Introduction to

Traffic Engineering
Bureau of Quality And Safety

EDSA, Metro Manila

C-5, Metro Manila

 What is Traffic Engineering?

Traffic Engineering is a branch of Civil

Engineering that uses engineering techniques
to achieve the safe and efficient movement of
people and goods on roadways.
 What is Traffic Engineering?
– Deals with the planning, geometric design
and traffic operations of roads, streets and
highways, their networks, terminals, abutting
lands and relationships with other modes of
transportation.
– It focuses mainly on research for safe and
efficient traffic flow. Thus, the study includes
road geometry, sidewalks, crosswalks, cycling
infrastructure and traffic signs.
 What is Traffic Engineering?
– Deals with the functional part of transportation
system, except the infrastructure provided.
– Applies engineering principles to help solve
transportation problems, and brings into play a
knowledge of psychology and habits of users of
the transportation systems, aside from technical
foundations
 Why is traffic engineering essential?
• The greatest obstacles a professional traffic
engineer faces in applying sound principles of
traffic engineering is the fact that “everyone is
a traffic expert”.
• The unfortunate result of this attitude of
expertise is the creation of hazardous traffic
conditions when false theories of individuals
or groups are put into effect.
• Without the training, the cure may be worse
than the disease.
 How does the traffic engineer solve traffic
problems?
As a trained professional, a Traffic Engineer:
1. Conducts detailed analysis and assessment of the:
• Road network;
• Traffic volume;
• Accident Statistics;
• Driver behavior;
• Operating speeds;
• Roadway conditions
2. Conducts research, and studies what other
professionals are doing and the results they have
achieved.
How does the traffic engineers promote safer
traffic operation?

• By providing roadway conditions

that contribute to a safe, smooth
and efficient traffic flow;
• Safety goes hand-in-hand with
smooth traffic operation;
• Design a road to accommodate
vehicles at a certain speed and for
a maximum capacity.
 Why not search for a solution by trial and
error?
• It can be done. But trial and error
can be expensive, in terms of lost
man-hours and wasted fuel
consumption.
• The motoring public will get
confused with traffic pattern that
changes every now and then.
• More accidents could ensue. The
streets of Metro Manila have no
room for guesswork, or whimsical
and unfounded theories.
General Principles
of Traffic
Management
 Introduction
Traffic flow problems on all roads EDSA Guadalupe,
Metro Manila
have been increasing steadily over
the years due to the combination of:
– Increasing population
– Per capita ownership of
vehicles
– Leisure use
This problem resulted in many roads
reaching capacity and delays have
been increasing on a direct result.
 Introduction
Commercial business interest have
been expanded. As a result, side
EDSA Guadalupe, Metro Manila
frictions increases due to vehicles
gaining access.
– Vehicles slowing down
– Stopping
– Parking/un-parking
– Pedestrian activity
(warranting pedestrian
crossing facilities)
 Introduction
• Long term impacts of side frictions are:
– Delays
– Accident potential
– Increased fuel consumption
– Higher road transport cost
– Diverted traffic (arterial to local roads)
 Traffic Management Scheme
Objectives and Scope
A well designed traffic management scheme
should achieve the following objectives/scopes:
• Provision of even distribution or motor traffic
activity through streets which fall into a similar
functional category
• Elimination of potentially hazardous locations
• Improvement of traffic movement on the
arterial roads
 Traffic Management Scheme
Objectives and Scope
• Improvement of drivers behavior
• Minimization of adverse effects to the
operation of the arterial road system
• Provision of adequate access to abutting
properties on local streets
• Enhance the local environment
• Reduction of through traffic in residential
street
 Goals of Traffic Management Schemes

• Traffic Management Schemes may be

implemented;
a) To improve road safety;
b) To improve local amenity (in
employment, local shopping areas and
residential areas);
c) To improve local access and circulation
d) To improve the utility of arterial roads
through improved traffic by reduction of
travel time, reduced fuel consumption
and less pollution.
 Goals of Traffic Management Schemes
• The various techniques in achieving the
goals are:
– Methods to direct vehicles along the
most appropriate paths (e.g. improving
capacity of arterial roads);
– Improvement of driver behavior;
– Reduction of in-built risk in the road
network; and
– Variations of the physical nature of the
road other than traffic purposes
 Goals of Traffic Management Schemes

Techniques in achieving the goals are:

1. Vehicle route techniques to:
• Reduce delays (e.g. geometric
improvement);
• Reduce the volume of ‘through’ traffic in
local streets;
• Eliminate non-local heavy vehicle traffic
in residential areas; and
• Minimize the amount of travel on the
local street network.
Goals of Traffic Management Schemes

2. Driver Behavior Techniques to :

• Reduce vehicle speeds;
• Increase driver awareness of, and
concern for, the non-traffic
environments in residential areas
Goals of Traffic Management Schemes

3. Risk reduction Techniques to:

• Reduce conflict situations where
possible through geometric
improvements;
• Separate pedestrians and cyclists from
motorized traffic as much as possible;
• Reduce/regulate on-street parking
Goals of Traffic Management Schemes

