Traffic Engineering

Third Year

College of Engineering

Kufa University
Civil department

Mooring & evening study

Chapter Four
Traffic Delay Studies

Travel time and delay characteristics

are good indicators of the level of service and to determine the efficiency of
flow. A delay study is made to determine the amount, cause, location,
duration, and frequency of delays, as well as the overall travel and running
speed.

4-1 Applications of Delay Data

1. To evaluate the congestion
2. To carry out the Before-and-After study
3. To assign traffic to certain networks and new or improved facility.
4. To carry out the economic studies
5. To make trend study, i.e., the evaluation of level of service as it changes
with the passage of time.

4-2 Traffic Delay Types

Delay: This is the time lost while traffic is impeded by some elements over
which the driver has no control.

4-2-1 Operational or Congestion Delay

This delay is caused by interference between components of traffic, that
is, the delay due to influences of other traffic. One type of operational delay is
caused by other traffic movements that interfere with the stream flow (side
frictions). This includes parking or unparking vehicles, pedestrians, stalled
vehicles, double parking and cross traffic. A second type of operational delay
is caused by interferences within the traffic stream (internal friction), this
includes congestion due to high volumes, lack of roadway capacity, and
merging or weaving maneuvers.
Two cases:
a- In case of main streets
1

Traffic Engineering
Third Year

College of Engineering

Kufa University
Civil department

Mooring & evening study

Determine the average running speed when the traffic conditions are
free moving and vehicles are not impeded and to call this reasonable
running speed, normally max value will be the speed limit is to be
taken.
b- In case of city center streets
Is to use the average spot speed measured at point where there is no
impeded interference to traffic flow i.e. at point as far removed from
intersection.
Example (4.1): Section of road length of 335 m , with average running speed is
21 km/hr

where the speed limit is 50 km/hr and average spot speed

is 26.9 km/hr , determine the congestion delay in two cases?

Solution
aRunning time at reasonable speed (50 km/hr)

3600
=24 sec
( 335
)(
50 1000 )

Congestion delay 5724=33 sec

b-

Running time at reasonable speed (26.9 km/hr)

335 3600
( 26.9
)( 1000 )=44.8 sec

Congestion delay 5744.8=12.2 sec

4-2-2 Fixed Delay

This is delay caused by traffic control devices. It is the delay to which a
vehicle is subjected regardless of the amount of traffic volume and
interference present, and it occurs primarily at intersections. It may be caused
by traffic signals, stop signs, yield signs and railroad crossings.

4-3 Methods for Conducting Travel Time or Delay Studies

1) Test car Techniques: These techniques utilize a test vehicle which is driver
over the test section in a series of runs or trips. At least 12 trips should be
made to adequately measure the average speed and delays for any one
direction and set of conditions.
2

Traffic Engineering
Third Year

College of Engineering

Kufa University
Civil department

Mooring & evening study

2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

License Plate Method

Photographic Method
Interview Method
Elevated Observation
Moving Vehicle Method

4-4 Delay Measurement at Signalized Intersection

One of the main objectives in installing a signal system at intersection is to
reduce the average delay of vehicles at intersection. The stopped time delay
method is one of the important field measurements at intersection.
The methodology includes the counting of the number of vehicles stopped in
the intersection approach at successive intervals (such as 10, 15, 20) seconds.
In addition, a volume count during the same time. This sampling permits
estimating the vehicle-seconds of stopped time delay. An example of 5-min. of
data is shown and analyzed in Table (4.1) below.
Table (4.1): Fixed delay data
Time

Total number of vehicles stopped in the

approach at time
+0 sec
+15 sec +30 sec +45 sec

5:00 p.m.
0
2
7
9
5:01
4
0
0
3
5:02
9
16
14
6
5:03
1
4
9
13
5:04
5
0
0
2
Subtotal
19
22
30
33
Total
104
Solution
Total delay= (total number observed) (observation interval)
104 15

Approach volume
Number Number not
Stopping
stopping
11
6
6
14
18
0
17
0
4
17
56
37
93

1560

total delay
Average delay per stopped vehicle no .of stopping vehicles

1560
=27.8 sec
56

Traffic Engineering
Third Year

College of Engineering

Kufa University
Civil department

Mooring & evening study

number of stoppedvehicles
Percent of veh. stopped
approach volume

56
=60.2
93