capacity and level of service

at signalized intersection

The level of service at any intersection on highway has a significant effect on the
overall operating performance of that highway. Thus improvement of the level of
service oat each intersection usually results in an improvement of the overall

Operating performance of the highway.

Analysis procedure that provides for the determination of capacity or
lever are:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Flow
Distribution of traffic
Geometric characteristics
And Signalization system

10.1 DEFINITIONS OF SOME COMMON TERMS

Permitted turning movements is made within gaps of opposing traffic stream
or through a conflicting pedestrian flow.
Protected turns are those protected from any conflicts with vehicles in an
opposing stream or pedestrians on a conflicting crosswalk.
Yellow change and red clearance interval is the sum of the intervals (given
in seconds) that are provided between phases to allow vehicular and pedestrian
traffic to clear the intersection before conflicting movement are released.
Geometric conditions is a term used to describe the roadway characteristic of
the approach.
Signalization conditions is the term used to describe the signal operation.
Flow rate v/s projected demand (v) on a approach or lane group to the
saturation flow rate (s)
Lane group consists of one or more lanes that have a common stop line, carry
a set of traffic streams, and whose capacity is shared by all vehicles in the
group.

 An analysis period (T) is the time intervals selected

to evaluate am intersection by applying the procedure
once.
The study period is the time period for which the
results of the analysis are applicable and may consist
of one or more consecutive analysis periods.
Rest in Walk mode enable for a phase, this mode will
dwell in walk except when there are conflicting calls
Pedestrian clear interval (PC), sometime known as
the pedestrian change interval allow pedestrian who
leaves the curb during the walk interval to arrive at the
opposite curb or median.

CAPACITY AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION

Maximum rate of flow to subject lane group that can
go through the intersection under prevailing traffic,
roadway, signalized conditions
Overall capacity of the intersection is not considered.
Emphasised on suitable facilities movement of the
intersection.
Level of service and capacity should be analysed
separately

SATURATION FLOW OR SATURATION FLOW

RATE
The concept of saturation flow or saturation flow
rate(s) is used to determine capacity of a lane group.
Maximum flow rate on the approach or lane group
that can go through the intersection under prevailing
traffic and roadway conditions when 100% effective
green time is available.

The capacity of an approach or lane group

The critical v/c ratio for the whole intersection

ANALYSIS LEVELS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR LEVEL OF

SERVICE AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

There are three (3) analysis levels for determining the level of
services (LOS)
Operational
Design and
Planning and preliminary engineering
1. Operational level uses detailed information on:
. Traffic
. Geometric
. Signalization characteristics for a comprehensive analysis of the
intersections.

2. Design analysis level is used when an intersection is being designed for a given
LOS.
Requires:
- Traffic
-Geometric
-Signalization characteristics
-Desired LOS.
3.
.
.
.

Planning and preliminary engineering analysis level uses

basic and default values to evaluate a given intersection
or planned overall existing performance of a signalized intersection
Requires least amount of site- specific data.

Modes used for evaluating performance measures for quality operation at the
intersection:
. Automobiles
. Pedestrian
. Bicycle

The performance measures include:

Demand volume-to- capacity ratio v/c

Queue storage ratio
Automobile delay
Pedestrian circulation area
Pedestrian perception score
Pedestrian delay for walking
Bicycle delay
Bicycle perception score for bicycles

The LOS is considered as a performance measure and it is

computed separately for each of the modes considered.
The influence area in analysis should be at least 250ft
backward from the stop line of each leg of the intersection.

10.3
LEVEL OF SERVICE CRITERIA AT SIGNALIZED
INTERSECTIONS

LOS Criteria for the Automobile Mode

These procedures deal with the computation of the level of
service at each lane group, intersection approach, and at the
intersection as whole.
TABLE 10.1

LOS Criteria for Nonautomotive (Pedestrian and

Bicycle) Mode
The criteria for the nonautomotive modes are based on:
Scores computed from factors described as either performance
measures sure as:
Pedestrian delay
Indicators of the intersection characteristics
Pedestrian corner circulation area
Table 10.2 gives the relationship between the scores and the LOS
for the nonautomotive mode.

Required Input Data for the Automobile for the

automobile can be categorized into four (4) group
Traffic characteristics
Geometric design
Signal control
Other
Traffic characteristics
The demand flow rate-vehicles that arrive at the intersection divided by
the analysis period.
The right-turn-on-red (RTOR) flow rate is the quotient of the number of
vehicles that turn right during analysis period and is expressed in terms of
an hourly flow.
Platoon ratio-how well a movement group progresses through the
intersection and depends on the percentage of vehicles that arrive during
the green indication

 TABLE 10.4 AND TABLE 10.5

The upstream filtering adjustment factor (I)

I=1.0-0.91X^2.68=>0.09
Initial queue is the number of vehicles that are at the intersection at
the start of the analysis period of the movement group under
consideration.
Base saturation flow rate(S) is the maximum rate of flow across the
stop line. It is associated with the following conditions:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Traffice lanes at least 12 ft wide

No heavy vehicles in the traffic stream
A flat grade
No parking
No buses that stop at the intersection
Even lane utilization
No turning vehicles

The lane utilization adjustment factor (Flu) is used

to adjust the ideal saturation flow rate The pedestrian flow rate number of pedestrians in cross walk that interrupt the flow of
right-turning vehicles during analysis period.
The bicycle flow rate number of bicycles with a travel path
that results in an interruption of the flow of right turning
vehicles from the approach under consideration during the
analysis period.
The on-street parking maneuver rate number of parking
maneuvers per during the analysis period that have an impact
on the intersection leg.
The local bus stopping rate-the number of buses per hour
during analysis period that block traffic by stopping
embarking or disembarking passengers within 250ft.

Geometric Design
Geometric elements of the intersection that have some
impact or the flow of traffic.
Number of lanes
Average lane width
Number of receiving lanes
Turn bay length
Present of on-street parking
Approach grade

Signal control
elements provide input data for the signal control data are:
a. Pre-timed
b. semi-actuated
c. Fully actuated
d. And coordinated-actuated mode.
Other
The area type describe the activities in the are at which the
intersection is located.
Have significant effect on:
Speed
Saturated volume at an approach.

COMPUTATION OF
PEDESTRIANS AND
BICYCLES FACTOR

STEPS
STEP 1
COMPUTE PEDESTRIAN OCCUPANCY AFTER QUEUE CLEARS
STEP 2
DETERMINE RELEVANT CONFLICT ZONE OCCUPANCY
STEP 3
DETERMINE UNOCCUPIED TIME
STEP 4
DETERMINE SATURATION FLOW RATE ADJUSTMENT FACTOR