data and the Condition Diagram measurements.
Synchro can now provide the data that can be transferred to HCS and HCS will provide the LOS
data automatically.

Synchro simulation view of Georgia Ave NW at Gresham Pl NW

Synchro simulation view of Sherman Ave NW at Barry Pl NW

Synchro simulation view of U Street NW at 10 Street NW

Synchro simulation view of Sherman Ave NW and Girard Street

Analysis of Result:
See attachments.
Conclusion/ Recommendations:
All Level of Service for the 4 intersections are provided in the HCS and Synchro report
attachments.

References
1.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/~flm/CE%20361_files/chapter6_notes_.pdf. Accessed

date 11/04/2014
2.

Scorsone,

quality/level

T.
of

Florida

Deparment

of

service

handbook

Transporataiton,
Retrieved

(2009).
from

2009
website:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/systems/sm/los/
3.

Mctran.

University

of

Flordia,

Jan.

2014.

Web.

Dec.

2014.

<http://mctrans.ce.ufl.edu/hcs/hcs2000/>.
4.

"Product Overview." Trafficware. Trafficware, 1 Jan. 2003. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.

<http://trafficware.infopop.cc/synchro.htm>.