Transportation

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Module 5

Transportation
Module 5
Traffic Flow Theory

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 Transportation
Student Copy
Module 5
Problem 5-1
Traffic counts of a 4-lane arterial street shows 30,000,000 axles cross a counting station in a
year. 80% are passenger cars, 10% are three-axle trucks, 7% are four-axle trucks, and 3% are
five-axle trucks. The volume of traffic on the road, in average annual daily traffic, is most
nearly:

(A) 15,000
(B) 35,000
(C) 65,000
(D) 85,000

Solution
Solve for the total traffic by
Axel Load = Sum (% class * axels by class * AADT)
Axel Load / day =

30,000,000 axels / 365 days = AADT

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 Transportation
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Module 5
Problem 5-2

If the traffic volume on a highway in 2001 is 95,000 vehicles per day, with a predicted
annual growth rate of 3%, the traffic volume (vehicles per day) in the year 2009 will be most
nearly:

(A) 110,000
(B) 115,000
(C) 120,000
(D) 125,000

Solution

Determine the traffic volume in the year 2009.

Use the interest tables with an interest rate of 3% for 8 years; i.e., from 2001 to 2009.

V2009 = V2001 (F/P, 3%, 8yrs) = veh/day * veh/day

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 Transportation
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Module 5

Problem 5-3
A vehicle platoon was observed over a distance of 1000 ft on a single lane of Oak Street,
entering at point A and departing at point B.
Vehicle Time at A Time at B
(sec) (sec)
1 0 35
2 2 37
3 3 39
4 5 42
5 6 44
6 8 48

Calculate the average volume, density, and speed for these six vehicles observed, assuming the
first 10 seconds at A as the period of observation.
Solution
Veh Time Time ∆t Vel Speed
# A-A B-B ft/s m/hr
1 0 35 35
2 2 37 35
3 3 39 36
4 5 42 37 27.03 18.42
5 6 44 38 26.32 17.94
6 8 48 40 25.00 17.05

1 N 1
Time mean speed = ut = ∑ui = (111.31) = 18.55mph
N i =1 6
N ∆x (6)(1000)
Space mean speed = us = = = 27.15 ft / s = 18.51mph
Σ∆t 221
In a 10 sec time period 6 vehicles pass the line.
∴ in a (60 x 60) sec. period (6)(3600)/10=2160 veh pass

Av. Density =

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 Transportation
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Module 5
Problem 5-4
A travel-time study on a busy inner city route was conducted using the moving-vehicle method.
Estimate the travel time and volume on this section of the highway. The data for this study are
as follows:
Number of Vehicles
Run Direction Travel Time Traveling in Overtaking Overtaken by
(min) Opposite Direction Test Vehicle Test Vehicle
1 NB 15.80 320 7 2
2 NB 16.20 332 10 3
3 NB 15.40 340 11 3
4 SB 15.93 305 12 4
5 SB 16.35 328 15 5
6 SB 16.33 345 5 0
Runs 1, 2, and 3 are northbound, and Runs 4, 5, and 6 are southbound.
Solution
Number of Vehicles
Run Travel Time Traveling Overtaking Overtaken by
(min) in opp dir. Test Vehicle test Veh.

NB 1
North Bound

NB 2 16.20 332 10 3

NB 3 15.40 340 11 3

Average

Tn NN nN

SB 4 15.93 305 12 4
South Bound

SB 5 16.35 328 15 5

SB 6

Average

TS NS nS

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 Transportation
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Module 5

Flow NB

330.67 + (10.67 − 3)
Flow SB = = 10.57veh / min
15.80 + 16.20
nN
TN = TN − =
qNB
nS (10.67 − 3)
TS = TS − = 16.2 − = 15.47 min .
qSB 10.57
Note: qNB = flow in the north bound direction
qSB = flow in the south bound direction

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 Transportation
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Module 5
Problem 5-5-211
The table below is a set of spot speed observations, made from an overbridge onto a highway.

55 42 53 67 58 65 63
31 51 66 54 49 55 44
49 47 69 76 20 46 62
30 69 56 45 25 64 54
74 44 35 83 64 78 65
45 33 75 48 56 50 66
72 49 63 58 70 37 55
68 29 38 34 47 39 53
64 41 59 89 42 44 51
79 38 54 54 77 58 61

Determine:
a) The space mean and time mean speeds
b) The 85 percentile speed and the median speed

Solution
a) Space mean and time mean speeds
Step 1: tabulate the speeds into one column.
Step 2: count speeds (n)
Step 3: sort, lowest to highest.
Step 4: compute speed reciprocals
Step 5: compute space mean and time mean speed

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Module 5

# RawSortedReciprocal

2
3 49
4 30 30
5 74 31 0.03
6 45 33 0.03
7 72 34 0.03
8 68 35 0.03
9 64 37 0.03
10 79 38 0.03
11 42 38 0.03
12 51 39 0.03
13 47 41 0.02
14 69 42 0.02
15 44 42 0.02

