CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A.

UBATAY
TRAFFIC STUDIES
I. VOLUME STUDIES

Traffic volume is the most basic data needed for any traffic studies. Volume studies are conducted to obtain factual information
on the number of vehicles and/or persons that pass at a specified point on the highway system. The resulting volume data are
expressed in relation to time.

A. Types of Volume

a. Annual traffic is used for determining annual travel, estimating expected highway user revenue, computing accident rates.
b. Annual average daily traffic (AADT) is used for measuring the present demand for service by the road, programming capital
improvements.
c. Hourly traffic is used for evaluating capacity deficiencies, geometric design or improvement of streets and intersections.
d. Short-term count is used to estimate maximum flow rate and determine the characteristics of peak hour volumes.

B. Tapes of Data Collected

a. Mid-block counts are used for preparing traffic flow maps and determining trends.
b. Directional counts are used for determining directional distribution for capacity analysis, signal timing, justifying traffic
control, etc.
c. Turning movement or intersection counts are used for signal timing, designing or improving geometry of intersection,
planning turning prohibition, analyzing high accident intersections.
d. Classification counts are used for determining modal split, estimating effects of heavy vehicles on capacity, determining
correction factors for automatic counts.
e. Cordon counts are used to determine the number of vehicles and/or persons entering and leaving an enclosed area.
f. Screen line counts are classified counts taken at some points along a line that bisects a given area.

C. Time of Study

The time and duration of a traffic volume study depends on the type and application of the data to be gathered. Some of the
typical counts are as follows:
a. Twenty-four-hour counts from midnight to midnight
b. Sixteen-hour counts from 6 AM to 10 PM to represent most of daily flow, including evening traffic
c. Twelve-hour counts from 6 AM to 6 PM to cover most of daytime traffic
d. Peak period counts from 7 AM to 9 AM, 5 PM to 7 PM, or other time intervals corresponding to very high level of traffic
volume
e. Short counts of about one hour or less with intervals of 5-15 minutes to analyze characteristics of peak hours.

Abnormal conditions are usually avoided unless the purpose is to obtain information concerning those conditions. These would
include
a. special occasions such as public holidays or fiestas
b. days with abnormal weather conditions
c. strikes or demonstrations
D. Methods
1. By tallying

This is the simplest and sometimes most practical in the

absence of any mechanical or automatic counting device.
Tally sheets are used to record the number of vehicles. The
method may be used when traffic volume is generally low or
when observing a particular turning movement whose
volume is relatively low. A filled up sample form is shown in
figure 4.1.

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua
CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A. UBATAY
2. Using manual counters
A manual counter is a mechanical device useful when volume is high. Counters may he of single or multiple type.

3. Using automatic counters

When traffic count of very long duration is required, automatic counters through the use of detectors may be used. The
simplest type of an automatic counter is a pneumatic tube laid transversely across the road. A counter is actuated when
tires pass over the tube. More sophisticated detectors make use of ultrasonic waves or inductance loops.

4. Using video cameras

Video cameras may be used to take footage of the traffic flow. Counts may then be carried out later through either tally
or manual method while watching the video. Automatic counts can also be performed using equipment and
commercially available software for vehicle tracking. The cost, however, of such equipment is still very prohibitive.

E. Presentation of Traffic Volumes

Traffic volume summaries may be presented in ways that should be easily understood by the readers, some of which are as
follows:

a. Variations

b. Flow Maps c. intersection Diagram

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua
CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A. UBATAY
F. AADT and ADT
The annual average daily traffic or AADT has been a common measure of daily traffic at a given location. At a given point along a
particular highway, it is estimated as the total volume counted over one year divided by the number of days in the year, or

