IRC 9-1972

TRAFFIC CENSUS
ON
NON-URBAN ROADS
(First Revision)
THE INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS
1989
<<
IRC 9-1972
TRAFFIC CENSUS
ON
NON-URBAN ROADS
(First Revision)
Published by
THE INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS
Jamnagar House, Shabjaban Road,
New Delhi-il
1989
Price Rs.*1~24
(plus Postage & Packing)
<<
IRC: 91972
First published: 1960
First Revision September 1 972
Reprinted: May, 1 989
(Rights of Publication and of Translation are reserved)
Printed at M/s Sagar Printer & Publishers, New Delhi
(1000 Copies)
<<
IRC : 9-1972
TRAFFIC CENSUS ONNON-URBAN ROADS
I. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Periodic traffic census are a valuable source of basic data
for highway planning. As such, these should be a regular feature in
all highway departments.
This Standard was originally published in 1960. The revised
Standard was considered and approved by the Specifications and
Standards Committee in their meeting held on the 18th and 19th
November, 1971 and by the Executive Committee in their meeting
held on the 26th and 27th April, 1972. Later, it was approved for
publication as the flnalised Standard by the Council at their 78th
meeting held at Nainital on the 10th July, 1972.
2. SCOPE
2.1. It is desirable that traffic census operations be carried out
in a uniform manner throughout the country.
2.2 The repetition of census operations, on the scale recom-
mended here, should normally be limited to important trunk routes
like the National Highways, State Highways and Major District
Roads.
3. SELECTIONOF CENSUS POINTS
3.1, Judicious location of traffic count stations is crucial to the
success of a census programme. For trunk routes serving inter-city
traffic, it is relevant that the ~censussites should be fixed well away
from all urbanised developments and villages. In particular, sites
within zone of influence of towns where there may be a regular flow
of commuter traffic must be avoided. If need be, additional stations
could be set up for these zones.
3.2. Every road should be divided into convenient sections,
each carrying approximately similar traffic between points of substan-
tial traffic change. Count stations should be set up for each section.
The limits of the sections could generally be the important towns
along the road or major roads intersecting or taking off from the
highway in question.
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IRC : 9-1972
3.3. Since division of the highway into sections and fixation of
census points for them are decisions of lasting significance, these
should be taken at a senior level in each highway department after
considering the traffic pattern along the entire route.
3.4 Every subsequent census should be taken at the same
locations. New stations could, of course, be added as and when
needed.
4. FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF CENSUS
4.1. Traffic should be counted at each point at least twice every
year. One count should be taken during the peak season of harvest-
ing and marketing and the other during the lean season. Each time
the count should be made for a full week spread over 7 consecutive
days and 24 hours of each day.
4.2. Traffic census should not generally encompass abnormal
conditions of traffic like a fair or exhibition. In such cases, the count
in the area should be postponed by a few days tilt normalcy returns.
5. RECORDING OF DATA
5.1. For the purpose of counts, a day could be divided into
three shifts of 8 hours each and separate enumerators with a super-
visor assigned for each shift. Enumerators should be literate persons
with preferably middle or matriculation level qualification. It may
be worth-while to specially train supervisors to go round from one
census point to the next and initiate the other staff new to this kind
of work.
5.2. Recordingshould be done for each direction of travel sepa-
rately. For this it will be necessary to dIvide staff for every shift
into two parties.
,.3. A field data sheet form for the manual recording of hourly
flows is given in Plate I. Before start of enumeration, it should be
ensured by the supervisors that the information In the form at the tp
is duly filled in by the enumerators.
5.4. In each hourly column, the traffic should be recorded by
making tally marks in the five-dash system (vertical strokes for the
first four vehicles, followed by an oblique stroke for the fifth vehicle
soas to depict a total of five). Hourly totals should be made at the
end of the shift.
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IRC 9-1972
6. COMPiLATION OF DATA
6.1. A form for daily traffic summary is shown at Plate H.
Information in this sheet should be compiled from the field data
sheets. The highest peak hour traffic in the day for fast as well as
slow vehicles may be highlighted in the summary sheets by drawing
a firm line in red around the figures in the appropriate column.
6.2. The information collected in the daily summary sheets
should be transferred to the weekly traffic summary form shown at
Plate III. The average daily traffic for the week should then be
determined and indicated in the space provided for that in the form.
6.3. The daily and weekly traffic summaries should be prepared
in quadruplicate so that one copy could be kept by the Executive
Engineer incharge of maintenance of the road and the other copies
sent to the planning division at the headquarters office which in turn
would remit this information to the other agencies concerned, e.g., the
Roads Wing of the Ministry of Shipping and Transport in the case of
National Highways. The field data sheets should be preserved as
permanent record for at least five years.
6.4. An index map indicating the location of the census site
should be attached to the traffic summary sheets.
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IRC 94972
PLATE1
TRAFFIC CEt4SUS
PIcLD D~TASHEET
DP~TE- ~.t4D DI.~( O~WZ1~(. ~ ~kOAD ~
I~RECTIOHo~i~.cric~~_ FROM 10 LL~RP~GLLE~A~-
ROUTE NO. (~F~
D~r~T
OF
HOUR ~W~~4ICLE~
O~COUNT .,.~,,,,
C~R5, JEEPS, VANS
THR!.E WHEELERS ETC. BUsc~S 1RUCI~S
~#LOTORCYCLES
AND SCOOTERS
ANIMAL DRAWN
VEHICLES
CYCLES OTHERS
(Spec~) R E.MA~RI(S,
INCLUOtN6 WEATHER CDNDflIOI~
t 2 3 4 S 5 7 5 9
FROM I4RS~
.TO HRS
HOURLY TOTAt..
FROM HR5~
TO I4R~
HOURLY ~O1M~
FROM HR~
MRS
HOURLY TOTAL
FROM HR$~
TO HRS
.
HOU~L~TOTAt-
-

-- ...
NOTEZ*-
1. RECORD TR*.FFIC VOLU$4E IN ~O4W.iNSZ~O8 BY MAKING TALULS III EKE. FORM or vf.RRCM. ~tRORE$ FOR FIRST FOUR VEHICLES
ASID DRMNIHG NI OOt.~UIBTROi(.E FOR EVERY 5TH AS SIQNN WITIUN BRW~KE.TSQ~II).
2. SGML ROADS V.ARR~( APPREC1MU. VOLUME OF OThER TRAFFIC LIKE V(CLE. RIUI5M~AS.RECORD THE VOLUME
OF SUCH VEHICLE.S IN COLUMN 8 AFTER SPECIFYING THE VEHICLE TYPE $M~. AND ~IONATURL O~VW$~.RJITO*
Pc THE HOUR OF COUNT SHOULD & ENTERED 8EFQRE. THE START OF ~NUMERA1IQN. PM HOURS ~ DATE
SHOULD BE RECORDED AFTER ADDING 12 TO THE ACTUAL HOUR, FOR EXAMPLE 2PM SHOULD NAME AND BIGNbtURLOc SUPERVISOR
BE RECORDED AS I4~OOHRS
~t IF FELT NECESSARY Y HIGHWAY ~THORITY, THIS COLUMN COULD BE SUB- DIVIDED INTO TWO FOR RECORDING THE
VOI.UME OF PNEUMATIC- TYPED AND IRON TYPED VEHICLE5 SEPARATELY. -
5 <<
TRAFFIC CENSUS
IRC 9 1U72
PLATE I!
R~ CL~SW~,M~fl. _______
NlL0I~tTRML/ MILEAGE ____________
ROUTE, NO. (IFA~4Y)
STATE
DOWN TOTAL
CDL. %~
St to
17 18 19 20 21
* ENT*~D~ AIlO DRf 0~
NAME AND $I0~TuRL OF
SUPERVISOR wiTh DATE
~Owfl ~
~MLYTRF1C.SUMMP~L
___________TO -~---- __________ ~RS ON _____________
~IRECTIO!c rw TRWFiC~ FRO~I_________ TO (up)
FROM TO ~
CARE. JEEPs. VMI~,
.~ThREE WHLLLEP.S EITE.
FAST VEJ4%C
Up DOWN
I
up
0000 - 0700
rP K ~ MOTOR CYCLES ~ I AMD ~tOOTLR..S
3
DOWNS ~,P UP
B
4
DOWN
TOTAL A57
JR 1DO~
VtH~CLE~
UP
COL.1~
Sc It
.f ~ ~ 10 11 12
up
I TOTAL SLOW
UP
14
DO~4N
15
UP
10
REMAR~S
I
~
~~-,- ~~-1. ~~- ~------ ~.------~ .
070* 0600 1
~-
00*0 0~D0
::~:
1100 42.00
12.00 IUO
1400
1400 1500
1500 - 1$0*
1600 - 1700
1700 1*00
.
1100 1*04
1*00 2000
1*00 2100
2100 - 2t00
2200*100
~--.,- ..~ flO0~t400
0*00 0400
0100_ *200
02oO_0~0O
0300_!400,.,,,
040* 05*0
-------4---
0500 010*
TOTAL
10TM. UP * DOWI.
FOR flNIELL 1TPI
1
7
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Pt.ML)~
IRC; 9-1972
r TRAFFIC CENSUS
FROM . TO ,~ WEEKLY IRAPPIC. SUMNARY ROAD C.LASSWICETION
IOATL) (DATE)
DETh.ILS 1W CENSUS PQIHr~_.~___.~ HILOULTRAGE/MILEME-. .~.
ROUTE NO. (IF AWY)~-
DISTRiCT STATE
P L RIO0 FAST VEHICLER
CARS,JLEPS,VANS, BUSES TRUCKS MOTOR CYCLES TOTAL
iNREI WHEELERS 5~5.C0OTLflS (COL~TO5~
SLOW VU4ICLLS
ANIMAL DRAWN CYCLES OTHERS TOTAL
VEHICLES (SPECIFY) (cot.. 10 TO 12.)
REMARKS
DATE HOUR DATE HOUR
I 1 3 4 5 6 7 0 9 10 Ii 12. 13
14
TOlAL FOR THE. WEEK ..
PWERA6L DAILY TRAFFIC
FOR TWE WILt
MANS. AIiO UG$MU~ OF
aUPIRV~GMW~
9
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LIST OF INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS CODES & STANDARDS
PRICE
per copy
(Postage &
packing
charges extra)
Rs P.
Type Designs for Highway Milestones (First
Reprint).
Route Marker Signs for National Highways (in
Metric Units) (First Revision).
Dimensions and Weights of Road-Design
Vehicles (First Reprint).
Type Designs for Furlong and Boundary Stones.
Standard Specifications andCode of Practice for
Road Bridges Section IGeneral Features of
Design (in Metric Units) (Fourth Revision).
Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Road Bridges Section lILoads and
Stresses in Metric Units (Second Revision)
Recommended Practice for Numbering Bridges
and Culverts (First Revision).
Type Designs for Highway Kilometre Stones
(First Revision).
Traffic Census on Non-Urban Roads.
Recommended Practice for Borrowpits for
Road Embankments Constructed by Manual
Operation (First Reprint).
Recommended Practice for the Design and
Layout of Cycle Tracks (First Reprint).
RecommendedPractice for Location and Layout
of Roadside Motor-Fuel Filling-Cum-Service
Stations (First Revision).
Recommended Practice for Location and
Layout of Roadside Motor-Fuel Filling
Stations (First Revision).
Recommended Practice for 2 Cm Thick
Bitumen and Tar Carpets (First Revision).
Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Construction of Concrete Roads (First
Revision).
Tentative Specification for Priming of Base
Course with Bituminous Primers.
Tentative Specification for Single Coat Bitumi-
nous Surface Dressing.
Design Criteria for Prestressed Concrete
Road Bridges (Post-Tensioned Concrete)
(First Reprint).
Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for
Water Bound Macadam and Surface Treated
Water Bound Macadam (First Reprint),
Recommended Practice for Bituminous Penetra-
tion Macadam(Full Grout).
1. IRC: 11953
2. IRC:
3. IRC:
4. IRC:
5. IRC:
21968
31954
41955
51970
6. IRC: 61966
7. 1RC~ 71971
8. IRC: 81969
9. IRC; 91972
10. lRC~101961
Ii. IRC: 111962
12. IRC: 121967
13. IRC: 131967
14. IRC: 141970
15. IRC: 151970
16. IRC: 161965
17. IRC: 171965
18. IRC: 181965
19. IRC: 191966
100
2 50
100
100
350
400
200
2 50
300
100
200
200
200
250
500
1 50
1 50
250
200
20. 1RC: 201966
150
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21. IRC: 211972
22. IRC: 221966
23. IRC: 23 1966
24. IRC: 241967
IRC: 251967
1RC: 261967
IRC: 271967
IRC: 281967
29. IRC: 291968
30. IRC: 301968
31. IRC: 311969
32. IRC: 321969
33, IRC: 331969
34. IRC: 341970
35. IRC: 351970
36. IRC~361970
37. IRC: 371970
38. IRC: 381970
39. IRC: 391970
40. IRC: 401970
41. IRC: 411972
200
200
2 50
200
200
2 50
500
00
50
00
00
25.
26.
27.
28.
Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Road BridgesSection III Cement
Concrete (Plain andReinforced), (First Revision). 5 00
Standard Specifications nnd Code of Practice for
Road BridgesSection VI Composite Cons-
truction for Road Culverts and Medium
Span Bridges (First Reprint). 3 00
Tentative Specification for Two Coat Bitumin
otis Surface Dressing. I 50
Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for
Road BridgesSection V Steel Road Bridges. 6 00
Type Designs for Boundary Stones (in Metric
Units). 2 00
Type Design for 200-Metre Stones. 2 00
Tentative Specification for Bituminous Maca-
damBase & Binder Course. 2 00
Tentative Specification for the Construction of
Stabilized Soil Roads with Soft Aggregate in
Areas of Moderate and High Rainfall. 2 00
Tentative Specification for 4 Cm (14 in.)
Asphaltic Concrete Surface Course.
Standard Letters and Numerals of Different
Heights for Use on Highway Signs (in Metric
Units).
Route Marker Signs for State Routes (in Metric
Units).
Standard for Vertical and Horizontal Clearances
of Overhead Electric Power and Telecommuni-
cation Lines as Related to Roads (in Metric
Units).
Standard Procedure for Evaluation and Con-
dition Surveys of Stabitised Soil Roads.
Recommendations for Road Construction in
Waterlogged Areas,
Code of Practice for Road Markings (with
Paints).
Recommended Practice for the Construction of
Earth Embankments for Road Works, 4
Guidelines for the Design of flexible Pavements, 3
Design Tables for Horizontal Curves for
Highways. 20
Standards for Road-Rail Level Crossings. 3
Standard Specifications and Cede of Practice
for Road Bridges-Section IV (Brick, Stone
and Block Masonry).
Type Designs for Check Barriers,
42. 1RC: 421972 Proforma for record of Test Values of Locally
Available Pavement Construction Materials
43. IRC: 431972 Recommended Practice for Tools Equipment
and Appliances for Concrete iavement Con-
struction.
44. IRC: 441972 TentatIve Guidelines for Cement Concrete Mix
Design for Road Pavements (for non-air ent-
rained and continuously graded concrete).
3 50
300
3 00
500
250
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