68 53 79 0.01
69 51 83 0.01
70 61 89 0.01
Σ 3804 1.41

n
a) vs = =
∑(1/ vi )
∑(vi )
vt = =
n
Determine the 85 percentile speed and median speed
Step 1: devise intervals (in this case, 1 thru 7, an odd number is best because it will reveal a
unique value for the median)
Interval #

30
40 49
50 59 4
60 69 5
70 79 6
80 89 7

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Step 2: count frequencies (number of occurrences in each interval e.g. three speeds fall into
interval 1)

Interval # Frequency

30
40 49
50 59 4
60 69 5 15
70 79 6 8
80 89 7 2

Step 3: check that sum of frequencies = n

Step 4: plot frequencies against speed intervals – check that distribution looks normal
(symmetrical and bell shaped)

20

15
Frequency

10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Interval

Step 5: express frequency as a percentage of all for each interval

Interval # Frequency %

30
40 49
50 59 4
60 69 5 15
70 79 6 8 11%
80 89 7 2 3%

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Step 6: compile cumulative frequencies

Interval #Frequency % Cumulative freq

30
40 493
50 594 18
60 695 15 21%
70 796 8 11% 97%
80 897 2 3% 100%

Step 7: plot cumulative frequencies against lower interval limits

120%

100%

80%
Cum Freq

60%

40%

20%

0%
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Speed

Step 8: read 85 percentile from plot:

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Module 5
Problem 5-6
A neighborhood group complains that speeds have increased following a traffic management
scheme. A sample of speed observations before and after the scheme is tabulated below.

before after
35 31 33 35 36 33 34 36
33 35 34 34 35 37 36 35
37 36 34 38 38 35 35
34 35 36 36 35 38 37
32 35 33 36 36 35 34
36 35 38 34 37 40 39
36 39 34 38 40 36 35
34 35 34 35 35 32
39 38 34 41 39 36
39 36 35 36 38 34

Assuming a 95% confidence level, determine whether the speeds have increased significantly.

Solution
before after

mean mph x
standard deviation mph s
variance mph s2
sample size # N
s2/n

sb2 sa2
The standard deviation of the difference in means, sd = +
nb na

Substituting, sd =
For a confidence level of 95%, z =
Product, z sd =
Absolute difference of means = xb − xa =

If, abs(mean1-mean2) > z sd, the difference is significant

If, abs(mean1-mean2) < z sd, the difference is not significant

xb − xa = > z sd =

Conclusion:

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Problem 5-7
The data tabulated below is a set of spot speed observations.
Speeds (mph)
53 52 52 51 52
61 64 57 56 50
66 58 69 62 61
66 57 45 45 58
69 69 40 46 56
Assuming a confidence level of 95%, and an acceptable bound on error of 2 miles per hour, the
minimum sample size is most nearly:

(A) 20
(B) 30
(C) 40
(D) 60

Solution
The minimum sample size N, is given by:
tα σ 2
N=
d2

where,
tα = value of student’s t distribution with (1 – α/2)
σ = Standard deviation (mph)
d = limit of acceptable error in the speed estimate (mph)
α = significance level
For a confidence level of 95%, α/2 = 2.5%, tα = 1.96.
From statistical table of the t distribution
The limit of acceptable error relates to the precision of the measuring. If a radar gun, for
example, is rated to measure at =+/- one mph, from the problem description, d =
σ=
Substituting,
N=

N=

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Problem 5-8
On a freeway with a flow of 1600 vehicles per hour and an absolute maximum space mean speed
of 110 mph, the following point speeds were observed (in mph):

52, 48, 58, 43, 58, 54, 62, 51, 58, 55, 59, 59, 53, 50, 54.

The Jam density, in vehicles per mile, is most nearly:

(A) 30
(B) 40
(C) 50
(D) 60
Solution:
N=

N
Space mean speed us = =
∑(1/ ui )
q
Density k= = vehicles / hour
us
uf
us = u f − *k
kj

where kj = Jam Density

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 Transportation
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Module 5
Problem 5-9
A two-lane highway accommodates 3,500 vehicles per hour at a space mean speed of 60 miles
per hour under normal operating conditions. A manufacturer has requested a police escort for
the transportation of a slow moving abnormal load between two intersections 10 miles apart.
The load travels at a maximum speed of 8 miles per hour and is known to increase the density of
the highway between the intersections to 250 vehicles per mile.
Determine:
a) The length of the platoon that will build up as a result of the movement of the load.
b) The number of vehicles that will be affected.
Solution
a) The speed of a shockwave, uw, is given by:
q 2 − q1
uw =
k2 − k1
Where q1 is the flow rate upstream of the shock wave =
k1 is the density upstream of the shock wave (vpm)
k2 is the density downstream of the shock wave (vpm)
k1 = q1 / u1 =
q2 = k2 x u2 =
uw =
(The minus indicates that the shockwave is traveling backward)
The growth rate of the platoon is
The time taken for the abnormal load to travel from intersection to intersection

So, platoon length =

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