Transportation

Engineering

Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 1

 HIGHWAY CAPACITY
ANALYSIS
Topics to be covered:

1. Connection with previous lectures (qmax)

2. What is highway CAPACITY?
3. What factors it depends on?
4. The Level of Service (LOS) concept
5. Application of HCM procedures for TWO LANE TWO WAY HIGHWAY

Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 2

Connection with previous
lectures

qcap

Review:
a) Capacity is qmax
A b) As qi=vi * ki so capacity is
related to speed, and density

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 Highway capacity definition HCM analyses are
and concept usually for the peak
(worst) 15-min
The capacity of a facility period.
is:
“the maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles can
be reasonably expected to traverse a point or uniform
segment of a lane or roadway during a given time period
under prevailing conditions.”

Sometimes
 Traffic Some regularity using persons With different
expected (capacity makes more prevailing
 Roadway is not a fixed value) sense, like conditions, different
 Control transit capacity results.

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 Capacity vs
Congestion Capacity.. v/c=1
Congestion …
v/c > 1

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 Capaci
ty
HCM “ the maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles can be reasonably
expected to traverse a point or uniform segment of a lane or roadway during a
given time period under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions”
Different for different facilities (freeway, multilane, 2-lane rural, signals)

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 FACTORS EFFECTING
CAPACITY Roadway Conditions
1. Horizontal and vertical alignment
2. Lane width and lateral clearance
3. Grades
4. Surface conditions
Traffic Conditions

Prevailing Conditions
5. Directional distribution
6. Heavy vehicles in the traffic stream
Control Factors
7. Speed limits
8. Lane use controls
9. Traffic signals

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 Capacity
Analysis
A set of analytic models that relate flow levels, geometric characteristics,
and controls to measures of the resulting operating capacity
Standard reference for capacity analysis procedures: Highway Capacity
Manual (HCM)

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 Level of service: Definition and
Concepts
“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 maneuver,
traffic interruptions, and comfort and convenience.”

LOS A (best) LOS F (worst or system breakdown)

A Free flow
SFA
B Reasonably free flow
SFB
C Stable flow
D Approaching unstable flow
E Unstable flow SFC
F Forced flow or breakdown flow SFD
SFE
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1/ 2 /2 0 2 3
 Level of Service
(LOS)
Concept – a qualitative measure describing operational conditions
within a traffic stream and their perception by drivers and/or
passengers
Levels represent range of operating conditions defined by
measures of
effectiveness (MOE)
GRADING SYSTEM FOR HIGHWAY TRAFFIC OPERATIONS
SIX LEVELS: LOS A TO LOS F
LOS A= BEST…. Free flow
LOS F= WORST… Jam/ breakdown/ congestion
LOS E= CAPACITY ???

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 LOS
Visualization
A B C

D E F
Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 26 25
 A B C
D
E

F
qcap

Important to note:
qi=vi * ki
A

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 LOS Explanation/quantification (1)
Every highway facility has a fixed capacity and
volume/capacity ratio decides LOS at a given
time

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 qmax= 1000vph
LOS q
A…. 0.6 <=600
B…. 0.7 700
C…0.8 800
D…. 0.9 900
E…1 1000
F…>1 >1000

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1122:43 PM
 Volume/Capacity
Ratio (v/c)
Proportion of the facility’s capacity being utilized
𝑉 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤
by current or projected traffic.
=
(𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒)
𝐶 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
As The actual rate of flow can never be greater
than capacity
Therefore v/c above 1.0 predicts that the facility
will fail.. queues and extensive delays
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 LOS
Explanation/quantification
Level of service Density range (pc/mi/ln)
(2) A 0 - 10.0
B 10.1 - 16.0
C 16.1 – 24.0
D 24.1 – 32.0
E 32.1 – 45.0
F > 45.0

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 Service flow rates vs. service
volumes
What is used for analysis is service flow rate. The actual
number of vehicles that can be served during one
peak hour is service volume. This reflects the peaking
characteristic of traffic flow.
Stable flow
SFE Unstable
flow
E F
Flow