AADT = sum of all vehicles passing the site in a year / 365

 Automatic detectors are therefore used to do the count manually. As previously mentioned, the simplest type of
detector to perform automatic counting is the pneumatic tube laid transversely on the highway.
 Another measure of daily traffic is the average daily traffic or ADT. This is obtained by conducting traffic volume counts
over a number of days at least 2 days and less than 365 days. The Department of Public Works and Highways is
programming the conduct of such counts in such a way at to have good estimates of AADT for all national highways by
applying some seasonal factors.
 Daily volumes, AADT in particular, are useful in highway planning or in prioritizing some maintenance or repairs of
roads.
II. SPOT SPEED STUDIES
The objectives of conducting spot speed studies are to
a. determine the range and magnitude of speeds as a basis for formulating the design standards,
b. establish maximum and minimum speed limits,
c. determine the need for posting advisory speed signs,
d. determine the need for school zone protection, and
e. evaluate the performance of a geometric improvement or traffic control device through a “before-and-after” study.

A. Time of Study
The period during which speeds are measured depends on the purpose of the study. Abnormal conditions such as
adverse weather condition or unusually heavy traffic condition should be avoided. The duration of the study should be
around one hour. Short study period will often lead to bias towards faster vehicles.
B. Sized of Samples
Normally, the speeds of at least 50 vehicles – preferably 100 – should be measured. To cover all representative vehicles,
measurement of every nth vehicle may be applied. In this way, bias that may be attributed to the following may be
avoided:
a. Selecting mostly leaders of the platoon
b. Selecting mostly one particular type of vehicle
c. Selecting faster vehicle

C. Methods
A number of methods for conducting spot speed studies are available. The lack of equipment does not pose any
problem as long as the procedure is done systematically.
1. Radar speed meter
When such instrument is available, the use of radar is very convenient way of conducting spot speed studies. The radar
is positioned at the edge of the roadway at an angle of 15 degrees with the centerline and is directed toward the
incoming vehicles. Radar maybe difficult to use when volume of traffic is high. Radar meters are often used by police
authorities for apprehending over speeding drivers.
2. Manual method
A very useful and less expensive way of conducting spot speed studies is called the “trap length” method. In this
method, two lines, 30-50 m apart, are drawn transversely on the pavement. A stopwatch is then used to measure the
“travel time” of the vehicle within the “trap”. The length of the trap is divided by the travel time estimate the speed.
The observer must be well trained in order to reduce error attributed to parallax, a common error in most visual
methods of conducting surveys.
D. Analysis and Presentation of Spot Speeds
Spot speed data are usually summarized in a frequency table. Data are normally grouped together in predetermined
class intervals, and distributions are calculated. There are no strict rules in deciding the number of speed class intervals.
However, the Sturgess formula may serve as a guide in determining the initial number of class intervals.

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua
CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A. UBATAY
III. TRAVEL TIME AND DELAY STUDIES
Travel time studies normally give information on the performance of a particular roadway. Independent measurements of stops
and their observed reasons may also be included to give information on delays.
A. Methods
1. Test car technique
The method makes use of a test vehicle that is driven over the
road section under study. The driver is instructed to travel at a
speed that in his opinion is representative of the speed of the
traffic stream. The form used for travel time and delay study is
shown in figure 4.6.
2. Licensed plate method
When details on delay are not important, the license plate
method may be conducted. The method basically consists of
observing and recording license plates of vehicles and time of
arrivals at two points or more on the road where the vehicles
are expected to pass.
3. Moving observer method
One of the most common survey methods for obtaining
information on traffic volume. speed, and density of a given
section of road is the so-called moving observer method.
Developed by the Transport Road Research Laboratory in the
United Kingdom, the method consists of one or two test cars
traveling back and forth within the section. A team is composed
preferably of at least two observers and one timer. The survey is
very easy to conduct------one observer counts the number of
vehicles moving in the opposite direction; another observer
counts the number of vehicles that pass them as well as the
number of vehicles that they pass; the timer notes down the
time it takes to traverse the section.

Consider the road section L as shown. Suppose we are to

obtain information on volume, speed, and density of the
traffic flow from a to b.

Over the total time of

observation t, the flow rate q
therefore is:

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua