Capacity Analysis and Level
of-Service
Roadway Performance and Measurement
A major task in traffic engineering is to
quantify a roadways performance with
regard to specifying traffic volumes
Require a understanding of how much traffic
volume a roadway can accommodate and
under what operating conditions
Need a theoretical consistent approach to
analyze and measure roadway performance
Roadway Performance Measurement
Roadway performance depends on a wide
variety of field conditions
Capacity is a function of roadway types, free
flow speed, number of lanes, lane width, and
other physical and operating conditions
Traffic flow characteristics can be affected by
factors such as vehicle composition (the
classes of vehicles on the road), roadway
geometrics, and the time of measurement
(time of the day, day of the week)
Objective of Traffic Analysis
To provide a practical method of
quantifying the degree of
congestion and to relate this to the
overall traffic-related performance
of the roadway
The concept and methodologies of
Level of Service (LOS) are products
for the objectives
Level of Service Concept
Ranking of traffic operation conditions
experienced by users of a facility under
specific roadway, traffic, and traffic
control conditions
Six levels of service ranging from A to F.
A represents the best and F the worst
Methodologies for determining LOS are
based on Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).
Freeway LOS
LOS A:
Highest quality of
service
Completely free
flow
High freedom to
maneuver
Level of comfort
and convenience:
Excellent
Freeway LOS
LOS B:
High speed
Presence of other
users begins to be
noticeable
Some restrictions
to lane changing
Freeway LOS
LOS C:
Maneuverability is
restricted
Incidents can result
in significant queue
and delay
Freeway LOS
LOS D:
High density flow
Travel speeds are
reduced as volume
increases
Freeway LOS
LOS E:
No gaps
Little room to
maneuver
Unstable flow
Freeway LOS
LOS F:
Breakdown
conditions
Stop-and-go wave
Poor travel time
Low comfort
Increased accident
exposure
LOS Criteria for Freeway
For a given FreeFlow Speed
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Flow Rate
Maximum
Density
Speed
Service
V/C
The Level of
Service is defined.
Speed-flow curve: four lanes
Speed-flow curve: 6 or more lanes
Level of Service
Service Measures for LOS Analysis
A variety of traffic flow measures or
parameters can be used to define LOS
It is necessary to select measures that
can describe how drivers perceive the
service level of a particular transportation
facility
Average speed for streets and highways
Average delay for traffic signals
The traffic flow measure selected to
define the LOS of a facility is referred to
as the service measure
Traffic Facilities
Uninterrupted flow
Vehicle drivers are interacting with
other drivers only, without interference
from other control devices
Interrupted flow
Vehicle drivers are subject to many
other control devices, such as traffic
controls, stop signs, pedestrians, etc.
LOS Determination for Uninterrupted
Flow Facilities
Determination of a roadway LOS begins
with the specification of base roadway
conditions
Base conditions represent unrestrictive
geometric and traffic conditions under
favorable environmental conditions
Capacity of a roadway will be the greatest
when all conditions meet the base values
Values more restrictive than the base
values result in a lower capacity
LOS Determination for Uninterrupted
Flow Facilities
Base conditions are seldom realized
in practice
Need to convert the measured flow
rate into equivalent service flow
rate
Ideal Conditions
Lane width = 12 ft
No lateral obstacles (within 6 from
the edge pf pavement)
No heavy vehicles
Grade = 0 %
Driver population familiar with the
facility
Volume-to-Capacity Ratio
Volume-to-capacity ratio is a measure of
traffic demand on a facility (expressed as
volume compared to its traffic-carrying
capacity.)
A v/c ratio of 0.7, for example, indicates
that a traffic facility is operating at 70
percent of its capacity.
In evaluating the performance of a
roadway, v/c ratios should be considered
together with the letter grade system.
v/c is more of a qualitative assessment
based heavily on speeds and travel time.
Maximum Service Flow
For a given level of service i as the
highest service flow that can be achieved
while maintaining the specified level of
service.
Each level of service has a maximum
volume-to-capacity ratio that corresponds
to the maximum service flow rate (MSF).
MSFi = cj (v/c)I
cj: the per-lane capacity under ideal
conditions for a specified number of lanes j
Service Flow Rate
For actual prevailing conditions, the
maximum service flow rate is converted to
service flow rate.
SFi = MSFi N fw fHV fp
N: number of lanes
fw : Adjustment for lane width and/or
lateral clearance
fHV: Heavy Vehicle Adjustment
fp: Driver Population Adjustment
Lane Width/ Lateral Clearance
Adjustment Factor Table
Adjustment for type of terrain
Level: Short grades of no more than 2%
Rolling: Any combination of horizontal and vertical
alignment that causes heavy vehicles to operate
substantially slower than passenger cars, but not
necessarily at their limiting speeds.
Mountainous: Any combination of horizontal and
vertical alignment that causes heavy vehicles to
operate at their limiting speeds for significant distances
or at frequent intervals.
Passenger Car Equivalent Adjustment Factor
ET & ER
for
Specific
Upgrades
Adjustment Factor Tables
Heavy Vehicle Adjustment
f HV =
1
1 + PT ( ET 1) + PR ( E R 1)
PT or PR = Percent truck (and buses) and Recreational cars
E t and E R = equals passenger car equivalents
Driver Population Adjustment Factor
Ranges 0.75 -1.0
Commuter traffic (familiar drivers): 1.0
Where greater accuracy is needed, comparative
field studies of commuter and recreational traffic
flow and speeds are recommended.
Design Traffic Volume
The directional hourly volume is
given as
DDHV = K D AADT
K: ratio of the design hourly volume
and the AADT
D: proportion of peak-hour traffic
volume traveling in peak direction
K-Factor Determination
The 30th highest hourly volume of the
year is K
Peak Hour Factor
Peak Hour Factor (PHF) accounts for
the nonuniformity of traffic flow
over the peak hour.
PHF = V/(V154)
The service flow (SF) is then
defined as the actual rate of flow
expanded to an hourly volume.
SF = V/PHF or SF = V154
Example 1
A six lane freeway is on rolling terrain
with a 70 mph free-flow speed, 10 ft
lanes, with obstructions 2 ft from both the
right and left edges of the traveled
pavement. The traffic stream consists of
urban commuters. A directional weekday
peak hour volume of 2200 vehicles is
observed with 700 vehicles arriving in the
most congested 15 minute period. If the
traffic stream has 15% large trucks and
buses and no recreational vehicles,
determine the level of service (LOS).
Example - solution
Determine LOS > Determine v/c or MSF
v/c = SF/(cjNfwfHVfp)
What is SF ?
SF = V154 = 700 4 = 2800 veh/h
cj is found as 2300 pcphpl for six-lanes freeway
N = 3 (3 lanes in each direction)
fp = 1.0 for commuters (Table 7.7)
fw = 0.86 (Table 7.2)
ET = 3.0 (Rolling Terrain, Table 7.3)
fHV = 1/[1+PT(ET-1)+PR(ER-1)]=1/(1+0+0.15(3-1))
= 0.769
Example - solution
v/c = 2800/(230030.860.7691.0)=0.614
For 70 mph free-flow speed and 6-lane freeway, the
maximum v/c for LOS=B is 0.487
For 70 mph free-flow speed and 6-lane freeway, the
maximum v/c for LOS = C is 0.715
Therefore, the answer is LOS C.
Also solve the this based on MSF.
Example 2
A freeway is to be designed as a passenger-car-only
facility for an AADT of 35,000 vehicles per day. It is
estimated that the freeway will have a free-flow
speed of 70 mph. The design will be for commuters,
and the peak-hour factor is estimated to be 0.85
with 65 % of the peak-hour traffic traveling in the
peak direction. Assuming that highest 100 hourly
volumes over a one-year period is found in Figure
7.9, determine the number of 12 feet lanes required
(assuming no lateral obstructions) to provide at
least LOS C using the highest annual hourly volume
and the 30th highest annual hourly volume.
Example solution
DDHV = K1DAADT=0.1480.6535,000= 3367vph
With V = DDHV
SF = V/PHF = 3367/0.85 = 3961.18 vph
N =SF/cj(v/c)ifwfHVfp
Required:
fw = 1.0 (ideal case)
fHV = 1.0 (no heavy vehicles)
fp = 1.0 (normal commuters)
Assume 3 or more lanes are needed, cj = 2300 pcphph
(v/c)c for LOS C is 0.715
Calculate N: N = 2.41
Example - solution
Therefore, 3 lanes must be provided
Assumption correct!
Another case, For 30th highest hourly annual volume
DDHV = KDAADT
= 0.12 0.65 35,000=2730vph
SF = V/PHF = 2730/0.85=3211.76 vph
Two lanes will be required (Why?)
The volume-to-capacity at LOS C is 0.747
N = 1.95
The assumption is correct!
Capacity Analysis
Capacity for
Signalized and Nonsignalized Intersection
Signalized Intersection
capacity = s (g/c)
Nonsignalized Intersection
Relative priority for traffic streams
Major Road Vs. Minor Road
Yield Sign Control Vs. Stop Sign Control
Gap Acceptance Theory
Critical gap :the minimum time interval
between successive major-stream vehicles
Follow up time :The minimum headway
between two minor stream vehicles entering
the same major stream gap
Urban Street Capacity Problem
A Case Study in Thailand
Capacity of urban street
(a)
Multi-lane Parking at the study site when the bottleneck is active.
(a) Turning Movements from School Access
(b) U-Turns from opposing direction
Source: RUDJANAKANOKNAD, Analysis of Factors Affecting Street Bottleneck Capacity
through Oblique Cumulative Plots, Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for
Transportation Studies, Vol.7, 2009
(b)
Capacity of urban street
