4/21/2019

CE 867 - Lecture #5
Estimating the Travel Time Impacts of Transportation Improvements

CE-807 Traffic
Engineering
(Fall 10)
Lecture # 10
Traffic Studies and Programs
(Statistical application in Traffic Engg.)

Dr. Anwaar Ahmed

National University of Sciences &Technology (NUST)

Introduction
 The term value of time means “value of goods, services, or some utility
that can be produced within a time interval”
 The reduction in trip travel time is considered as “saved” time even
though the difference in time was not really saved but was used to
perform another activity
 Transportation analysts consider reductions in travel time to be a
“saving” and measure its benefits in terms of the amount of time saved
and the value of each unit of time saved
 Enhancements to a transportation system - yields increased travel speed
or decreased waiting or transfer times, and consequently, reduced travel
time
 The savings associated with reduced travel time typically constitute the
largest component of transportation user benefits

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Categorization of TT - Trip Phase

 In-vehicle travel time (IVTT):
 IVTT is the time incurred by passengers or freight in the course of their
transportation by rail, air, water, or highway vehicles from one point to
another
 IVTT = Distance/Operating Speed

 Operating speed is influenced largely by prevailing traffic conditions

 Out-of-vehicle travel time (OVTT):

 OVTT is the “excess travel time” spent outside a vehicle during the
journey. It includes:
(1) Waiting at terminals (2) Parking search
(3) Walking for Transit trips (4) Modal Transfer Times for Freight

 Why Categorization on the Basis of Trip Phase:

 Higher undesirability for OVTT than IVTT (1.5 to 3 times)
 Travels don’t like to WAIT for transportation!

Example: Trip phases of a typical commuter

 A work-bound commuter walks from home to a bus stop and takes

a bus to reach rail transit station A in 7 minutes. At the station, the
person boards the train and undertakes a 13-minute trip to a
downtown bus stop, where she boards a bus that takes her to the
workplace in 5 minutes. Tabulate the IVTT and OVTT associated
with the journey. Assume a waiting time at the transit center and
bus stops of 3 minutes and a walk time of 2 minutes.

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Example: Trip phases of a typical commuter

Home

1
Work Place

Bus Stop Rail Terminal Rail Terminal Bus Stop

2 3 4

IVTT and OVTT according to Trip Phase

IVTT OVTT
Trip Segment
(Minutes) (Minutes)
Walk From Home to Bus Stop 0 2
Journey 1
Wait at Bus Stop 0 3
Bus Trip from Bus Stop to Rail Transit Station 7 0
Journey 2
Wait For Rail Transit 0 3

Journey 3 Rail Transit Journey to Destination Station 13 0

Walk to Bus Stop 0 2
Journey 4
Wait at Bus Stop 0 3
Journey 5 Travel in Bus to Work Place 5 0
Total Travel Time By Trip Phase 25 13
Total Trip Travel Time 38 Minutes

If 1 min of OVTT is valued as 1.5 min of IVTT,

Effective Travel Time = 25 + 1.5 x 13 = 44.5 minutes of IVTT

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Categorization of TT - Other Bases

 Traveler Characteristics – Travel time considered w.r.t. a person or group
classified by
 Socio-economic characteristics, Trip origin
 Destination or Trip Purpose, vehicle type etc.
 Clocking Status
 On the Clock – Working

 Off the Clock – Outside of Working

 Working and non-working different monetary values

 Flow Entity
 Passenger Transportation – Rs per hour Per Person

 Freight Transportation – Per ton, Cu. ft, Gallon, etc.

 Time of Day
 Two distinct periods of trip-making behavior in a typical day are the peak and
off-peak periods
 Travel time is typically estimated separately for these two periods.

