Traffic Engineering, 4th Edition Roess, R.P., Prassas, E.S., and McShane, W.R.

Solutions to Problems in Chapter 14 Problem 14 1

Estimate the free-flow speed of a four lane undivided multi-lane highway havng the following characteristics: a) Base free-flow speed = 60 mph b) verage lane width = !! ft" c) #ateral clearance = $ ft at both roadsides d) ccess-point density = !%&mi on each side of the roadway" The free-flow speed of a multilane highway is estimates using Equation 14-6. ''( = B''( - f#) - f#* f+ - f Where: BFF f#) f#* .learan.e% f+ f

! 6" mph #gi$en% ! 1.& mph #ta'le 14.() 11-ft. lanes% ! ".6( mph #ta'le 14.*) + ,6- ! & ft total lateral ! 1.6 mph #Ta'le 14./) undi$ided% ! +.*( mph #Ta'le 14.&) 1( a..ess pts0mi%

From page 1&4 2 For a multi-lane highway the left or median lateral .learan.e is assumed to 'e 6ft.

FFS = 60.0 1.9 0.65- 3.75 = 53.7 mph

Problem 14 !

Estimate the free-flow speed of a si,-lane suburban freeway with !- ft lanes. right-side lateral clearance of -ft" and a ramp density of $"%&mi" The free3flow speed of a freeway is estimated using Equation 143 (:

''( = /%"0 - f#) - f#* $"--123 Where:

0"40

f4W ! "." mi0h #Ta'le 14.() 113ft lanes% f45 ! 1.6 mi0h #Ta'le 14.6) 13ft .learan.e) 63lane freeway% T67 ! +.( ramps0mi #gi$en%

''( = *(.4 2 "." 2 1.6 2 +.11#+.( 64.6 mph

"./4

% ! *(.4 2 "." 2 1.6 2 &.1 !

Problem 14 "
'ind the appropriate composite grade for each of the following grade se5uence: 6a) -.000 ft of $7 grade followed !.000 ft" of -"$7 6b) -.000 ft of 07 grade. followed by %.000 ft of $7 grade. followed by $.000 ft of %7 grade" 6c) 0.000 ft of %7 grade. followed by $.000 ft of $7 grade" #a% 8s the total length of the .omposite grade #1)""",1)""",&"" ! +)&"" ft% is less than 4)""" ft) the a$erage grade methodology may 'e used. 6ise on +9 :rade: 1)"""-"."+ ! 6" ft 6ise on 19 :rade: 1)"""-"."1 ! 1" ft 6ise on 49 :rade: &""-"."4 ! +6 ft Total 11# ft

5omposite :rade ! #1160+)&""%-1"" #'%

2.97%

8s this .omposite grade is longer than 4)""" ft #1")""" ft%) and part of the .ur$e has a grade of greater than 49) this grade must 'e handled using the graphi. .omposite grade methodology illustrated 'elow.

8fter 1)""" ft of 49 grade) tru.;s will 'e tra$eling at appro<imately +6 mi0h. This is the speed at whi.h tru.;s enter the ()""" ft of +9. =t is as if the tru.;s had 'een on the +9 grade for appro<imately +)/"" ft. Tra$eling another ()""" ft along this grade) to /)/"" ft) tru.;s ha$e re3a..elerated to an appro<imate speed of +/ mi0h) at whi.h they now enter

the final +)""" ft of (9 grade. tarting as if they were appro<imately 1)/"" ft along the (9 grade) they tra$el another +)""" ft to 4)/"" ft. They>re final speed is appro<imately 1/ mi0h) and the .omposite grade is (9) 1")""" ft long. #d% 8s the initial portion of the grade is the steepest) the .omposite grade is ta;en to the end of the first segment: (9) 4)""" ft.

