CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1Introduction
In a road network, there are two vital elements: Link and Node. Node is also named
as intersection and link is connecting element between two successive intersections.
In a road traffic system, intersections are one of the important bottlenecks, which
interrupt the smooth flow of traffic and thereby cause delays. Intersection is a small
area inside a road network but it plays very important role. To avoid unnecessary
delay or to get an efficient traffic flow movement, these intersections need to be
planned and designed properly and very carefully. Along with the appropriate road
network and geometry, the necessary traffic control devices also need to be applied
wisely.
In the developed countries, like !A, ", Australia to obtain orderly movements of
vehicles through intersections, they have strict traffic control rules, regulations and
well established planning, designing and methodology for design of road intersection
and as well as standard guidelines for the application of traffic control devices.
#ecause of these practices, clear pattern in $ueue formation and discharging can be
seen a road intersections in countries. %ay by day they have been adopting latest
traffic engineering tools to provide better performance of the intersection on which is
the vital part of road network.
The road traffic system in #angladesh is going through the worst phase since its
formation. All ma&or intersections within the urban areas have got severe traffic
congestion, which produce long delay and insurmountable sufferings of the road
users in %haka city. This is happening mainly because of inappropriate road network
inside the %haka city, faulty layout of the intersections, undefined legal intersection
area, non'harmonic synchroni(ation of traffic signals in road network of %haka city,
arbitrary signal timing and many other factors. )owever, the field observations it has
been identified that most of the total problems which cause traffic congestion in
intersections mainly because of the insufficient traffic data, ill planned traffic signal,
inappropriate road network, presence of illegal structures by the side of the road,
unnecessary roundabouts, speed breakers, improper turning radius, absence of
median and sign, absence of following the lane system, faulty control operation of
police and some other factors which cause delay and make intersections inoperative.
Page
1
At most approaches, all intersections in %haka *etropolitan Area, it is usually
operated by manual operation by police causing irrational distribution of signal
phases time, increase delay. Therefore, it decreases the level of services +L,!-
.
of
the intersections.
It is, therefore, intended in this study to investigate the present road network, how
effective and efficient traffic signal techni$ue for evaluating the performance of road
intersections of %haka *etropolitan Area.
1.2 Statement of the problem
%haka the capital, administrative and commercial hub of #angladesh, has seen
phenomenal growth both in terms of population and motori(ation in the post'
independence period of the country. In last five years, the population of the city has
grown by about /01 to about .2.3 million, while for the same period the vehicle
population has also grown by about /01 to more than 43/000 vehicles
5
. The current
traffic congestion is so high that there is public outcry for solution of this problem. The
demographic trends of last decade have resulted in rapid population growth and
e6pected to continue in the upcoming decades. The impact od such rapid growth has
ma&or conse$uences on the ability of transport sector to provide mobility to all people
as they seek to take advantage of employment, education, health and social
opportunities at %haka city.
In %haka, the transport sector includes both motori(ed and non'motori(ed vehicles.
These diverse modes o vehicles often use the same road space, which resulting a
high level of operational disorder. This lack of discipline significantly diminishes the
efficiency and effectiveness of the e6isting transport system. %haka is the only city of
its si(e without a well'organi(ed road network and properly scheduled transport
system. This deteriorating traffic conditions are causing delay in the most
intersections of %haka city road network, which is reducing the L,! at intersections
day by day.
In field observation, the most important delay causes at the intersections are 7
congestions and signal timing. The signal timing that is currently operated by traffic
police is not suitable for the current traffic scenario. %ue to growth in traffic
congestion and number of vehicles in %haka city the current signal timing cause
delay problem at the intersections. !ome important causes are 7 increasing traffic,
numbers of users, un'revised signal timing, road condition, private car issues, non'
motori(ed vehicles, unplanned city growth, over population, high migration from rural
area to %haka city, short term plan, etc.
1
Level of services = LOS.
2
Traffic Signal Synchronization Study (DSCC) ugust 2!1"# $age % "
Page
2
#ut no studies and investigations related to the performance of road intersections of
%haka *etropolitan city have been carried out in our country yet. This study thus
attempts to investigate and to evaluate the performance road intersections of %haka
*etropolitan city.
1.3 Objective of the study
The study is aimed at investigating two main scopes for improving &unction capacity
vi(. +.- appropriate road network and +5- effective and efficient traffic signal control.
The main ob&ective of this study is to find out L,! of intersection inside the %haka
*etropolitan city area.
1.4 Organization of the thesis
The investigation is reported in this study is organi(ed and presented in the following
order'
hapter!1 represents introduction and ob&ectives of the study. A brief review of the
e6isting intersections condition prevailing in %haka city is represented in this chapter
with special emphasis placed on the ob&ective of the study.
hapter!2 incorporates literature reviews related to intersection performance with
special emphasis on L,! of intersection.
hapter!3 describes the methodology of data collection and analysis. 8indings from
critical observations of field data are incorporated here.
hapter!4 includes the collected data in graphical form9 pie chart and list of different
survey lists are included here.
hapter!" describes the overall situation of the intersection of %haka *etropolitan
:ity area.
hapter!# includes the result of this study in tabular form with relevant logic here.
hapter!$ includes the conclusions of the entire study and some recommendations
for further research.
Page
3
1." Study plan
Figure 1.5.1: Study &lan of this research.
Page
4
!tudy ;lan
<eview of the various facilities of the ideal
intersections
8inding out the e6isting problems of different
intersections of %haka *etropolitan city area
:ollection of various data associated with these
intersections in %haka *etropolitan city area
=uantitative observation of various problems in these
intersections
Analysis those data for finding out the level of service
+L,!- of those intersections
:onclusions
<ecommendations for future planning and
construction of intersections in the road network of
%haka *etropolitan city area
References
Level of services = LOS.
2
Traffic Signal Synchronization Study (DSCC) ugust 2!1"# $age % "
Figure number
Figure 1.5.1: Study &lan of this research.
[After finalizing thesis paper, References, Table and Figure will be listed later]
Page
5