Procedure for Assessing TT Impacts

 Base Case TT/Alternative Scenario TT

 TT Value
 Change in Travel Amount

For both Base Case and Alternative Scenario,

 Travel Demand → Speed → Travel Time (U1,U2)
 TT Savings = ½ (U1-U2) (V1+V2) (Unit TT Value)
 Estimate for Each Traveler Class, Clocking Status, and
Vehicle Class

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Speed Estimation

 HCM Method – Freeways and Multiple lane Highways

 Use of Speed – Flow Relationship for various Highway

classes
 Free Flow Speed for Freeways and highways

 Free-flow speed can be calculated making adjustments

factors for traffic characteristics and road geometry
 HCM Method – Urban Streets
 Urban Streets → Presence of Signals

 Speed of travel estimated using:

 signal density
 intersection volume–capacity (v/c) ratio 9

Example – HCM Approach for Freeways

Determine the average passenger car speed on a 6-mile urban freeway
section during the off-peak period under, undersaturated conditions
when the flow rate is 1700 vphpl. The free-flow speed is given as 70
mph.

Flow Rate 1700 vphpl.

FF Speed 70 mph
From Figure 5.2 Avg. Speed is 68 mph

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Speed Flow Curves and Level of Service For Basic Freeway Segments
(HCM, 2000)

80
Free-Flow Speed, FFS = 75 mi/h
70 mi/h
Average Passenger-Car Speed (mi/h)

1300
70
65 mi/h 1450
60 mi/h 1600
60
55 mi/h 1750
LOS A B C D E
50

40
i/ln
c /m

30
n
i/l
1p

/m

i/ln
=1

pc

/m ln
18

pc
ity

20 2 6 pc /m i
/
ns

n
3 5 c /m i/l
De

4 5 p
10

0
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400
Flow Rate (pc/h/ln)
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Example – HCM Approach for Urban Streets

Find the travel speed on a 6-mile urban street with three

isolated signalized intersections per mile and peak direction
v/c ratio of 0.6

Solution: 6-mile Urban Street

3 Isolated Signalized Intersections Per Mile
Peak Direction v/c ratio 0.6

From Figure 5.3, Speed is 20 mph

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Speed Flow Curves For Class II Urban Streets (HCM, 2000)

Note: Assumptions: 40 mph midblock free flow speed, 6 mile length, 120 sec. cycle
length, 0.45 g/C. Arrival Type 3, Isolated Intersections, adjusted saturation flow rate of
1,700 veh/hour, 2 through lanes, analysis period of 0.25 h, pretimed signal operation 13

Speed Estimation –COMSIS Method

 Speed estimation procedure under the effects of congestion
 FHWA’s Simulation model
 Produces hourly speed outputs for segments with AWDT/capacity
ranging from 1 to 16
 Approach - well suited for project planning analysis
 Provides effect of volume changes and capacity improvements on
travel time without requiring profiles of volumes by time of day
 AWDT can be estimated by applying conversion factor to AADT
 Capacity can be estimated using standard tables (relationship b/w
free-flow speed and capacity…Table A5.1.1)
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Example – COMSIS Method

In 2004, the annual average daily traffic on a 6-mile stretch of M-2 was
145,210 vehicles. The capacity of the six-lane freeway is 1900 vehicles per
hour per lane. Determine the average speed on the freeway during the morning
(7:00 to 10:00 a.m.) and afternoon (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.) peak periods using the
speed look-up table developed by COMSIS Corporation for urban and rural
freeways. Use a factor of 1.0991 for converting AADT to AWDT

Example – COMSIS Method

In 2004, the annual average daily traffic on a 6-mile stretch of M-2 was
145,210 vehicles. The capacity of the six-lane freeway is 1900 vehicles per
hour per lane. Determine the average speed on the freeway during the morning
(7:00 to 10:00 a.m.) and afternoon (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.) peak periods using the
speed look-up table developed by COMSIS Corporation for urban and rural
freeways. Use a factor of 1.0991 for converting AADT to AWDT
6-Lane M-2, 6 mile section
AADT 145,210 in 2004
Capacity 1900 vphpl
AWDT = 1.0991 AADT
= 1.0991 x 145,210
= 159,600
2-Directional Hourly Capacity = 6(1900) = 11,400 vph
AWDT/C = 159,600/11,400 = 14
From Table 5.1,
Avg. Speed - Morning and Afternoon Peaks are 26.13 and 23.98 mph

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Freeway Speeds on an Average Weekday (miles per hour) - COMSIS

*Peak Period (7:00 am - 10:00 a.m) & Off-Peak Period (4:00 p.m. – 7.00 p.m)
Freeflow speed of 60 mph assumed in simulation

Hour Ending Ratio of Average Weekday Daily Traffic to Capacity (AWDT/C)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
12MN -1AM 59.94 59.89 59.84 59.78 59.72 59.67 59.61 59.55 59.49 59.43 59.37 59.3 59.22 58.96 58.65 58.27
1- 2AM 59.97 59.94 59.9 59.87 59.84 59.8 59.77 59.74 59.7 59.66 59.64 59.6 59.55 59.3 59 58.65
2-3AM 59.97 59.95 59.93 59.9 59.87 59.85 59.82 59.8 59.77 59.75 59.72 59.7 59.67 59.42 59.13 58.78
3-4 AM 59.97 59.95 59.93 59.91 59.88 59.86 59.84 59.82 59.8 59.78 59.77 59.76 59.73 59.5 59.21 58.87
4-5 AM 59.96 59.93 59.89 59.86 59.82 59.78 59.75 59.71 59.69 59.66 59.64 59.63 59.59 59.35 59.06 58.71
5-6 AM 59.89 59.8 59.69 59.58 59.47 59.35 59.23 59.12 59.01 58.91 58.8 58.69 58.57 58.29 57.98 57.66
6-7 AM 59.7 59.41 59.08 58.73 58.37 57.98 57.56 57.15 56.73 56.25 55.69 54.99 53.83 52.51 50.16 48.57
7-8 AM 59.54 59.09 58.56 57.99 57.37 56.73 55.93 54.28 50.56 45.38 40.77 36.86 33.74 30.01 27.34 25.3
8-9 AM 59.65 59.33 58.94 58.54 58.11 57.66 57.09 55.52 50.75 43.57 37.21 31.99 27.87 24.56 22.23 20.58
9-10 AM 59.74 59.49 59.21 58.92 58.6 58.28 57.94 57.53 56.1 51.18 42.26 33.4 27.54 24.01 21.74 19.98
10-11 AM 59.74 59.5 59.22 58.93 58.62 58.3 57.97 57.61 57.2 56.43 53.15 44.21 33.55 27.24 23.88 21.31
11-12MD 59.72 59.46 59.16 58.84 58.51 58.16 57.79 57.4 56.97 56.51 55.73 52.24 42.13 32.77 26.97 23.04
12-13PM 59.71 59.43 59.12 58.78 58.43 58.06 57.67 57.26 56.82 56.35 55.83 54.14 47.63 38.06 29.75 24.01
13-14 PM 59.7 59.42 59.1 58.76 58.39 58.01 57.62 57.19 56.73 56.24 55.69 54.42 50.14 41.55 31.6 24.47
14-15 PM 59.67 59.35 58.99 58.6 58.2 57.76 57.31 56.83 56.34 55.79 55.02 53.21 48.32 40.17 30.24 23.18
15-16 PM 59.59 59.2 58.74 58.26 57.73 57.17 56.59 56.00 55.32 54.17 51.64 46.85 40.12 32.39 24.88 19.91
16-17 PM 59.52 59.06 58.52 57.92 57.29 56.62 55.8 54.49 52.00 47.41 40.97 34.47 28.87 23.98 19.7 17.11
17-18 PM 59.52 59.06 58.51 57.91 57.27 56.59 55.54 53.38 48.91 42.11 34.96 28.97 24.31 20.74 17.79 16.12
18-19 PM 59.67 59.35 59 58.62 58.2 57.78 57.14 55.59 51.35 43.65 35.04 28.17 23.3 20.01 17.40 15.91
19-20 PM 59.77 59.55 59.31 59.05 58.78 58.49 58.2 57.85 56.99 53.65 45.43 34.53 26.26 21.79 18.37 16.34
20-21 PM 59.82 59.65 59.46 59.26 59.05 58.84 58.62 58.39 58.15 57.77 55.98 49.27 37.48 28.67 22.29 18.19
21-22 PM 59.83 59.68 59.51 59.33 59.14 58.95 58.75 58.54 58.29 58.02 57.71 56.74 52.66 43.71 32.53 23.25
22-23 PM 59.86 59.74 59.6 59.46 59.31 59.16 59 58.82 58.61 58.39 58.18 57.92 57.33 54.59 46.24 32.38
23-12MN 59.9 59.81 59.71 59.6 59.49 59.38 59.27 59.14 58.99 58.83 58.68 58.52 58.33 57.79 55.68 45.68
Peak* 59.59 59.2 58.74 58.24 57.71 57.14 56.39 54.88 51.27 45.16 38.26 32.07 27.27 23.52 20.57 18.69
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Off-Peak* 59.74 59.5 59.21 58.92 58.6 58.27 57.92 57.56 57.12 56.38 54.57 50.31 43.23 36.4 30.20 25.44
Daily 59.68 59.37 59.02 58.64 58.23 57.8 57.28 56.43 54.58 51.24 46.62 41.11 35.3 30.31 25.95 22.71

