BFC 32302 Traffic Engineering & Safety

Semester II 2017/2018

TUTORIAL 1 (SOLUTION)

1. Table 1 shows the time taken for 10 vehicles to traverse a 400-m long section of a collector
street. Calculate, in km/h, the time mean speed and space mean speed.

Table 1: Vehicle travel time data recorded on collector street

Vehicle Travel Time (sec)

1 45.3
2 44.6
3 36.8
4 37.8
5 46.1
6 35.3
7 31.5
8 48.4
9 38.2
10 37.5

Solution

Length
Travel
of
Vehicle Time
segment Speed Speed
(sec)
(m) (m/s) (km/h)
1 45.3 400 8.83 31.8
2 44.6 400 8.97 32.3
3 36.8 400 10.87 39.1
4 37.8 400 10.58 38.1
5 46.1 400 8.68 31.2
6 35.3 400 11.33 40.8
7 31.5 400 12.70 45.7
8 48.4 400 8.26 29.8
9 38.2 400 10.47 37.7
10 37.5 400 10.67 38.4
TOTAL 401.5 364.9

Time mean speed = 364.9 / 10 = 36.5 km/h

Space mean speed = 10(400) / 401.5 = 9.96 m/s = 35.9 km/h

2. A researcher conducted a traffic flow study along a section of a state road, where speed, v
(km/h) and flow, q (veh/h) data were collected. Table 2 shows the space mean speed and
corresponding flows for several traffic streams observed in the study area.

(i) Develop an equation that relates speed, v (km/h) and density, k (veh/km).
(ii) Determine the jam density.
(iii) Calculate the mean spacing, s (meters) and headway, h (seconds).

Table 2: Speed and flow data collected on a state road

Speed, v (km/h) Flow, q (veh/h)

45 735
52 789
60 848
55 886
48 817
36 608
74 732
56 780
67 855
70 821
61 896
83 670

Solution

Speed, v Flow, q Density, k

(km/h) (veh/h) (veh/km)
45 735 16.3
52 789 15.2
60 848 14.1
55 886 16.1
48 817 17.0
36 608 16.9
74 732 9.9
56 780 13.9
67 855 12.8
70 821 11.7
61 896 14.7
83 670 8.1
Average 58.9 13.9
 Speed-density graph
140

120

100
Speed, v (km/h)

80

60

40

20

0
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0
Density, k (veh/km)

Free mean speed, vf = 120 km/h

Jam density, kj = 27 veh/km

𝑣𝑓
𝑣 = 𝑣𝑓 − 𝑘
𝑘𝑗

120
𝑣 = 120 − 𝑘
27

𝑣 = 120 − 4.4𝑘

Average spacing, s = 1000 / 13.9 = 71.9 m

Average speed, v = 58.9 km/h = 16.4 m/s

Average headway, h = 71.9 / 16.4 = 4.4 s
3. (a) A divided multilane highway is being planned with a forecasted opening-day average
annual daily traffic, AADT of 50,000 vehicles/day with a design hourly factor, K of
0.090 and a directional split, D of 55/45. Calculate the directional design hourly
volume (DDHV).

Solution

DDHV = AADT x K x D = 50,000 x 0.09 x 0.55 = 2475 veh/hour

(b) A segment of the divided multilane highway is located in mountainous terrain. The
segment has four 3.65 m lanes, 1.8 m of lateral clearance on both sides and an
average of 1 access point per km. Given that the peak hour factor, PHF is 0.95, driver
population factor is determined as 0.90, traffic includes 6% trucks and buses, and the
posted speed limit is 80 km/h, determine the level of service (LOS) along this
segment.

Solution

BFFS = 80 + 8 = 88 km/h

fW = 0
fLC = 0
fA = 0.67
fM = 0

FFS = 88 – 0 – 0 – 0.67 – 0 = 87.3 km/h

N=2
fP = 0.9
PHF = 0.95
V = 2475

PT = 0.06
ET = 4.5

1
𝑓𝐻𝑉 = = 0.826
1 + 0.06(4.5 − 1)

2475
𝑣𝑃 = = 1752 𝑝𝑐/ℎ/𝑙𝑛
2(0.95)(0.826)(0.9)

Since vP > 1400

10.4𝐹𝐹𝑆 − 696 𝑣𝑃 − 1400 1.31

𝑆 = 𝐹𝐹𝑆 − ( )( )
26 15.6𝐹𝐹𝑆 − 704

10.4 ∗ 87.3 − 696 1752 − 1400 1.31

𝑆 = 87.3 − ( )( ) = 83.7 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
26 15.6 ∗ 87.3 − 704

Density = 1752 / 83.7 = 20.9 pc/km/ln

LOS D
4. A new suburban freeway is being designed. Determine the number of lanes that are needed
to provide LOS C during the peak hour.

Given the following information:

Volume = 4000 vehicles/hour (both directions)

PHF = 0.85
Level terrain
0.9 interchanges per kilometer
15 percent trucks
3 percent RVs
3.6-m lane width
1.8-m lateral clearance

Assume:

Commuter traffic
BFFS of 120 km/h

Try N = 2

fW = 0
fLC = 0
fID = 8.1
fN = 7.3

FFS = 120 – 0 – 0 – 8.1 – 7.3 = 104.6 km/h

N=2
PHF = 0.85
fP = 1
V = 4000/2 = 2000 (one direction)

PT = 0.15
ET = 1.5

PR = 0.03
ER = 1.2

1
𝑓𝐻𝑉 = = 0.925
1 + 0.15(1.5 − 1) + 0.03(1.2 − 1)

2000
𝑣𝑃 = = 1272 𝑝𝑐/ℎ/𝑙𝑛
2(0.85)(1)(0.925)

3100 – 15*104.6 = 1531 pc/h/ln

Since vP < 3100 – 15FFS

S = FFS = 104.6 km/h

Density = 1272 / 104.6 = 12.2 pc/km/ln

LOS C

Therefore use N = 2 lanes per direction