Assessment On Volume Study of Public Transportation System of Khulna-City Road, Bangladesh: A Case Study of Boyra To Shib-Bari Mor Midblock
Assessment On Volume Study of Public Transportation System of Khulna-City Road, Bangladesh: A Case Study of Boyra To Shib-Bari Mor Midblock
Assessment On Volume Study of Public Transportation System of Khulna-City Road, Bangladesh: A Case Study of Boyra To Shib-Bari Mor Midblock
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Zahrun Zannat Surovi1, Mohammad Sohanur Rahman1, Faria Amin1, Kazi Redwan
Shabab1, Md. Shamim Islam1, Md. Mokhlesur Rahman2 and Palash Chandra Das3
1 Student, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, e-mail:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
2 Assistant Professor, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, e-mail:
[email protected]
3 Lecturer, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, e-mail:
ABSTRACT
Traffic volume is a very important parameter in majority of the transportation planning applications.
This paper attempts to gain insights into the traffic volume and its effect on public transport system.
For this reason a traffic volume study has been conducted from Boyra to Shib-Bari Mor of Khulna- city
road. In this study, volume of the road section has been determined through video analysis method
and is represented by Passenger Car Unit (PCU). The collected data is analyzed to identify the
congestion phenomenon during peak and off-peak period on weekdays and weekends. The volume to
capacity (V/C) ratio identified for the section “Boyra-Joragate” is mor than 0.62, which is found to be
the highest comparing with other sections (V/C in between 0.30 to 0.35) during the peak period of
weekdays. Finally, the Level of service (LOS) for this road section is also determined along with the
formal and informal parking of the road. Proposals like; reduction of conflicting points, provision of off-
street parking; would be some potential solutions to increase the efficiency of this section of road.
1. INTRODUCTION
Khulna is one of the divisional cities of Bangladesh with a land area of 45.65 km2. It has a
road network of 1231 km (Hossain et al., 2005) here Khulna- city road is about 106.25km (50
- Roads and Railway Division, 2013). For increasing efficiency of this city road and to
provide better means to utilize other roads linked to this city road a traffic volume study was
necessary. Morover, a volume study survey can also be helpful in impact analysis of this
road and determining need for traffic control system.
The volume study survey was being conducted from Boyra to Shib-bari mor on Khulna-city
road in two different spots at 3 peak period and 2 off peak period on both weekday and
weekend. It was performed through indirect method in which vehicle movements were
captured by camera and counted by categorizing them. It is a permanent method and so the
collected data can be used to monitor and evaluate traffic volumes and trends over a long
period of time (Traffic Volume Counts). In this study, Passenger Car Unit of different vehicles
represents the volume across the road sections and Passenger Car Equivalent Unit
represents the road capacity where Dhaka Urban Transport Study is used as standard but in
general the design capacity of urban arterial road is 1400 PCU/lane/hour (Sharmeen et al.,
2012). Major finding of this study is determining the Level of service (LOS) of the roads
through Volume-Capacity ratio (Boarnet et al., 1998). The objective of this study is to assess
the existing volume condition of the roads and reducing the number of conflict points and
also to increase road life by controlling excessive volume of vehicles.
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Since roads have certain width with varying lanes, flow is always defined in terms of width,
ADT, termed as average daily traffic, implies the road capacity which is considered as a
function of traffic and road geometrics. To express city road capacity the Passenger Car Unit
(PCU) or Passenger Car Equivalent (PCE) is used which is termed to be the universally
adopted unit for measuring traffic volume or capacity (Pothula Sanyasi Naidu, 2015).
Case Study on Development of Passenger Car Unit in NAL STOP, PUNE shows that the
PCU value of each vehicle is not a constant but varies with several factors such as
proportion of other classes, level of service and volume to capacity (Patil, 2015).
Level of service (LOS) is a quality measure describing operational conditions within a traffic
stream, generally in terms of such service measures as speed and travel time, freedom to
manoeuvre, traffic interruptions, and comfort and convenience and six LOS which are
defined for each type of facility that has analysis procedures available (Singh et al. 1991).
Percentage Speed Reduction (PSR) from Free Flow Speed (FFS) can be identified as a
performance measure for LOS assessment on urban arterials which has been analysed from
the Case Study on the Assessment of Level of service on Urban Arterials in Kolkata
(Subhadip Biswas, 2016).
2. METHODOLOGY
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2.2 Methods
A theoretical framework was developed from the understanding of operational features of the
selected study area, relevant volume and speed studies. In the operational features of the
study area, considered elements were: right of way, carriage way, median, lane numbers,
footpaths, and driveways. Volume, speed and delay studies along with road capacity and
LOS have considerable influence on theoretical assessment of public transport.
After conceptualization, the survey strategy was developed. The survey covered
questionnaires of different user groups, checklist of existing roadway facilities and user
rating survey. Three (3) questioner survey forms were developed addressing general users,
drivers and traffic policies.
Additional data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data
focused on physical features of roadway, vehicle speed and volume data. Directional vehicle
volume data was collected by using video camera at selected nodes. The selected nodes
were in front of Passport Office near Boyra mor and near Joragate mor. Speed data was
collected using different test vehicles at a specified roadway segment. Vehicle speed of peak
and off-peak hours were calculated and compared. The survey was conducted on two
weekdays at 5 different times (3 peak times and 2 off-peak times). Secondary data covered
technical sources which were basically the standards of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha
(RAJUK), Khulna Development Authority (KDA), and Khulna City Corporation (KCC).
