Potential Effect of Traffic Signalling System in Catbalogan City, Philippines
Potential Effect of Traffic Signalling System in Catbalogan City, Philippines
Potential Effect of Traffic Signalling System in Catbalogan City, Philippines
01-16
Abstract: The increasing volume of traffic suggests an improving economy. On the other
hand, worsening traffic may cause negative economic and environmental consequences .
One way of managing traffic is with the use of signalling system. The study examined
the potential effect of signalling system on key intersections in the City of Catbalogan,
Philippines using SYNCHRO Studio 8.0. The three scenarios tested in the study include
the current traffic condition, traffic without Rickshaw (pedicab) and a situation where
Rickshaw was replaced with motorized tricycles. Using traffic signalling systems have
improved traffic flow of Curry Avenue – Del Rosario St. and Curry Avenue – San Roque
St while San Roque-Mabini Avenue intersection showed unfavorable results. The
removal of Rickshaw improves traffic flow but replacing it all with motorized tricycle
will result in severe traffic and negative environmental consequences.
Keywords: traffic lights, pollution, travel time, traffic management, traffic simulation
Samar Province, Philippines, has a time the traffic rules are replaced with
population of 103,879 (PSA, 2016). The city another set of rules.
is the center of trade and commerce
compounded with the fact that it is a major Some solution to traffic congestion
hub along the Pan-Philippine Highway includes; adding more capacity by
(NEDA, 2011) which adds to the traffic increasing the size of highway or provision
volume in the city. The city competitiveness of mass transportation system; operating
is continuously improving; it moved from existing capacity with more efficiency;
103 out of 136 in 2015 to 46 out of 142 in encouraging travel and land use patterns that
2015 (NCC Philippines, nd.) making it the use the system in less congestion and
better-performing city in Samar Island. This producing ways – travel demand
economic achievement can only be management; non-automotive travel modes;
sustained if the worsening traffic is and land use management (DOT FHA, nd.).
addressed early on. The quality and quantity
of transport infrastructure influence the Roads in Catbalogan has no traffic
attractiveness and desirability of urban signaling system and only uses traffic
regions (Small & Verhoef, 2007). enforcers who are not technically trained to
managed traffic issues. Roads have traffic
As the city grows, traffic volume signs and other road markings like
also grows with it. Catbalogan City pedestrian lanes, but none of it is seriously
implements franchise cap on the number of taken. This scenario is worsened because
motorized tricycle and Rickshaw. It, many licensed drivers have limited
however, does not have control over the knowledge of traffic rules and laws or
purchase and regulation of other type of simply do not follow them (Malabanan,
vehicles. Like many cities, the increased 2014). With the complexity of traffic
number of vehicles resulted in problems problem management, the study only
such as parking difficulties, loss of public explored on the traffic signaling system
space, high maintenance costs, accidents, using a computer software for analysis on
and safety. Traffic congestion occurs how it affects travel time and pollution
because of too many vehicles, land use contribution.
patterns, employment patterns, income
levels, car ownership trend, infrastructure 2. Objective
investment, etc. (ECMT, 2007). In response
to the growing traffic concern, the city This study presented the traffic
implemented traffic control measures and characteristics and evaluated the
had proposed a revision of its traffic and effectiveness of traffic signal in selected
transport ordinance (LGU, 2017). The said intersection in downtown Catbalogan City,
strategies, however, lacks scientific studies specifically it;
and is limited only on traffic flow directions,
parking restriction, prohibition of local 2.1 Determined the traffic characteristics in
transportation facilities from using selected selected areas in Catbalogan City in
routes, apprehension of unregistered terms of:
vehicles from using the city roads, etc. In the
past few years, at least three traffic schemes a. Routes
were introduced on the ground, perhaps as b. Volumes
as an experiment, confusing the public every
week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and necessary for the analyses including the
Sunday) during peak hour at three hours future traffic plans of the city.
durations (one hour for each; A.M, Noon
and P.M) for each intersection in a day. The 3.4.3 Modelling
City CCTV footages along the three
intersections were used to complement Traffic simulation was performed
actual observation. The video capture using Synchro Studio 8.0 and SimTraffic by
contains information such as the traffic Trafficware. The simulation program
volume for each road and direction of the allowed the researchers to import an image
vehicle, etc. The footages have one hour as a background. The image background
video for every peak hour at each site started served as a template or map so that it can
at 7:00 to 8:00 AM (morning peak hour), replicate the intersection in Synchro Studio
followed at 12:00 NN to 1:00 PM peak hour, 8.0 (see Figure 19). After inputting the
then lastly, 5:00 to 6:00 PM peak hour. intersection characteristics, they defined
simulation parameters such as lane setting,
The period of the volume volumes setting, timing setting and phasing
determination was divided into 15-minute setting. The latest volume counts on each
intervals distributed over the time of data road in all directions were collected from
counting. The footages were replayed to CCTV Footages. First, the network was built
retrieve the required data information for the by creating lanes and giving the available
study. number of lanes in each direction. Make
route choices input volumes define signal
control and assign them to the intersection.
After the simulation parameters were
established, SimTraffic was initiated to
perform the simulation for the different
scenarios for both signalized and un-
signalized intersections. Three scenarios
(with and without signalling system) were
observed to determine the effectiveness of
traffic control for each intersection. The
scenarios were:
Much of the study area is commonly College (SC) and Pier 1. Since the
used by commuters, with residential and intersection is busy, the tricycles and
commercial land uses. Table 1 shows the motorized tricycles coming from Samar
existing lane geometry of the study State University are not allowed to enter the
intersections, this include number of lanes, route to Pier 1. All vehicles, on the other
and lane widths in the selected intersections. hand, can enter and exit in any direction.
Significant number of heavy and light
Del Rosario Street - Curry Avenue trucks, PUJ vehicles, UV vehicles enters the
Intersection is a four-arm intersection. It route to SC leading them to another highway
corresponds to the vehicles entering access outside the city.
directions to Pier 1, Barangay Ubanon, Saint
Mary's College of Catbalogan (SMCC) and
Catbaloagan1 / Imelda Park. The heavy as
well as light trucks, PUJ vehicles and UV
vehicles coming from Pier 1 enters into the
route going to Catbalogan 1or to SMCC. In
this intersection, tricycles and motorized
tricycles can only enter and exit from Pier 1
and Ubanon. All vehicles on the other hand
can enter and exit in all lanes of the
intersection.
Figures 3 to 6 showed the current route The roads shown (going left and up)
direction of vehicles implemented by the in the picture is a portion of the national
City of Catbalogan. These routes were highway and is serving all types of vehicles
implemented to improve the traffic flow. In like busses, trucks, and others. The city
the past, vehicles including motorized passenger terminal for PUVs, the port exit
tricycles (3 seaters and 6 seaters) as well as and one of the city's public market is found
Rickshaws can freely move without in the vicinity of the port area (going left in
restriction. Such movement of public the picture).
transportation system is shorter but travel
time is longer due to traffic congestion. In
the current routes, vehicles need to turn
around two (2) to three (3) blocks to get into
a destination, in the past, it only need one
corner. Time of travel and distance of travel
is also associated to fuel consumption.
Figure 17. Unsignalized (left) and Signalized (right) Simulation at Del Rosario St. - Curry Avenue
Intersection
Figure 18. Unsignalized (left) and Signalized (right) Simulation at Curry Avenue – San Roque St.
Intersection
Figure 19. Unsignalized (left) and Signalized (right) Simulation at San Roque St. – Mabini Avenue
Intersection
Adding to the traffic volume are from the CCTV footages of the City. From
elementary to graduate students of the the SE side is a one-way traffic, moving to
Samar College (SC) is found along this the left (towards the Church, SMCC), the
intersection and the Saint Mary’s of NE side is towards the Patag District and
Catbalogan (SMCC) is located near the NW side is towards the SC gate.
church. Shown in Figure 11 is a photo grab
Table 2. Peak Hour Average Control Delay and Level of Service for a 15 Minutes Period
Table 3. Average Peak Hour Volume Performance of MOEs without Rickshaw (pedicab)
Table 4. Average Peak Hour Volume Performance of MOEs where Rickshaw Volume was replaced
with Motorized Tricycle
Catbalogan City mixed traffic makes The same effect was observed when
the analysis complicated. Rickshaw speed is the Rickshaws are replaced with the
dependent on the driver and speed cannot be motorized tricycle. The travel time has
controlled in the same manner as motorized improved up to 20% for Del Rosario St. -
vehicles are. In many cities around the Curry Avenue intersection and 19% in the
Philippines, Rickshaw are removed from Curry Avenue – San Roque St. intersection.
downtown roads to improve traffic. The Meanwhile, San Roque St. – Mabini Avenue
same however may not be environmentally intersection showed a less satisfying result
beneficial specially when replaced with because it increased by 6% with the number
motorized counterpart. The effects of of stoppage of vehicles increased between
removing Rickshaw are positive in terms of 124 to 205%.
traffic flow. On the other hand, replacing it
all with a motorcycle is a different story.