Analysis and Discussion

Traffic Study
A six hour traffic study was carried on 16 October 2014. The traffic study was carried for 2 continuous
hours at different times during the day. The results from the speed survey and traffic count are shown in
the following sections.
Speed survey
The different time taken, obtained from the traffic study conducted, were used to the find the average
speed of the chosen vehicles to travel through a distance of 50m and a cumulative frequency curve was
plotted. As per the requirements of road geometric design, it is expected that, for a normal traffic flow,
85% of the drivers travel below the designed speed. For the rest of the 15% of the drivers, their travelling
speed can be determined from the cumulative frequency curves. Among those 15% drivers it is assumed
that majority would be travelling at 95th percentile speed while 50th percentile speed would represent the
mean speed of the drivers.
Speed survey from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m
Table 9.0: Cumulative percentage for speed survey from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m

Speed
37
38
45
47
48
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
61
62
63
64
65
66
70
71
73

Frequency
of
vehicles
1
1
1
1
1
4
2
1
1
2
3
3
1
2
2
1
2
3
3
1
1
1
1

Cumulative
frequency

Cumulative
percentage

1
2
3
4
5
9
11
12
13
15
18
21
22
24
26
27
29
32
35
36
37
38
39

2.17
4.35
6.52
8.70
10.87
19.57
23.91
26.09
28.26
32.61
39.13
45.65
47.83
52.17
56.52
58.70
63.04
69.57
76.09
78.26
80.43
82.61
84.78

74
77
79
84
89
92
97

1
1
1
1
1
1
1

40
41
42
43
44
45
46

86.96
89.13
91.30
93.48
95.65
97.83
100.00

Cummulative percentage
120.00
100.00
80.00

Cumulative Percentage

60.00
40.00
20.00
0.00
20 40 60 80 100 120

Speed km/h

Figure 9.0: Cumulative frequency curve for speed survey from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m
Table 9.1: Calculated speed statistics for speed survey from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 a.m

85th percentile
95th percentile
Mean
Median 50th percentile
mode
Standard deviation

Speed km/h
78
90
63
61
97
15.2

Speed survey from 11:00 a.m to 13:00 p.m

Table 9.2: Cumulative percentage for speed survey from 11:00 a.m to13:00 p.m

Speed

Frequency
of vehicles

Cumulative
frequency

Cumulative
percentage

39
40
41
43
49
54
55
56
59
61
63
65
66
68
69
70
79
83
87
95
96

1
1
1
1
3
5
2
6
6
7
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1

1
2
3
4
7
12
14
20
26
33
34
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
46
47

2.13
4.26
6.38
8.51
14.89
25.53
29.79
42.55
55.32
70.21
72.34
78.72
80.85
82.98
85.11
87.23
89.36
91.49
93.62
97.87
100.00

Cumulative percentage
120.00
100.00
80.00

Cumulative Pecentage

60.00
40.00
20.00
0.00
30

40

50

60

70

80

90 100

Speed km/h

Figure 9.1: Cumulative frequency curve for speed survey from 11:00 a.m to 13:00 p.m
Table 9.3: Calculated speed statistics for speed survey from 11:00 a.m to 13:00 p.m

Speed km/h

85th percentile
95th percentile
Mean
Median 50th
percentile
mode
Standard deviation

83
95
64
63
96
17.1

Speed survey from 15:00 a.m to 17:00 a.m

Table 9.4: Cumulative percentage for speed survey from 15:00 p.m to 17:00 p.m

Speed
34
39
40
44
47
48
50
51
52
54
55
56
59
60
62
63
64
65
66
67
69
70
72
73
86
115

Frequency
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
2
4
5
1
2
1
1
4
1
4
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

Cumulative
frequency
1
2
3
4
7
8
10
12
16
21
22
24
25
26
30
31
35
37
38
40
41
42
43
44
45
46

