Capacity Analysis

Flow (v/s) ratio

Capacity

Ci si

vi
si

gi
C

Volume to capacity (v/c) ratio

vi
X i
Ci

vi
vC

i
si gi
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Capacity Analysis
Critical v/c ratio
v/c ratio for the intersection as a whole

Average Control Delay

The basis for LOS determination
For a given lane group:

Aggregated Delay Estimates

Delay for an Approach

Delay for an Intersection

Determine LOS
measure of the acceptability of delay
levels to motorists
Use the total control delay for the given
intersection:

Interpretation of Results
A critical v/c ratio of greater than 1.0 indicates that the signal and
geometric design cannot accommodate the combination of critical
flows at the intersection. The condition may be ameliorated by
increased cycle length, changes in the phasing plan, and basic
changes in geometrics.
When the critical v/c ratio is acceptable but the v/c ratios for critical
lane groups vary widely, the green-time allocation should be
reexamined, because disproportionate distribution of available green
is indicated.

v
vi
vC
X i i
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si gi
Ci s i g i
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Interpretation of Results
LOS measure is somewhat subjective: what might be acceptable in
a large city is not necessarily acceptable in a smaller city or rural
area
When delay levels are acceptable for the intersection as a whole but
are unacceptable for certain lane groups, the phase plan, allocation
of green time, or both might be examined to provide for more
efficient handling of the disadvantaged movement(s)
When delay levels are unacceptable but v/c ratios are relatively low,
the cycle length may be too long for prevailing conditions, the phase
plan may be inefficient, or both.
When both delay levels and v/c ratios are unacceptable, the
situation is critical. The full range of potential geometric and signal
design improvements should be considered.

CEE 370
Transportation Engineering

Public Transprotation

Oct 31, 2007

Professor Jessica Guo

Learning Objectives
Understand the role and benefits of transit
Understand the historic development of
transit and the factors influencing ridership
Recognize the range of transit modes, their
purposes and characteristics
Readings:
p.431-446, K&L
P.1-27, Public Transportation Factbook, APTA, 2007
Part 2, Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual

2nd Edition

Highway vs. Transit

Transit and Highways are fundamentally and
significantly different in how they are planned
and managed
Highway

Transit

Orientation

Engineering, construction

Management, finance

Service

Everywhere, anytime

limited in space and time

Operating
Cost

Users

Public agency and users

Funding

Dedicated source

Uncertain

Source: E. Beimborn, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Transit Benefits

Economic Sustainability

Nigel H.M. Wilson, MIT

Safety

Nigel H.M. Wilson, MIT

Transit Benefit
Transit is only 2 percent of the trips in our area
and therefore no matter what we do, it doesnt
matter
This is the same as saying The Green Bay
Packers won only 2 percent of the football
games last year - it can be any number you
want, depending on how many games you
include in the denominator.
A team does not play in all the games, nor does
a transit system provide service for all of the
trips!

Transit Ridership
Choice Users+ Captive Users
Historic trend:
Beginning of the 20th Century: grew steadily
1920s: first sign of decline due to expanded usage of
automobiles
Great Depression of the 1930s: stabilized
During World War II: public transportation dominated
1946: Ridership peaked, when Americans took 23.4
billion trips on trains, buses and trolleys.

Transit Ridership
Choice Users+ Captive Users
Historic trend:
After World War II: continued decline due to
inexpensive fuel and government policies favoring
low-density suburban development and the sprawl
created by the new interstate highway system.
1960: dropped to 9.3 billion trips
1972: all time low of 6.5 billion trips
2004: reached 9.6 billion trips

Transit Ridership

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FACT BOOK, APTA

Transit Ridership

Polzin and Chu, Journal of Transportation and Statistics , Vol.8, No.3

Today

Public Transportation Factbook 2007, APTA

Today
In cities of less than 1 million

More than 60% of users are women

About 20% of the users are under the age of 18,
about 20% are over 65
Use of transit for non-work purposes shopping,
medical, social purposes increases as city size
decreases.
There are greater portions of low income users

Today

Today

p.xii. Public Transportation Factbook 2007, APTA

Transit Modes
Classify by
right-of-way
Technology
service

Right of Way
Exclusive
reserved for the exclusive use of transit
vehicles; no interaction with other vehicle
types

Right of Way
Segregated
provide many of the same benefits of
exclusive rights-of-way but permit other
modes to cross the right-of-way at defined
locations such as grade crossings

Right of Way
Shared
permits other traffic to mix with transit
vehicles

Transit Modes

Segregated

Exclusive

Common Transit Modes

Paratransit: demand responsive, variable route,
point-to-point
Jitneys: privately owned, fixed route, no fixed
schedules
Carpools, vanpools: prearranged rideshare
Dial a ride

Buses
Fixed route
Express
Trolley: propelled by electric power

Common Transit Modes

Bus rapid transit
regular or high performance buses with exclusive or
segregated R/W

Common Transit Modes

Rail
Heavy rail: fully grade-separated rights-of-way, high
level platforms, and high-speed, electric multiple-unit
cars

Common Transit Modes

Rail
Light rail: relatively frequent service along mostly
exclusive or segregated rights-of-way, using
articulated cars and up to four-car trains

Common Transit Modes

Rail
Streetcars: operating along mostly shared or
segregated rights-of-way, with one-car (or rarely,
two-car) trains

Common Transit Modes

Rail
Vintage trolley: provide mainly tourist- or shopperoriented service, often at relatively low frequencies,
using either historic vehicles or newer vehicles
designed to look like historic vehicles

Common Transit Modes

Ferry
providing pedestrian, bicycle, andin some cases
vehicle
transport
across
waterways
where
transportation connections are desirable but conditions
do not justify a bridge or tunnel or alternative bridges
and tunnels are congested