CAPACITY & LOS CE 41625

Traffic Engineering -CE 41625 Capacity and LOS Analysis Uninterrupted Flow Facilities

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

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CAPACITY
The maximum rate of flow on a road section or lane group that can be expected to occur under prevailing conditions: Traffic Geometrics Control

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LEVEL OF SERVICE
speed, u

A B

An indication of the quality of the driving experience on a transportation C D facility (in terms E of speed, freedom to maneuver, comfort & safety)
flow, q

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LOS & Capacity

Note that for uninterrupted flow facility types, capacity (max. flow, qmax) is defined as the max. flow value for level of service E This is not the case for interrupted flow facilities (e.g. controlled intersections)

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Cases of Uninterrupted Flow Considered in the HCM

Freeways
Basic Freeway Sections Weaving Areas Ramp and Ramp Junctions Overall Freeway Facilities

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Rural and Suburban Highways

Multi-Lane Highways Two-Lane Highways

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Cases of Interrupted Flow & Misc. Considered in the HCM

Signalized Intersections Unsignalized Intersections Urban Streets Ramp Interchanges Transit Capacity Pedestrians Bicycles

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Quantifying LOS for Major Highway Facility Types

Freeways, Multi-lane Highways, Ramp Junctions & Weaving Sections
LOS Based on Density (mostly)

Two-Lane Highways
LOS Based on Percent-Time-Spent Following & Average Speed

Controlled Intersections and Interchange Areas

LOS Based on Average Control Delay per Vehicle

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Quantifying LOS for Other Facility & Service Types

Urban Streets
LOS Based on Average Travel Speed

Bike Facilities
Bike Paths LOS Based on Events per Hour Bike Lanes LOS Based on Average Travel Speed

Pedestrians
LOS Based on Density

Transit
Scheduled: Service Frequency; Hours of Service; Loading Density; Reliability (on-time performance) Paratransit: Time to Access (Waiting Time)

CAPACITY & LOS CE 41625

Minimum LOS Design Targets

Arterials
C or D for urban/suburban conditions B or C for rural conditions

Collectors
C for most rural conditions D for urban and mountainous rural conditions

Local Roads
D for all conditions

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Determines the capacity/LOS for freeway segments outside the influence of ramps and weaving (potential bottlenecks for which different analysis methodologies exist) The analysis methodology considers each direction of traffic separately Three problem types are common:
Given volumes & facility design, find LOS Given facility and target LOS, find max volume Given volumes & target LOS, design the facility

Basic Freeway Segments HCM Methodology

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Levels of Service for Basic Freeway Sections

A: Free flow B: High speed, some restrictions to lane changing C: Freedom of maneuver is restricted D: Speeds decline with increasing flows E: No gaps, little room to maneuver F: Breakdown conditions - slow, bumper to bumper (Note: lower part of u-q curve, which is not shown)

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Service Flow Rate

The maximum 15 min. flow rate (vph) that a highway can accommodate under prevailing conditions at a given level of service.
SFA , SFB , ...SFF are defined for each highway

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Prevailing Conditions
Lane width and lateral obstructions

Traffic composition

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Grade and length of grade

G G L L

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Formula for Service Flow Rate

Design Parameter

SFi = MSFi N f HV f p
From Tables MSFi = maximum service flow rate for LOS i (for a given free flow speed - in passenger cars per hour per lane pcphpl, for ideal conditions) N = number of lanes

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fHV = adjustment factor for heavy vehicles (1) fp = driver population factor (usually =1 but can drop to 0.85 if local data shows unusually inefficient driving)

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Key LOS Parameter Values

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Visualizing Freeway LOS

LOS A: LOS E:

LOS C:

LOS F:

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Source (videos): HCM 2000

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Secondary Analysis Formula

V v= ( PHF )( N )( f HV )( f p )

Where: v = equivalent 15 min. flow rate (pcphpl) used to enter Exh. 23-2 to determine LOS V = hourly volume (design hourly vol.) (vph) PHF = peak hour factor N = number of lanes fHV = heavy vehicle factor (1) fp = population factor (rarely less than 1)

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Thats Pretty Much It!

Except for two important loose ends:
Where do we get free flow speed (FFS)? How do we determine the heavy vehicle factor (fHV)?

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Determining Free Flow Speed

Measure directly in the field (preferred) Measure directly at a similar facility (2nd best) Use HCM estimation method: Where:

FFS = BFFS f LW f LC f N f ID

BFFS = Base free flow speed (from rule of thumb) fLW = Lane width adjustment factor (from table) fLC = Lateral clearance adjustment factor () fN = Adjustment factor for the number of lanes () fID = Adjustment factor for interchange density ()

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Heavy Vehicle Factors (fhv)

Considers two types: trucks/buses and RVs Three Cases:
Extended Freeway Segment
Terrain classified as level, rolling or mountainous

Specific Upgrade Segment

Grade 3% and length of grade > 1/4 mile, or Grade 2-3% and length of grade > 1/2 mile

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Specific Downgrade Segment

Grade 4% and length of grade > 4 miles

The approach is the same in all cases, all that changes is the table where one gets passenger car equivalence (PCE) factors

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fhv for Extended Segments

Level, Rolling, Mountainous selected based on degree of grades influence on heavy trucks Get PCE factors (ET, ER):

Then:
f HV 100% = PC + PT ET + PR E R

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where:

PC, PT, PR = Percentages of cars, trucks and recreational vehicles in the traffic stream

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fhv Example
Rolling terrain, 10% trucks, 5% RVs From the PCE table, ET=2.5, ER = 2.0 100 100 So: f = =
HV

PC + PT ET + PR ER

85 + (10)(2.5) + (5)(2)

= 0.833

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Note that the HCM provides a different formula for fHV which is algebraically equivalent:
f HV 1 = 1 + FT ( ET 1) + FR ( ER 1)

where FT and FR are the fractions (or decimal proportions) of trucks and RVs in the traffic stream

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SFR Example (Prob. Type 2)

A 6-lane freeway in rolling terrain has 10% trucks, 5% RVs, FFS=70 mph & PHF=0.9. Find the max. hourly volume for LOS D? As before, fHV=0.833; assume fp=1 From Ex. 23-2, MSFD= 2150 pcplph So:
SFD = ( MSFD )( N )( f HV )( f p ) = (2150 pcplph)(3)(0.833)(1) = 5373vph

But this is the maximum peak 15 min. flow rate. The corresponding max. hourly volume is: VD = ( SFD )( PHF ) = (5373vph)(0.9) = 4836vph

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LOS Example (Prob. Type 1)

A 6-lane freeway in rolling terrain has 10% trucks, 5% RVs, FFS=70 mph & PHF=0.9. The design hourly volume for the year 2020 is 5800 vph. Find the corresponding LOS. As before, fHV=0.833 and fp=1 So: V 5800vph
v= = ( PHF )( N )( f HV )( f p ) (0.9)(3)(0.833)(1) = 2579 pcplph

In Ex. 23-2, 2579 pcplph exceeds the ideal capacity of 2400 pcplph, so LOS = F. (For an 8-lane freeway, v = 1934 pcplph & LOS = D)

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2-Lane, 2-Way Rural Highways HCM Methodology

Determines the capacity/LOS for 2-lane highways outside the influence of signalized or significant unsignalized intersections The analysis methodology considers each direction separately & both directions together Three problem types are common:
Given traffic volume, find LOS Given a target LOS, find the maximum volume Determine the improvement to LOS from adding a passing or climbing lane

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2-Lane 2-Way Highways Level of Service

The HCM 2000 recognizes two classes of 2-lane 2-way rural highways:
Class I: Purpose is mobility, long trip lengths Class II: Purpose is land access, recreational drives, short trip lengths

LOS for Class I highways based on (worse case):

Average Travel Speed (ATS) Percent Time Spent Following (PTSF)

LOS for Class II highways based on only Percent Time Spent Following (PTSF)

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2-Lane (Class I) LOS

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Steps to Obtain Directional LOS

Calculate equivalent 15-min. flow rate for analysis direction & opposite direction for both ATS & PTSF:
Vd vd = ( PHF )( f G )( f HV )
vo = Vo ( PHF )( f G )( f HV )

where: vi = 15 min. flow for the direction (pcph) Vi = hourly volume for the direction (vph) PHF = Peak Hour Factor for the direction fG = grade adjustment factor for direction & crit. fHV = heavy vehicle factor for direction & crit. Use vd and vo to calculate ATS and PTSF Look up the Level of Service

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Steps for Composite Analysis of Both Directions

Calculate equivalent 15-min. flow rate for analysis for V both direction: v=
( PHF )( f G )( f HV )

where: v = 15 min. flow for the direction (pcph) V = hourly volume for the direction (vph) PHF = Peak Hour Factor for the direction fG = grade adjustment factor for direction & crit. fHV = heavy vehicle factor for direction & crit.

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Estimating fHV
Given the tabulated PCE values (ET and ER), fHV is calculated exactly as before:
f HV 100% = PC + PT ET + PR E R

where:
PC, PT, PR = Percentages of cars, trucks and recreational vehicles in the traffic stream

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Estimating FFS
As with freeways, FFS is obtained from: Direct measurement in the field (preferred) Direct measurement at a similar facility (2nd best) An HCM estimation equation similar to freeways
FFS = BFFS f LS f A

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Where: BFFS = Base free flow speed fLS = Adjustment for lane and shoulder width, mi/hr fA= Adjustment for access point density, mi/hr

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Steps to Obtain LOS (Cont.)

After calculating vd & vo, compare to capacity:
vd 1700 pcph & vo 1700 pcph (1-way capacity) (vd + vo) 3200 pcph (two-way capacity)

If any capacity test fails, LOS = F Otherwise, calculate ATS and PTSF; look up LOS
ATS d = FFS d 0.00776(vd + vo ) f np

PTSFd = BPTSFd + f np BPTSFd = 100(1 e

b avd

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Note: LOS for both directions combined is determined in much the same way, except 2-way flow, v, replaces vd and vo, and some factor values are different. Also, 2-way LOS is only defined for level & rolling terrain.

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Steps to Obtain LOS (Cont.)

Developed by Robert Layton, Oregon St. Univ.

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Many Tabulated Factors Needed

fG and fHV values different for ATS & PTSF and for level/rolling terrain & grades 3% and 0.6 mi. long (tables for fG in level/rolling terrain are shown below)

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Many Tabulated Factor (#2)

Specific grade factors apply if grades 3% and 0.6 mi. long. Otherwise, the following PCE factors apply for level & rolling terrain:

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Many Tabulated Factor (#3)

Specific Grade fG and PCE factors for ATS and PTSF vary with grade and length of grade. For example:

Note: Exhibits truncated

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Many Tabulated Factor (#4)

The fnp factors in equations for ATS & PTSF vary with Percent No Passing, FFS, and opposing flow:

Note: Exhibits truncated

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Many Tabulated Factor (#5)

The a and b factors in the equation for PTSF (BPTSF) vary with opposing flow: