MODULE 9

Traffic Engineering and Management Concepts

EXPLORE

Have you ever noticed times when the roads are filled with cars and other times when
the roads are free of vehicles? Has anyone noticed that the more cars on the road, the
slower speeds your parents drive or the longer it takes for you to arrive at your
destination? Has an accident or a car with a blown tire on the side of the road ever
caused your parents to slow down, allowing surrounding cars to get closer?

These are all descriptions of congestion, which you may have heard your parents talk
about. It is simply roads full of cars, trucks and buses. The more vehicles that are on a
roadway the more congested it is, and usually it leads to stopped or stop-and-go
movement. Engineers like to describe congestion as an excess of vehicles on a portion of
roadway at a particular time resulting in speeds that are slower than normal. Also, one
roadway may be congested while another one nearby may not be. The amount, location
and time of congestion are always changing.

ENGAGE

So, why do you think it is important to understand congestion? Well, who likes to be
stuck in traffic when you can be doing something else?

What are some examples? When have you noticed the roads filled with cars? (Possible
examples: Mornings on the way to school, evening "rush hour" around 5 pm, etc.)

What roadways are filled with lots of cars most of the time?

EXPLAIN

TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
 Phase of transportation engineering that deals with planning, geometric design
and traffic operations of roads , streets, and highways and their networks,
terminals and relationships with other modes of transportation

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 Philippine National
Police -Traffic Management Metropolitan Manila
Group Development Authority
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT (MMDA)
Land • The LTO, PNP-TMG, and MMDA are the primary agencies responsible for
Transportation enforcement and apprehension of offenders
Office
o TMG - Traffic Management Group
o For PNP-RTMO’s , a personnel is dispatched on strategic choke points and
Regional Traffic
Management
major thoroughfares to conduct traffic direction and control to ensure the
Office smooth flow of traffic
o Other functions of TMG’s:
- traffic accident investigation
- traffic safety education through seminars and conferences

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
• Laws Governing traffic safety and regulations

EXECUTIVE ORDER (EO) 125

 reorganized the Ministry of Transportation and Communications into a
Department
 defined its powers and functions
 establishment of Land Transportation Office as the sectoral agency responsible
for implementing and carrying out policies, rules, and regulations governing the
land transportation system of the country

Republic Act 6975

 established the DILG
 creation of the PNP
 Traffic Management Group reorganized as the traffic enforcement arm of the
PNP covering national roads

Executive Order (EO) 202

 created the LTFRB with its functions pursuant to the Public Service Act

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 Commonwealth Act 146 (Public Service Act)
 Gives the LTFRB power to compel any public service provider to furnish safe,
adequate, and proper service as regards the manner of furnishing the same as
well as the maintenance of necessary materials and equipment

RA 8750 (Seat Belts Use Act of 1999)

 Mandatory use of seatbelts for both drivers and front-seat passengers of public
and private vehicles
 Back-seat passengers in private cars are also required to wear seat belts
 Bans children under age 6 to sit in the front-seat of any vehicle

RA 10054 (Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009)

 Requires motorbike drivers and riders to wear standard protective motorcycle
helmets with DTI prescribed specifications
 Doesn’t require the proper way to wear motorcycle helmets
 Doesn’t cover electric motorcycle or e-bikes

RA 10586 (Anti Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013

 Motorist are prohibited to drive if under the influence of alcohol, drugs or
other inebriating substances
 Enforcers are required to assess any motorist suspected to be under the
influence of alcohol by checking their level of sobriety

RA 10666 (Children’s Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015)

 Prohibits children from boarding two-wheeled vehicles running faster than 60
kph on public roads
 Allows children to ride as long as they can comfortably reach their feet on the
foot peg, reach their arms around the driver’s waist and wear a helmet
 Doesn’t apply for urgent medical attention

RA 10913 (Anti- Distracted Driving Act of 2016)

 Motorist are banned from “using mobile communications device : write, send,
or read a text-based message or to make or receive calls except when done
hands-free

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  use of such devices are not allowed when vehicle is in motion or stopped at
red traffic light

RA 10916 (Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016)

 Public utility vehicles, closed vans, cargo trailers, shuttle service or tanker
trucks are not allowed to ply roads without a standard limiter approved by
DOTr

RA 11229 (Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act)

 No child under 12 years of age is allowed to sit in a front seat of a motor vehicle
with running engine unless the child meets the right height requirement of at
least 150 cm (4’ 11”) and is properly secured using regular seat belt
 Requires the use of child restrained system

RA 11229 (Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act)

 Signed 22Feb2019
 Guarantee safety and welfare of infants and children and prevent traffic –
related deaths and injuries
 Repeals Sec. 5 of RA 8750
 Use of child restraint system in public utility vehicles are still under study by
the DOTr for recommendations

ELABORATE

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
 Activities undertaken by a highway transportation agency to improve roadway
system safety, efficiency, and effectiveness for both providers and consumers of
transportation service

Two (2) distinct types of traffic management

1. traditional traffic engineering tools or simple devices to regulate and control traffic
2. advanced technology through the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
 must cover all aspects of the control of both vehicle and driver
 must be reasonable and effective

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  dependent upon the laws of the states and local governments

Effective Traffic Regulation

 must be rational
 must be developed progressively
 must be in conjunction with control devices, planning, and policies

Three Elements of the Road System

For ROADS and VEHICLES

 subject to constant change and improvement
 may be considered inflexible over time
 most effective control for number of vehicle is vehicle registration
For DRIVERS
 licensing is the most effective way of controlling the number of drivers
worldwide

TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

 are means to advised road uses of detailed requirements or conditions affecting
road use
 Given at specific places and times in order for proper actions to be taken and to
delay or avoid accident

Three Distinct Functional Groups

a. Regulatory devices - have the authority of law and impose precise
requirements upon the actions of the road user

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 b. Warning devices - used to inform road users of potentially hazardous
roadway conditions or unusual traffic movements that are not readily
apparent to passing traffic
c. Guiding devices - employed simply to inform the road user of route,
destination, and other pertinent traffic
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES
Four (4) Elementary Requirements
 every traffic control device must be able to meet the following requirements
(FHWA 1988)
a. should compel attention
b. should convey a simple clear meaning at a glance
c. should allow adequate time for easy response
d. should command the respect of the road users for whom it is intended
**MUST BE MET IN LOGICAL SEQUENCE

TRAFFIC SIGNS AND MARKINGS

 are employed more frequently than any other devices
 normally consist of lines, patterns, words, symbols, reflectors, etc
 specialized types of traffic signs - messages are in contrast with the color and
brightness of the pavement or other background

CLASSIFICATIONS according to USE

a. Regulatory:
 intended to inform users of special obligations, restrictions, or prohibitions
with which they must comply
b. Warning:
 intended to warn users of a danger on the road and to inform them of its
nature
c. Informative:
 intended to guide users while they are traveling

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 ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
a. SHAPE

b. COLOR

c. SIZE
a. minimum dimensions depend upon the intended applications
b. Larger sizes : at wider roadways and on high speed highway
c. There are four sizes based on the speed of the facility for regulatory signs
 A for urban low-speed road
 B for rural roads with speed limits between 60 kph and 70 kph
 C for high-speed rural highways
 D for expressways

d. ILLUMINATION & REFLECTORIZATION

a. intended to convey messages during both daytime and night time
b. At night time, achieved through illumination or by using reflective materials
for signs

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 e. HEIGHT OF SIGNS
 mounted approximately at right angles to the direction, and facing the
traffic
 generally placed on the right side of the roadway
 overhead signs are often necessary for wider roads
 For roads with median, may be placed on both sides
 may also be placed on channelized islands

EVALUATE

Give at least 5 examples for each:

a. Warning Signs
b. Priority Signs
c. Prohibition Signs
d. Obligatory Signs
e. Prescription Signs
f. Information Signs
g. Direction Signs

When the roads are filled with cars, does it take them more or less time to get to their
destinations?

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