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CSRK Prasad
Traffic Engineering
Traffic engineering is that phase of
engineering, which deals with planning and
geometric design of streets, highways,
abutting lands, and with traffic operation
thereon, as their use is related to he safe,
convenient and economic transportation of
persons and goods (Institute of Traffic
Engineers, USA)
Scope of Traffic Engineering
Traffic Characteristics
Traffic studies and Analysis
Traffic operation-control and regulation
Planning and analysis
Geometric design
Administration and management
Traffic Characteristics
Road User Characteristics
Physical characteristics
Mental characteristics
Psychological factors, and
Environmental factors
Roaduser Characteristics
Traffic Characteristics
Vehicular Characteristics
Static Characteristics
Dimensions, weight & maximum turning angle
Dynamic Characteristics
Speed, acceleration & braking characteristics
Vehicular Characteristics
Categories of Traffic Flow
Uninterrupted Flow:
Flow on facilities that have no fixed elements, such as
traffic signals, external to the traffic stream, that cause
interruptions to traffic flow
Vehicles in uninterrupted flow conditions are spaced so to
provide ample time and distance for a following vehicle to
perceive and react to decelerate safely without colliding
with a leading vehicle that suddenly decelerate and stop.
Traffic flow conditions are the result of interactions among
vehicles in the traffic stream and between the vehicles and
the geometric characteristics of the roadway system
Freeways (Expressways), Multilane highways, two-lane
highways
Uninterrupted
Flow Facilities
Categories of Traffic Flow
Interrupted Flow:
Flow on facilities that have fixed elements causing
periodic interruptions to traffic flow
Flow regulated by an external means: vehicle-vehicle
interactions and vehicle-roadway interactions play a
secondary role in defining the traffic flow
Constant stopping and restarting of traffic streams
Flow occurs in platoons
Fixed elements: traffic signals, stop signs, & other types
of controls
Signalised streets, unsignalised streets with stop signs,
transit, etc.
Interrupted Flow Facility
Traffic Flow Characteristics
Macroscopic Flow Characteristics: Flow in an
aggregate sense
Flow, q (vehicles/hr)
Speed, v (kmph)
Density, k (vehicles/lane km)
q = kv
Vehicles/hr = (km/hr)(vehicles/km)
Flow Rate