The primary data was used to calculate LOS which may be helpful to plan to reduce the
conflict points and secondary data was used to compare those results with the national
standards so that mor facilities can be added to increase road life.
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3. ANALYSIS
3.1 Volume:
Table 1: Vehicles according to direction in Weekdays
Table 1 and Table 2 show that the volume of the study area varied on the weekdays and
weekends and even in the day long. The volume study was surveyed in two different spot at
3 peak periods and 2 off peak periods on both weekdays and weekends. In Boyra College
Mor to Joragate section, Mahendra occupied 41.5% of volume moving towards Joragate and
29.6% towards Boyra College Mor in peak during weekdays. The number of Motorbike and
Easybike were highest after the number of Mahendra. Mahendra had the highest Passenger
Car Unit of the particular section in both directions. Percentage of PCU for van was 2.2 %
which is the lowest among all type of vehicles. The volume of the area towards Joragate was
approximately 1145 PCU/hr and toward Boyra College Mor was almost 1000 PCU/hr.
On the other hand, on off peak period, Mahendra and Easybike generated the highest
volume towards Joragate Mor which was 24.1% and 23.6% respectively. The volume of
Mahendra was the highest (33%) towards Boyra College Mor. In weekend, the volume was
lower compared to weekdays which is clear from the Table 2 below.
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In the Joragate-Shibbari section, the nature of occupied volume was the same as the Boyra
College mor to Joragate section. In both section, the number and volume of mahendra was
highest in both direction. Van and in some cases bicycle occupied the lowest volume of total
volume.
From figure 4 it is clear that in off peak period, the volume of vehicles in weekend was
greater than the volume of weekdays in the Joragate to Boyra College Mor section and the
volume of vehicles in weekend is lower than the volume in weekdays in the Shibbari to
Joragate section. The volume from two residential area added with the volume in Joragate
intersection.
To identify the level of service it was needed to calculate the volume capacity ratio. Figure 5
refers that in peak period the volume capacity ratio of Boyra College Mor to Joragate
direction is 0.63 in weekdays. All the directions having the ratio lower than 0.60 indicated
LOS A as LOS can be measured through speed range or volume capacity ratio. Such as if
the speed is >=80kph or the volume capacity ratio is <=.60 then the required LOS will be
LOAS A. These road had free flow in both direction.
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The Level of service in Boyra College Mor to Joragate direction in weekdays was LOS B and
reasonably free flow in that specific direction.
Figure 6 shows that in off peak period the result shows that the Volume Capacity Ratio is
less than 0.60 which indicates that the section had LOS A and they had free flow in all
directions. Volume capacity ratio and spot speed ratio was used to determine the level of
service of the road section.
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The volume capacity ratio of all direction except the Boyra College mor to Joragate mor
direction are lower than 0.60. This indicates that all the directional flow have level of service
A which represents free flow conditions. Only the geometric design features of the city road
may limit the speed of the car. Comfort and convenience levels for road users are very high
as vehicles have almost complete freedom to maneuver. Only the Boyra College mor to
Joragate direction have level of service B. This represents reasonable free-flow conditions.
Comfort and convenience levels for road users are still relatively high as vehicles have only
slightly reduced freedom to maneuver.
In off-peak period, all the directional flow shows that the level of service is A. This represents
free flow conditions where traffic flow is virtually zero. Only the geometric design features of
the city road may limit the speed of the car. Comfort and convenience levels for road users
are very high as vehicles have almost complete freedom to maneuver.
3.4 Parking
The informal on street parking are seen in various places of the study area. The left of the
starting of the boyar bazar road is informally used for Easybike parking. Morover there is a
driveway in front of Newmarket where car, Rickshaw and various other vehicles are being
parked. At Shib-bari mor the opposite road lane of KDA Building is used as on street parking
space in some extent.
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3.4.1.1 Conflict points at Boyra road intersection and Joragate road intersection
Boyra intersection is the lowest merge diverging point overall. Basically mahendra and easy
bikes are observed mosty in this point. There are 9 conflicting points overall among them 3
are merging and 3 are diverging points which describes the accident potential for this
intersection.
Next is Joragate Road intersection which is a skewed intersection and a very complex
intersection point. There is a fuel station which causes frequent divergence in vehicular
movement which is directed to south. Among 9 conflicting points 3 are diverging and 3 are
merging points. Accident potential is similar to Boyra point in respect of the number of
conflict points. As it is not signalized intersection “Inappropriate intersection traffic control,
vehicle conflicts with non-motorists, misjudgement of gaps in traffics” occur daily.
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3.5 Recommendation
All the solution and proposals will be provided through this section.
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Figure 11: Reduction of Conflict Points at Joragate Mor and Shib-Bari Mor
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4. CONCLUSIONS
The main objective of the paper was to assess the operational features of public transport
and volume study of different types of vehicles in Khulna-city road. The paper contains
different information’s about volume study of the study area from Boyra to Shibbari mor. The
main finding of the paper was that the volume capacity ratio of all direction except the Boira
College mor to Joragate mor direction are lower than 0.60. This indicates that all the
directional flow have level of service A which represents free flow conditions. From the
analysis of the data and information it was found that the present condition was not
satisfactory. The number of conflicting points were mor and as a result of which the free
flowing movement of vehicles were hampered. Some important recommendations were
mentioned in order to solve the current problems and provide the pedestrians and drivers
with improved facilities.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
At first we pay our gratitude to almighty Allah. Special thanks to the local people, traffic
police of the study area, who helped us with their information, in their working time, and
made our study successful. We are also thankful to our classmates of the dept. of Urban &
Regional Planning for their help, co-operation & encouragement in preparing this paper.
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