TRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION

ENGINEERING

BY
GODFREY MWESIGE
BSC(CIV.ENG),MAK; MSC(CIV.ENG.),ILLINOIS, USA

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 1

Course Objectives

To introduce basic elements of traffic engineering;
traffic studies and characteristics, facility design and
traffic controls.

To explain the importance and steps highway

geometry design in relation to safety and operation.

Explain the importance of key design elements and

design factors in relation to safety and operation.

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 2

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 Course Outline

Introduction

Road Classification in Uganda

Preliminary Investigations for Roadways

Route Selection and Surveys

Traffic Stream Characteristics

Volume Studies and Characteristics

Speed, Travel Time, and Delay Studies

Geometric Design of Highways
1. Horizontal Alignment
2. Vertical Alignment

Design and Analysis of Signalized Intersections

Analysis of Un-signalized intersections

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 3

Major References

Transportation Research Board (2000), Highway Capacity Manual 2000.

Gurcharan S., (2004), Highway Engineering, Standard Publishers Distributors.

Roess R.P., Prassas E.S. & McShane W.R., (2004), Traffic Engineering, Third
Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall.

NCHRP Report 502, Geometric design consistency on high-speed rural two-lane

roadways, Transportation Research Board.

NCHRP Synthesis 299, Recent Geometric Design Research for Improved Safety and
Operations, Transportation Research Board.

Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications (2005), Road Design Manual Vol.
1; Geometric Design Manual, Government of Uganda.

Other Relevant References

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 4

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Course Management

Lectures and Discussion – Attendance compulsory.

Continuous Assessment ; One group project (40%)

in defined groups

Final Semester Exam: (60%)

Class Representative: Richard Mukwaya

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 5

1. Introduction

Roads are a major component of the traffic
system, whose design impacts significantly on
traffic operations.

Roadways serve primarily two functions:
1. Accessibility: Ability to gain entry [/exit] to a particular site or area
2. Mobility: Ability to travel to many destinations (Roess, Prassas &
McShane (2004, p.5)

However, each road link must meet user,
environmental and economic needs:

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 6

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Introduction Cont’d

History of Modern Highway Engineering (Fambro et al, Geometric Design: Past, Present and Future)
 Before 1912: Brick and stone ways for Horses and carts

 1912: Fundamental textbooks on Highway Geometric designs published.

 1940: American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and Later AASHTO)
formed.

 1950s: AASHTO Publishes Policy on Geometric Design of Highways; revised 1954, 1965,
1971, 1984, 1990, 1994, 2003:

 Prior to 1980: Roadway engineering was referred to as Highway Engineering; Pavement and
Geometric design.

 The name has since changed to Transportation Engineering to include other division:
Facilities Engineering (Pavement and Geometric aspects), Transportation Systems
Engineering (Traffic Engineering and Traffic Control systems), and Transportation
Economics and Logistics.

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 7

Introduction Cont’d

Road link design must address the following safety concerns:
1. Physical separation between motorized and non-motorized traffic,
2. Assign the right-of-way in both TIME and SPACE, to reduce
conflict,
3. Proper alignment to provide constant sight distances to drivers.

Design of Roadways in Uganda is based on a classification system

developed by Ministry of Works and Transport; Section 4 of The
Geometric Design Manual 2005 (See Handout). Major Classifications are;
1. Functional classification
2. Design Classification

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 8

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2. Preliminary Investigations

Preliminary investigations are aimed at establishing
proper route of the road alignment.

There are many factors; social, economic, political

and environmental that must be considered for
route selection.

A route my be selected for purely social reason

simply because it intends to serve an isolated
community.

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 9

Principles of Alignment

Alignment should fit in planned network of
jurisdiction.

Road length should be short, and reach all intended

points.

Easy and provide safe driving conditions.

Improve general appearance of the route area.

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 3. Route Selection and Surveys

A road link between two targeted
points (Start and End) has several
options through which it can pass.

Several factors have to be taken into

account to choose the optimum
route.

For example Route 1 passes through

another town, route 2 is the shortest
and route 3 passes through two other
towns.

Either route may be feasible

depending on intended purpose.

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 11

a. Route Selection Factors

Road type and Class
Drainage issues
1. National (Trunk)
2. District
3. Urban

Geological conditions
4. Community Access

Volume and type of
Available road reserve
Traffic
1. Expected Proportion of
Construction material
heavy vehicles
availability

Cardinal route points

Topological features

Political and social

Geometry standard considerations

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 12

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b. Roadway Surveys

Several types of Surveys are done 1. Land along marked routes is
for a new roadway development surveyed,
explained extensively in 2. Survey instruments are used,
Gurcharan (2004); 3. Several factors are considered
1. Map Study for appropriate route choice
2. Reconnaissance Survey
Gradients
3. Preliminary Survey
Radius of horizontal curves
4. Detailed Survey
Positions of natural,

Topographical maps: used to artificial barriers,
sketch possible routes between
Maximum flood levels,
points-of-interest.
Soil types,

Possible Material quarries

Reconnaissance Survey: carried location,
out to evaluate pre-selected
Approximate Earthworks,
routes from a map.

Geological formation

September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes 13

Roadway Surveys Cont’d

Preliminary Surveys:
In addition to leveling,
Conducted along hydrological data is
recommended routes from collected, and Soil types.
reconnaissance survey;
Information on each
1. Chaining and Leveling route gathered include:
along the routes 1. Route Length,
2. Workout earth 2. Maximum and minimum
grades,
quantities and possible
3. Soil formations,
construction materials 4. Quantity of earthworks,
3. Compare routes with 5. Available construction
respect to cost of materials
construction and 6. Natural barriers.
maintenance
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 Roadway Surveys Cont’d

Detailed Survey: This survey is
aimed at locating the route selected
from preliminary survey.

The Centerline is located by pegging,
using survey instruments and tape
measures

Survey benchmarks are established
and detailed leveling carried out for
alignment design and construction
process

Leveling is more precise and
earthworks, cross drainage works, and
longitudinal and cross section
elements taken at pre-determined
intervals.
September 9, 2009 Lecture Notes

Soil surveys are also done at this
stage.

It should be noted that not all
roadway development projects
require all these surveys. Certain
projects have predetermined
routes, and therefore preliminary
survey may be skipped altogether.

Even if the roadway exists, it is
often necessary to carryout
preliminary surveys to establish
compensation costs and road
reserve.
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