SFA C SVi = SFi * PHF

Congested
B
A Peak _ hourly _
PHF 
Uncongested volume 4V 15_ peak
Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8
Density 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 33 3
 Two LOS
criteria LOS Density (pc/mi/ln)
A <= 10
B 11-16
C 17-24
D 25-32
E >=40

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1122:43 PM
 VA= 83.9mph
VB= 83.34mph
LOS Density
(pc/mi/ln)
VC= 81.87mph
VD= 78.8mph A <= 10
VE= 76.57mph B 11-50
VF= <76.57 mph C 51-70
D 71-90
E >=100

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1122:43 PM
 Highway Capacity
Maximum number of vehicles which CAN pass a given
VISUALIZATION
highway section under prevailing conditions.
[1]
Higher
Min.
No. of
No. of
vehicles
vehicles

Capacity
Not
Max. Highest
but
moving

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 Determining the capacity and LOS of a highway :
Level of service’ describes in a qualitative way the operational conditions for traffic from the
viewpoint of the road user. It gauges the level of congestion on a highway in terms of variables such
as travel time and traffic speed.
In order to determine a road’s level of service, a comprehension of the relationship between
hourly
volume, peak hour factor and service flow .

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 REC
AP
 Capacity Analysis
 Level of Service (LOS)
 LOS in fundamental Diagram

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 A B C
D
E

F
qcap

Important to note:
qi=vi * ki
A

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Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 40
 Capacity
Analysis
Types of Analysis

Operationa
Design Analysis
l Analysis

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 Operational
Analysis
 Given a demand and supply characteristics
 LOS is determined based on the above two criteria

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 Design
Analysis
 Assume a particular LOS
 Provided with demand
You have to find out supply characteristics e.g. finding out # of lanes of a
particular highway

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 Highway Capacity
Manual
 HCM represents demand for operational analysis as

𝑉𝑝
𝑃𝐻𝐹 𝑥�𝑁𝐻𝑉
�

=
𝑥𝐹 𝑝
𝑉𝑝 = demand flow rate [passenger cars / hour
𝑥𝐹/ lane]
PHF = peak hour factor
N= number of lanes
𝐹𝐻𝑉= adjustment factor for heavy traffic

𝐹𝑝= adjustment factor for presence of occasional or unfamiliar drivers

Heavy traffic characterized by HCM as heavy buses/ trucks and recreational vehicles e.g. caravans

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 Highway Capacity
Manual 𝑉
𝑃𝐻𝐹 𝑥�𝑁 𝑥
�
𝑝
= 𝑥𝐹
𝐻𝑉
𝑝 𝐹
𝑉𝑝 = demand flow rate [passenger cars / hour /
1
𝑓𝐻𝑉
1 + 𝑃𝑇 𝐸𝑇 − 1
lane]
=
+ 𝑃𝑅 𝐸 𝑅 − 1
𝑃𝑇 = % of trucks 𝑃𝑅 = % of recreational vehicles
𝐸𝑇 = equivalent number of trucks; 𝐸𝑅 = equivalent number of recreational
vehicles

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 Types of terrain and
factors
Level Rolling Mountainous
ET 1.5 2.5 4.5
ER 1.2 2.0 4.0

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 Highway Capacity
𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆 = 𝐵. 𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆
Manual − 𝑓 − 𝐿𝑊 𝑓𝑁 − 𝑓𝐼𝐷 − 𝑓𝐿𝐶

𝑓𝐿𝑊= adjustment factor for lane width (12’ standard)

𝑓𝑁= adjustment factor for number of lanes (ideal is 5 or more lanes
for expressway)
𝑓𝐼𝐷= adjustment factor for interchange density
𝑓𝐿𝐶 = adjustment factor for lateral clearance (>6’ standard)

𝐵𝐹𝐹𝑆= 70 miles/hour for urban environment, 80 miles/hour for

rural freeway
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Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 48
Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 51
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 Level of
Service
for FFS
and
Volume

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 Problem
#six-lane
A 1 urban freeway has the following characteristics. 12’ lane width, 5’
lateral clearances on the left side of the freeway (6’ shoulder). It is built on the
rolling terrain having an interchange density of 1/mile and a peak hour factor of
0.92. The traffic consists of 8% trucks and no recreational vehicles. All drivers are
regular users of the facility. The peak hour volume on the facility is 3600VPH
which is expected to grow at a rate of 6% per year for the next 20 years. What is
the correct level of service on the facility and what level of service can be
expected after 5 years 10 years and 20 years?

Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 54

 Soluti
𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆 = 𝐵. 𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆 − 𝑓𝐿𝑊 −
on 𝑓𝐿𝐶 − 𝑓𝑁 − 𝑓𝐼𝐷

𝑉
𝑃𝐻𝐹 𝑥�𝑁 𝑥
�
=�
�

𝐹𝐻𝑉𝑥𝐹𝑝
𝑉𝑝 = demand flow rate [passenger cars / hour /

1
lane]

𝑓𝐻
1+𝑃 𝑇 𝐸 − + 𝑃𝑅 𝐸 −
=𝑉
1 𝑇 1 𝑅
𝑃𝑇 = % of trucks 𝑃𝑅 = % of recreational
vehicles

Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 55

 Problem
# 2 upgrade and downgrade LOS for an 8-lane urban freeway with
Find the
the
following characteristics:

11’ lanes, 2’ lane width clearance, Interchange density is 2.0 / mile, 5% trucks
and no recreational vehicle. All drivers are regular user of facility.

The section urban freeway has 4% sustained grade of 1 mile and the peak hour
factor is 0.85. Peak Hour Volume has been found as 4000 veh/hr.

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Upgrade
%Pt

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 Downgrade
%Pt

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 Upgrade
%RV

The passenger car equivalent for RVs on downgrade sections is taken to be the same as that for level
terrain sections, or 1.2.

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 Problem
#
A four3
lane multi-lane highway section with a full median carries a peak-hour
volume of 2600 veh/hr in the heaviest direction. There are 12% trucks and 2%
recreational vehicles in the traffic stream. All drivers are regular user of facility.
The section is on 3% sustained grade of 1 mile in length. The peak hour factor is
0.88. Field study has been conducted to determine that the free-flow speed of
the facility is 55miles/hr. At what level of service will this facility be operational
during the peak hour?

Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 60

 For multilane
highway 𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆 = 𝐵. 𝐹. 𝐹. 𝑆 − 𝑓
𝑓 −𝑓 −𝑓 𝑚 𝐼𝐷 𝐿𝐶
𝐿𝑊 −

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Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 62
 Problem
#existing
An 4 6 lane divided multilane highway having a base free-flow speed of 60
miles/hr which serves a peak-hour volume of 4000 veh/hr with traffic composition as
15% trucks and no recreational vehicles. The peak hour factor has been estimated as
0.90 and the highway has been built on rolling terrain. The other characteristics of that
multilane highway is as follows:
Access points / mile = 20
Lateral clearance provided = 6’
Lane width = 10’
Find level of service for that
particular section of multi-lane
highway
Transportation Engineering - Lecture 8 1/2/2023 12:43 PM 63
 Problem
# 5 the following situation: A volume of 2,500 veh/h traverses a section of
Consider
freeway and contains 15% trucks and 5% RVs. The section in question is on a 5%
upgrade, 0.75miles in length. What is the equivalent volume in passenger car
equivalents?

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 Practi
ce
A long section of suburban freeway is to be designed on level terrain. A level
section of 5 miles is, however, followed by a 5% grade, 2.0 mi in length. If the
DDHV is 2500 veh/h with 10% trucks and 3% RVs, how many lanes will be
needed on the upgrade to provide for a minimum of level of service C? Assume
that base conditions of lane width and lateral clearance exist and that ramp
density is 0.50/mi. The PHF = 0.92

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