Determining Travel Time using the Bureau of

Public Roads (BPR) Function

 v 
n

TT  t0 1     
  c  
Link Distance
t 0 =Free-Flow TT=
Free Flow Speed
α,n = Constants

 V = Traffic flow rate on the link (VPHPL)

 C = capacity of the link (VPHPL)

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Example – BPR Function

In field studies the traffic flow rate on a four-lane 6-mile section
of arterial was reported as 1300 vphpl during the morning peak
period. Using the BPR function, determine the travel time on this
link during the morning peak period. The capacity of the arterial
is 1400 vphpl. Assume that α = 0.15 and n = 4. The free-flow
speed on the arterial is 40 mph.

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Example – BPR Function

In field studies the traffic flow rate on a four-lane 6-mile section
of arterial was reported as 1300 vphpl during the morning peak
period. Using the BPR function, determine the travel time on this
link during the morning peak period. The capacity of the arterial
is 1400 vphpl. Assume that α = 0.15 and n = 4. The free-flow
speed on the arterial is 40 mph.
 4-Lane 6-Mile Arterial

 1300 vphpl During Morning Peak

 Capacity 1400 vphpl

 α = 0.15 and n = 4

 FF speed = 40 mph

6   1300  
4

TT  1  0.15    (60)  10 Mins

40   1400   20

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TT After Improvement

 Hypothetical scenario
 Simulated Impacts

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Example – Travel Time Saving

Highway 1-3-4 passes through the congested Rawalpindi downtown. The
city authorities are planning to construct a bypass (highway 1-2-4) in
order to relieve congestion and to reduce the travel time. You being a
new MS graduate have been consulted to estimate the travel time saving
for the proposed project.
 For the network shown in Figure find the annual VTT saving. Using
(1) HCM Method (2) COMSIS Method (3) BPR function. Make
suitable assumptions where necessary and Unit Travel Time Cost
(2014 Constant Rs) are as follows:
 Car – Rs. 295
 Truck - Rs. 205
 It is assumed that 12,000 vehicles shall use the bypass daily in first
year of its opening.

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Segment -C
Example Length =25 Km
V = 40,000 1
One Traffic Signal/mile
4 Lanes (divided)
Segment -A
3 Length =10 Km
V = 12,000
Segment -D 4 lanes (divided)
Length = 30 Km
 For the network shown in V = 50,000
Figure find the annual VTT Two Traffic Signal/mile 2
6 Lanes (divided)
saving. Using
 COMSIS Method
 BPR function
 Make suitable assumptions
Segment -B
where necessary Length =15 Km
 Unit Travel Time Cost (2014 Constant Rs) V = 15,000
a. Car – Rs. 295 4 4 Lanes (divided)
b. Truck - Rs. 205

Example – Assumptions
 Vehicles using bypass daily in first year of its opening = 12,000
 FFS for Segment C = 80 kmph (50 mph)
 FFS for Segment D = 70 kmph (45 mph)
 FFS for Segment A & B = 90 kmph (55 mph)
 Vehicle Occupancy
 Car = 1.2 (70%)
 Truck = 1 (30%)

 Unit Travel Time Cost (2016 Constant Rs) are as follows:

 Car – Rs. 295
 Truck - Rs. 205
 AWDT = 1.0991x AADT
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