4. Non-traffic Techniques to:

• Integrate the road space with abutting
uses;
• Improve the appearance of the road;
• Create small spaces for passive (e.g.
exclusive bike lanes) or active (e.g
sports area) use protected from road
traffic
 Road Classification System
SCTEx
• Expressways/Freeways
• National Roads
– Primary, Secondary,
Tertiary
• Provincial Roads Daang Maharlika, San
Juanico Bridge
• Municipal/City Roads
• Barangay Roads
Road Classification System
(Mobility vs. Access)
 Road classification system is needed…
• Define administrative jurisdictions related to
road design, construction, operation, and
maintenance
• For operational safety and efficiency.
– Affects standards to use
• Higher speed and volume → lower
speed and volume
• Uninterrupted flow vs interrupted flow
Road classification system is needed…

– Defines control of access, right of way, and

intersection traffic control
• In intersection design, intersecting
roads should not be different by more
than one hierarchy level.
 Land Use and Transportation Systems
POSSIBLE INTERVENTION
• ARTERIAL
Arterial
IMPROVEMENTS Improvements

• Road Widening Deterioration Increased

in LOS Accessibility
• Pavement
Improvement
• Construction of new
roads/bridges Increased Increased Land
Traffic Conflict Value
• Other facilities
• Land Use Change
• Control of type Increased
Traffic
Land Use
Change
Generation
• Control of intensity
Improvement & Management of Arterial
Roads
1. Construction of new arterial roads;
2. Widening or reconstruction of existing arterial
roads to improve their capacity (impractical on
congested arterial roads);
3. Flaring of intersections on existing arterial roads to
increase capacity particularly where turning traffic
flows are high (e.g. auxiliary lanes for left or right
turning traffic);
 Improvement & Management of Arterial
Roads
4. Application of traffic management techniques should
be used to achieve maximum operational efficiency
from the existing road network such as:
o Additional lanes at intersections (e.g. central lane
for left turn traffic by narrowing slightly the
through lane);
o Prohibition of turns at congested intersections;
o Parking bans;
o Tidal flow; and
o Traffic signal coordination and Area Traffic Control
 Traffic Management Techniques for Local
Roads
• Reduced Local Street
Connectivity
– Street closure at
intersection
– Mid-block street closure
– Diagonal closure of
intersection
– Half closures at intersection
– Turn restriction by
channelization or medians
– One-way streets
Identifying and Defining the
Traffic Problem
 Rationale for Traffic Engineering &
Management
• There are not enough China National Day, 2015
roads to accommodate
the growing volume of
motor vehicles.
• Greater reliance must
therefore be placed on
traffic management
techniques to increase
the practical capacity
of available road
space!
 Defining the Traffic Problem

• What is a chokepoint? EDSA, Metro Manila

– Can be an intersection,
or a section of a busy
road, or a block
bounded by several
roads
– Usually a segment of
the busiest street
where the most
number of vehicles
pass each day
 Defining the Traffic Problem
• What is a traffic
bottleneck?
Commonwealth Avenue,
– a point in the traffic Quezon City
stream where the
number of vehicles
entering an
upstream flow is
greater than the
number of vehicles
that can get out at
the downstream end
 Indicators of Traffic Bottlenecks
• Measurable Indicators
– Queue length
– Intersection throughput
– Travel speed
– Travel time
– Delay time
– Volume-Capacity Ratio
(VCR)
– Signal Cycle Time (for
signalized intersections)
– Number of Traffic
Accidents
 Indicators of Traffic Bottlenecks
• Describable Indicators
– Presence of vehicle EDSA, Pasay

queue
– Blocked or grid-locked
intersections
– Low intersection
throughputs
– Presence of risky or
dangerous maneuvers
– Chaotic pedestrian
flows
 Indicators of Traffic Bottlenecks

• Describable Indicators
– Unsafe pedestrian crossings
– Commuters spilling over on road pavement
– Uncontrolled roadside parking
– Frequent blowing of horns
– Presence of makeshift traffic control devices
such as signs, humps, barriers
Documenting the Traffic Problem
 Road Crashes at Intersections

*TMG, 2002 (Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, Sigua)

 Documenting the problem
• Name and width of the road, in meters, or
number of lanes (if an intersection, include all
the roads);
• Pavement type and condition (poor/good,
concrete/asphalt);
• Geometric elements (alignment, sight distance,
etc.)
• Location and dimensions of median, island, or
separator if any;
• Sidewalk conditions, and presence of
road-side frictions like street vendors;
• Presence of hump, potholes, obstacles;
 Documenting the problem
• Presence (or absence) of such traffic control
devices, as traffic signals, pavement marking,
delineator, traffic sign, pedestrian barrier,
pedestrian overpass , etc.;
• Presence of bus/jeepney/tricycle/pedicab
terminals (on-street) or loading/unloading areas;

 Estimated volume of vehicles and

pedestrians; if readily available at site;
 Traffic regulations (one-way, turn
prohibitions) etc.
Example of a concise description of a
traffic problem
OBSERVATION REPORT ON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OF
A. BONIFACIO DRIVE - ANDA CIRCLE IN INTRAMUROS
Example of a concise description of a traffic
problem
OBSERVATION REPORT ON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OF
A. BONIFACIO DRIVE - ANDA CIRCLE IN INTRAMUROS
Example of a concise description of a
traffic problem
OBSERVATION REPORT ON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OF A.
BONIFACIO DRIVE - ANDA CIRCLE IN INTRAMUROS
Example of a concise description of a traffic
problem
OBSERVATION REPORT ON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OF
A. BONIFACIO DRIVE - ANDA CIRCLE IN INTRAMUROS
Bicycle? Car? Bus?

Thank you.