BasicTrafficEngineering

AP

Code:CITER RefresherNotes

School of PE
A Division of EDUMIND
Basic Traffic Engineering

Table of Contents
1. Speed Characteristics .................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Time Mean Speed................................................................................................................... 2
1.2 Space Mean Speed ................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Speed, Flow and Density Relationships ................................................................................. 4
1.4 Speed, Distance, Time, and Acceleration Relationships ........................................................ 5
2. Volume Parameters ....................................................................................................................... 6

REFERENCES
Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 15th Edition (14th Edition is also fine), by
Michael R. Lindeburg (Popularly known as CERM)

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Basic Traffic Engineering

1. Speed Characteristics
1.1 Time Mean Speed
From spot speed studies which are measured as vehicles pass a point on the
road
It is the average (mean) of all vehicles passing a point on a road over some
specified time period n

Si
St i 1

n
Where: Si speed of the i th vehicle, and
n number of vehicles included in the measurement sample

PROBLEM 1
Given the following speed data was collected using a radar gun on an arterial street,
estimate the average travel speed:

Speed
Group
(mph) Frequency
16 to 20 10
21 to 25 17
26 to 30 36
31 to 35 66
36 to 40 84
41 to 45 70
46 to 50 50
51 to 55 21
56 to 60 6

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Basic Traffic Engineering

SOLUTION 1 Expand the table as shown below:

Total
Speed Group Frequency Assumed Speed Speed
16 to 20 10 18 180
21 to 25 17 23 391
26 to 30 36 28 1008
31 to 35 66 33 2178
36 to 40 84 38 3192
41 to 45 70 43 3010
46 to 50 50 48 2400
51 to 55 21 53 1113
56 to 60 6 58 348
360 13820

Average travel speed: x 38.39 mph

NOTE: Give the type of the data, we are calculating the Time Mean Speed.

1.2 Space Mean Speed

From travel time runs for a given section of the roadway
It is the average (mean) of all vehicles occupying a given section of a highway
over some specified time period
nL
Ss n
ti
i 1

Where: L length of the segment

ti travel time of the i th vehicle to traverse the section L

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Basic Traffic Engineering

PROBLEM 2
Six travel time runs are made on a 1000 feet section and the data is presented in the
following table. Compute average travel speed:
Vehicle Measured Time (sec)
1 18
2 20
3 22
4 19
5 20
6 20
SOLUTION 2 S 50.4 fps
NOTE: Given the type of the data, we are calculating Space Mean Speed.

1.3 Speed, Flow and Density Relationships

Speed (S) Space mean speed (mph)
Flow/Rate of Flow/Volume (v) number of vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl)
Density (D) Number of vehicles per mile per lane (vpmpl)
v
D
S
Spacing Distance between common points (e.g. the front bumper) on
successive vehicles (ft/veh)

5280 ftmile
Spacing in ft
D
Headway Time between successive vehicles (sec/veh)

3600 sec/hr
Headway
V
Spacing
Headway
S

Reference - Speed/flow/density relationships in CERM Section 10 on Page 73-6

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Basic Traffic Engineering

PROBLEM 3
At a large port facility near New York City tractor-trailer trucks are lined-up in long
queues as their drivers wait to have their containers inspected and documents
processed. Assume the trucks have an average length of 73.5 ft and the average space
between the rear and front bumpers of successive vehicles is 10 feet. What is the best
estimate for the jam density (trucks/mile) in one lane of trucks?
A) 50 B) 63 C) 77 D) 84

SOLUTION 3
By definition, jam density is the density at zero speed. Based on the information
provided the average spacing between the front bumpers of successive vehicles is
about 83.5 feet, the jam density can be estimated as follows:

Jam density 63 vehicles/mile
.

Answer B

1.4 Speed, Distance, Time, and Acceleration Relationships

See CERM Table 71.1 on page 71-4

PROBLEM 4
A new car is being designed with a target of reaching 0 to 60 mph in 6 seconds. What
should be the acceleration rate of this car to achieve this target?

SOLUTION 4
See CERM Table 71.1

5280 ft / mile
60 0
v v0 3600sec/ hr
a 14.7 ft / sec 2
t 6sec

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Basic Traffic Engineering

2. Volume Parameters
ADT Average Daily Traffic (one-way or two-way)
AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic (one-way or two-way)
AADT = Total Yearly Volume/365
Peak Direction Hourly Volume
D or D-factor Directional factor =
Two - way Hourly Volume
actual hourly volume vph Vvph
PHF Peak Hour Factor = 1
peak rate of flow vph 4 * V15 minute peak

Reference: See CERM Pages 73-4 and 73-5

PROBLEM 5
A traffic counting was performed at a location Month Total Average
for one year period. Results of the traffic Monthly Daily
counts are presented in the following table. (1) Traffic Traffic in
What is the AADT at this location? (2) What is (veh) the Month
the seasonal factor for the summer months of (veh)
June through August? Jan 119,840 3,866
Feb 116,660 4,166
Mar 121,235 3,910
Apr 124,300 4,143
May 125,885 4,060
Jun 126,280 4,209
Jul 127,652 4,117
Aug 130,008 4,193
SOLUTION 5
Sep 128,620 4,287
(1) AADT = 1,490,851/365 = 4,085 vpd Oct 126,350 4,075
Nov 122,290 4,076
Or Dec 121,731 3,926
TOTAL 1,490,851 49,028
AADT = 49,028/12 = 4,085 vpd

(2) Avg. Daily Traffic for June through August = (4,209+4,117+4,193)/3 = 4,173 vpd

Seasonal factor for June through August = 4,173/4,085 = 1.021

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Basic Traffic Engineering

PROBLEM 6
Following traffic volumes are observed in a peak hour for an east-west highway:
Eastbound: 2000 vehicles. Westbound: 1500 vehicles.
What is the peak hour directional distribution factor?
A) 0.45 B) 0.50 C) 0.57 D) 1.05

SOLUTION 6
Direction Distribution Factor, D =

Peak Direction Volume 2000

0.57
Total Volume 2000 1500

Answer C

PROBLEM 7 Time (15 min.) Vehicles

Given the following 15-minute interval traffic counts 7:00-7:15 a.m. 150
at right for a peak hour between 7 am and 8 am, 7:15-7:30 a.m. 140
7:30-7:45 a.m. 150
determine the Peak Hour Factor (PHF) 7:45-8:00 a.m. 160

A) 0.85 B) 0.94 C) 1.00 D) 1.05

SOLUTION 7
Total Volume = 150+140+150+160= 600 vph.

Peak Hour Volume = 600; Peak 15 min Volume = 160

PHF = 600/(4*160) = 0.94 Answer B