Problem 14 "
freeway operating is generally rolling terrain has a traffic composition of !-7 truc8s and $7 29s" :f the observed pea8 hour volume is $.-00 vph. what is the e5uivalent volume in pch"

From Ta'le 14.11) for rolling terrain) E T ! 1.( and E6 ! 1.". Then: ?5 Equi$alents for Tru.;s: +)1""-".11-1.( ! &6" p.0h ?5 Equi$alents for 6@s: +)1""-"."+-1." ! 1&1 p.0h ?5 Equi$alents for 5ars: +)1""-"./(-1."! 1)*1" p.0h Total E$ui%alent &olume' ",()! pc*h

Problem 14 "
=t is ne.essary to determine the free-flow speed of the su'Ae.t freeway using Eqn 14-(: ''( = /%"0 - f#) - f#* $"--123 Where:
0"40

f4W ! 1.& mi0h #Ta'le 14.() 113ft lanes% f45 ! "./ mi0h #Ta'le 14.6) 13ft .learan.e) 43lane freeway% T67 ! 4.1 ramps0mi #gi$en%
"./4

''( = *(.4 2 1.& 2 "./ 2 +.11#4.1

% ! 61." mph

From 14.1") the 6"-mi0h speed-flow relationship is used for this freeway. er$i.e flow rate are .omputed using Eqn 14-1B ser$i.e $olumes are .omputed using Eqn 14-+:

Ca<imum ser$i.e flow rates #C F% are sele.ted from Ta'le 14.+ for a FF of 6" mi0h: 4D 8 2 66" p.0h0lnB 4D B 2 1)"/" p.0h0lnB 4D 5 2 1)(6" p.0h0lnB 4D 7 2 1)"1" p.0h0lnB 4D E - 1)+"" p.0h0ln. The hea$y $ehi.le fa.tor is 'ased upon passenger .ar equi$alents for tru.;s on a 49 grade of 1.( miles. The p.e $alues are different for the upgrade and the downgrade. ET #upgrade% ! +.*( #Ta'le 14.11) 49 grade) 1.( mi) +9 tru.;s interpolated% ET #dngrade% ! 1.(" #Ta'le 14.14) 49 grade) E 4mi) +9 tru.;s e<trapolated% Then) using Eqn 14.&:

The ?FF is gi$en as ".&1) there are 4 lanes in ea.h dire.tion on the freeway) and the dri$er population adAustment fa.tor #fp% is 1."" for a normal dri$er population. Equations 1431 and 143+ are implemented in the spreadsheet ta'le shown 'elow.

Problem 14 #
n e,isting si,-lane divided multi-lane highway with a fieldmeasured free-flow sped of 0% mph serves a pea8 hour volume of 0.000 vph with !-7 truc8s and no 29s" 1he ;<' is 0"44" 1he highway has rolling terrain" )hat is the li8ely level of service for this section=

To determine the pro'a'le 4D for this e<isting 63lane multilane highway with FF ! 4( mi0h) the equi$alent ideal lane flow must 'e determined using Eqn 1431:

Where:

@ ! 4)""" $eh0h #gi$en% ?FF ! ".// #gi$en% G ! + lanes #gi$en% fp ! 1."" #normal dri$er population assumed%

Then: ET ! 1.( #Ta'le 14.11) 6olling Terrain%

8nd:

Then

5omparing this to the C F $alues of Ta'le 14.4 for a FF of 4( mi0h) it is seen that the 4D is E.

Problem 14 ) long section of suburban freeway is to be designed on a level terrain" level section of % miles is however. followed by a %7 grade. -"0 mi in length" :f the 33<9 is -.%00 veh&h with !07 truc8s and -7 29>s. how many lanes will be needed on the: a) ?pgrade b)3owngrade c) #evel 1errain 1o provide for a minimum level of service of *= ssume that the base conditions of a width and lateral clearance e,ist and that ramp density is 0"%0&mi" 1he ;<' is 0"@-"

This is a design appli.ation for a se.tion of freeway that goes from le$el terrain to a sustained (9) 13mile grade. 4D 5 is the design target. The num'er of lanes needed to pro$ide this on the #a% upgrade) #'% downgrade) and #.% le$el terrain is needed. Equation 1434 is used:

The FF of the fa.ility is needed to 'egin: ''( = /%"0 - f#) - f#* $"--123 Where:
0"40

f4W ! "." mi0h #Ta'le 14.() 113ft lanes% f45 ! "." mi0h #Ta'le 14.6) 13ft .learan.e) 63lane freeway% T67 ! ".( ramps0mi #gi$en%
"./4

''( = *(.4 2 "." 2 "." 2 +.11#".( 77F@ C F5 ?FF fp ! ! !

% ! *+.6 mph !H*( mph

1)("" $eh0h #gi$en% ! 1)*(" p.0h0ln #Ta'le 14.+) FF ! *( mi0h% ".&1 #gi$en% 1."" #normal dri$er population assumed%

There may 'e as many as three different hea$y $ehi.le adAustment fa.tors for the three segments to 'e analyIed. They are 'ased upon the appropriate passenger .ar equi$alents for tru.;s and 6@s. 4e$el terrain $alues are sele.ted from Ta'le 14.11B upgrade #(9) 1 mi% $alues are sele.ted from Ta'le 14.11 for tru.;s and 14.1+ for 6@sB downgrade $alues are sele.ted from Ta'le 14.14 for tru.;s and Ta'le 14.11 for 6@s #le$el terrain assumed for downgrade%. The resulting $alues are shown in the ta'le that follows:

The downgrade $alue for the 19 6@s :8s per page 1&/. The p.e>s for 6@>s on downgrade se.tions is ta;en to 'e the same as that for le$el terrain se.tions) or

1.1.

Problem 14 (
n old urban four-lane freeway has the following characteristics: a) !!-ft lanes d) /7 truc8s. no 29s b) Ao lateral clearances 60 ft") e) ;<' - "@0 c) ramp density of 0"% &mi f) 2olling 1errain

1he present pea8 hour demand on the facility is -.!00 vph. and anticipated growth e,pected to be $7 per year" )hat is the present level of service e,pected= )hat is the e,pected level of service in % years= !0 years= -0 years= to avoid brea8down 6#B(') when will it substantial improvements be needed to this facility or alternative routes= This question .on.erns an old freeway with proAe.ted traffi. growth in the future. =t as;s for an e$aluation of 4D at $arious future time3 points. The easiest way to approa.h this pro'lem is to .reate a ta'le of ser$i.e $olumes for the freeway whi.h .an 'e mat.hed against future demand le$els. =t is first ne.essary to estimate the FF of the freeway using Eqn 143(: ''( = /%"0 - f#) - f#* $"--123 Where:
0"40

f4W ! 1.& mi0h #Ta'le 14.() 113ft lanes% f45 ! +.6 mi0h #Ta'le 14.6) "3ft .learan.e) 1 lanes% T67 ! 4.( ramps0mi #gi$en%
"./4

''( = *(.4 2 1.& 2 +.6 2 +.11#4.(

% ! (/.( mph !H 8J 6"mph

Fowe$er) this .ould ha$e 'een sol$ed either graphi.ally or alge'rai.ally as follows:

Where:

@ ! 1)1"" $eh0h #gi$en% ?FF ! ".&" #gi$en% G ! 1 lanes #gi$en% fp ! 1."" #normal dri$er population assumed% ET ! 1.( #ta'le 14.11) rolling terrain%) yielding ! fF@ ! 10 K1,"."*#1.(31%L ! ".&"( 7 ! @ 11/&0(/.( ! 11."+ p.0h0l 8s per Ta'le

Thus) @p ! 11/& $ph 14.1 !H 4D 5

Dr go to figure 14.1) plot 11/& $s FF .ur$e of 6" results in the 4D 5 7ensity Mone 7o the same with the adAusted @ for the () 1" N 1" year growth fa.tor and the results will 'e the same as a'o$e. e.g. at 1% year @ ! 1/11 then @p ! 1*+1 7. 1*+10(/.( ! 1&.6 p.0h0l 4D