Cumulative
percentage
2.17
4.35
6.52
8.70
15.22
17.39
21.74
26.09
34.78
45.65
47.83
52.17
54.35
56.52
65.22
67.39
76.09
80.43
82.61
86.96
89.13
91.30
93.48
95.65
97.83
100.00

120.00

100.00

80.00

Cumulative percentage

60.00

40.00

20.00

0.00

speed km/h

Figure 9.2: Cumulative frequency curve for speed survey from 15:00 p.m to 17:00 p.m
Table 9.5: Calculated speed statistics for speed survey from 15:00 a.m to17:00 a.m

85th percentile
95th percentile
Mean
Median 50th
percentile
mode
Standard deviation

Speed km/h
70.5
82.8
60
59.5
115
16.4

The actual speed limit on the road is 60km/h. From the data obtained, it was found that the highest speed
recorded was 115 km/h. While most of the vehicles travelled with a mean speed of as low as 60 km/h, the
95th percentile speed found to have a high value of 90 km/h.
The low speed values obtained in the morning and afternoon are characteristic of the peak hours of the
day. The road being moderately congested at those time, compels the drivers to move at slower speeds.
The high speed values recorded between 11:00 a.m and 13:00 p.m can be explained by the reduced level
of traffic on the road as shown in Figure 9.3 giving the driver the liberty to travel at high speed. This is

also supported by the fact that there are no speed reducers or humps on the road so as to control the speed
of the traffic.
Traffic count
The traffic count obtained from the traffic study were classified by the type of vehicle and the total
number of vehicle passed per hour observed were found. A graph of the total number of the vehicles
passes per hour against time was plotted for each lane. A trend line of values was drawn to estimate the
number of vehicles passed during the hours when the traffic study was not conducted in order to obtain an
approximate data value of the traffic flow during the whole day.
Table 9.6: Traffic count for the lane towards Q. Militaire

Total No.
of
vehicle/hou
r

Type Of Vehicle
Time
Motorbik
e

Car

Smal
l Bus

Small
Truck

7:00 - 8:00
8:00-9:00

10
11

130
75

9
7

5
8

Larg
e
Bus
17
14

Mediu
m
Truck
7
3

Heav
y
Truck
0
0

Other

11:00 - 12:00
12:00 - 13:00

2
6

25
30

0
2

6
5

10
10

2
5

0
0

45
58

15:00 - 16:00
16:00 - 17:00
Total no. of
vehicle passed
by type

5
3

76
143

6
3

2
1

14
15

4
2

0
0

107
167

37

479

27

27

80

23

178
118

Total No. of vehicle passed per hour

200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

Number of vehicle

Total
Polynomial (Total)

Time

Figure 9.3: Graph of the total number of the vehicles passes per hour against time for lane heading towards the
west
Table 9.7: Traffic count for the lane towards Flacq

Total No. of
vehicle/hour

Type Of Vehicle
Time

Motorbike

Car

7:00 - 8:00
8:00-9:00

16
12

256
156

Smal
l Bus
9
7

Small
Truck
7
5

Larg
e Bus
11
12

Medium
Truck
6
6

Heavy
Truck
0
0

Other

11:00 - 12:00
12:00 - 13:00

4
2

37
56

3
2

4
6

10
11

1
3

0
0

59
80

15:00 - 16:00
16:00 - 17:00
Total no. of
vehicle passed
by type

3
6

102
136

7
5

3
2

11
14

4
3

1
0

131
166

43

743

33

27

69

23

305
198

Total No. of vehicle passed per hour

350
300
250
200
150

Number of vehicle

Total

100

Polynomial (Total)

50
0

Time

Figure 9.4: Graph of the total number of the vehicles passes per hour against time for lane heading towards the east

Motorbike
80

No. of vehicle passing per day defined by type (both lane)

Car
Small Bus
Small Truck
Large Bus Medium Truck
1222 60
54
149
46

Heavy Truck
1

No. of vehicle passing per day defined by type

54
60
Motorbike

Car

149

Small Bus

461 80

Small Truck

Large Bus

Medium Truck

1222

Heavy Truck