TOPIC: TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

For safe traffic operations on roads,

Essential to impose adequate:

 Traffic Regulations
 Traffic Control Devices
Traffic Regulations cover all aspects
of driver, vehicle, flow and general
controls

i. Driver Controls: Driving licenses, driver

tests and minimum requirements,financial
responsibility and civil liablity
ii. Vehicle Controls: Vehicle registration,
requirements of vehicles, equipment and
accessories, maximum dimensions and
weight, and fitness and inspection of
vehicles
iii. Flow Regulations: Directions, turning and
overtaking, speed limit, one-way,
pedestrian controls, etc.
 Traffic Regulations (Cont’n.)

iv. General Controls: Other general regulations

and provisions such as accident reporting
and disposong traffic violation cases.
Traffic Control Devices – aids and devices
used to control, regulate and guide traffic.
General requirements are: attention, meaning,
time for response and respect of road users.
i) Traffic Signs
ii) Traffic Signals
iii) Markings and iv) Islands
 Warrants for traffic control signal
installation
i) Minimum vehicular volume warrant specifies that the average
traffic volume for 8 hours on both approaches should be at least
650 vph on major streets with single lane, and 800 vehicles on the
streets with two or more lanes. The number of vehicles
aprroaching the intersection on minor street (on one direction
only) is atleast 200 vph on single lane street and 250 vph on two
or more lanes.
When the average approach speed or the 85th percentile speed on
major streets excedds 60 kph or when the intersection lies within
built-up area, the vehicular volume warrant may be decreased to
70% of the above requirement.
ii) Interruption of continuous traffic flow on the major street with 1000
to 1200 vph that there is undue delay or hazard to traffic on minor
road with a traffic of 100 to 150 vph in one direction only during
any eight hours of an average day.
 Warrants . . . .

iii) Minimum pedestrian volume warrant of 150 or more

pedestrians per hour cross a major street with over
600 vph on both approaches, (1000 vph in the case
of main street with raised median). However, when
the average approach speed or the 85th percentile
speed exceeds 60 kph, 70% of the above
requirements may be adopted.
iv) Accident experience warrant showing that other
measures have failed to dcrease the accident
frequency or when five or more accidents involving
injury and damage have occurred within 12 months
period.
Warrants . . . .

v) Combination of warrants when no single warrant is

satisfied but indicating two or more warrants of (i), (ii)
or (iii) above are satisfied to the extent of 80% or more
of the stated volumes.

Design of Isolated Fixed Time Signal

Cycle Lengths = 40 to 60 sec. for two 2-phased signal
Longer cycle lengths are used for complex traffic flow
and for more than two phases.
 Design of Isolated Fixed Time Signal
...
Design Procedures:
i) Trial Cycle Method
Approximate methods
ii) Approximate Method
iii) Webster Method – a rational approach
Problem. The peak 15-minute traffic counts on
cross roads 1 and 2 are 178 and 142 vpl,
respetively, approaching the intersection in the
direction of heavier traffic flow. If the amber times
required are 3 and 2 s, respectively for two loads
based on approached speeds, design the signal
timings by trial cycle method. Assume an average
time headway of 2.5 s during green phase.
 Solution:

Trial (i): Assume a trial cycle C1 = 50 secs

No. of cycle in 15 mins, N1 = (15*60)/C1
= 900/50
= 18
Green period for road 1, allowing an average
time headway of 2.5 sec/veh, n1= 178 vpl,
G1 = 2.5n1C1/900 = 2.5(178)/18 = 24.7 s
Green time for road 2, n2= 142 vpl,
G2 = 2.5(142)/18 = 19.7 s
Amber periods A1=3 s and A2 = 2 s
Total cycle length, C1’ = G1+G2+A1+A2 secs

C’1 = 24.7 + 19.7 +3 +2 = 49.4 sec<C1= 50 sec N.G.

Try a lower cycle length.
Trial (ii)
Assume C2 = 45 secs
N2 = 900/45
= 20
G1 = 2.5(178)/20 = 22.25 s
G2 = 2.5(142)/20 = 17.75 s

C’2 = 22.25 + 17.75 +3 +2 = 45 sec<C2= 45 s O.k.!

Therefore, the trial cycle of 45 s may be adopted with
the following signal phases:

G1 = 22.25 s
G2 = 17.75 s

A1 = 3.0 s

A2 = 2.0 s