PAPUA NEW GUINEA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

CE412 – TRAFFIC & TRANSPORTATION

ASSIGNMENT #01-SOLUTIONS
DESIGN OF SIGNALISED AND
UNSIGNALISED OF ROAD INTERSECTIONS

NAME: PETER GOMA

ID#: 19300060
COURSE CODE: BECV/4
SUBJECT LECTURER: Mr. MURRAY KONZANG

WEEK: 12
SEMESTER: 1
YEAR: 2022
DUE DATE: 13TH MAY 2022
QUESTION ONE

Define and describe in detail the following terms;

I. Time Headway
Time headway is an important microscopic traffic flow parameter and defined as the
time interval, usually measured in seconds, between successive vehicles in the
traffic stream.
In general, average headway is the reciprocal of flow. So, you have to count the number of
vehicles in 5 minutes and the divide the time (that is 5*60 s = 300 s) with that number. You
can also give the number of vehicles per hour (flow) and then divide 3600 with that flow
value.
Headway is the distance or duration between vehicles in a transit system measured in space
or time. The minimum headway is the shortest such distance or time achievable by a system
without a reduction in the speed of vehicles. The precise definition varies depending on the
application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip (front end) of
one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it. It can be expressed as the distance between
vehicles, or as time it will take for the trailing vehicle to cover that distance.

II. Space Headway

Space headway is defined as the distance between the same points of two consecutive
vehicles following each other. Space headway values are essential in a wide spectrum of
traffic engineering studies, varying from the classic overtaking maneuver problem to
congestion prediction and automated highway systems control.

III. Critical Acceptance gap

All that is known is that a driver's individual critical gap is greater than the largest gap
rejected and shorter than the accepted gap for that driver. If the accepted gap was shorter
than the largest rejected gap then the driver is considered to be inattentive.
Accepting a gap is when the driver of the decision vehicle merges with the circulating flow
from the vehicle's position at the entry of the roundabout as soon as the gap is large enough
not to cause crashes or severe conflicts. <- Prev Next -> Gap acceptance definition.

IV. Follow up Headway

Follow-up headway is the minimum headway between two entering vehicles, which can be
calculated by the average difference between the passage times of two entering vehicles
accepting the same mainstream gap under a queued condition. Follow-up headways were
computed from recorded time events. Once the individual follows up headway was
obtained, the mean and standard deviation were calculated.
 QUESTION #02

PART ONE: CAPACITY ASSESSMENT AS A PRIORITY JUNCTION

A) Estimate the practical absorption Hence; Average Total Delay, d = 3.5

capacity of Butibam Bridge for sec
morning traffic entering China Town C) You are required to include a PMV
(CT), Assume T = 5s and To= 3s. stop near Bumbu settlement end of
the bridge, what is the minimum
Data Given: distance away from the GIVE WAY
- Morning Peak Hour sign at the bridge would you locate
- Major flow = 400 vph the PMV bay to ensure that buses
- Minor flow = 250 vph loading or unloading passengers do
- Critical acceptance gap, T = 5s not interfere with vehicles queuing to
- Follow up headway, To = 3s cross the bridge.

Referring to the figure below Np = 650 vph

(Appendix-Figure 3.2), the Arrival Rate Per Lave = 250 vph/lane
practical absorption capacity for Ratio, p = 250/650 = 0.385
Bitubam bridge is Six-Hundred Mean queue length = Dmn = 0.385/(1-
and Fifty vehicles per hour. 0.385) = 0.626 ≈ 1
Hence; Dmn = 0.626 ≈ 1
Hence; NP = 650 vph
We assume the queue length with a
probability of 98% of not been
B) What is the average total delay at the exceeded.
bridge to the vehicle entering CT in
the morning?
Hence, from the graph below (Interim
Guide– Figure 3.4) with the given
- Number of lanes required parameters the design queue length is
No. Of Lanes required = 250/Np = three.
250/650 = 0.385 ≈ 1 Lane
required I.e. Dmax = 3
Average flow per lane = 250 vph/
1 lane = 250 vph/ Lane Now a storage length of 8 m for each
Major flow = 400 vph unit of Dmn can be adopt;

Now that the valid information are I.e. Design Queue Length = 8Dmax =
identified, the average total delay can 8m x 3 =24 m
be determine from the figure above
(Interim Guide-Figure 3.3 (b)). Therefore; Design Queue Length = 24
m
 PART TWO: DESIGN OF A TRAFFIC SIGNAL

A) You are required to design a 2-phase traffic signal as an alternative proposal to improve
conditions at the bridge. Draw a phase diagram, make suitable assumptions and compute
saturation flows for the approaches. States the assumptions made.

The phases above, phase 1 the traffic volume flows from north to China Town with a
volume of 250 vph which is less than the flows from China Town to the north with a volume
of 400 vph. From phase 1, direction (2) will wait for direction from South to North which is
(1). Direction (1) is the major flow so priority is given to (1). Flow (1) will go through if no
flow from (1) and it observe a flow from (1) then it has to stop and give way to (1) by
making the third move which is in to the direction (3). From phase 2 there is no give way so
it has to flow straight by the possible signals alerting them from the phase 1.

B) Calculate y (the ratio of flow to saturation) and hence y for the morning peak hour flow.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL DESIGN

Approach Lane Basic Adjustment Adjusted

Capacity Factors
Kerb City Lane Gade Capacity
Lane Width
N K 1580 1 0.955 1 1 1508.9
S K 1580 1 0.955 1 1 1508.9
 Table 1. Traffic Flows and Y values
Flow Q
Phase Direction Units Total Qt St Y = Qt/St Representative
Left Through Right
Cars CV Cars CV Cars CV
Vehicles 0 0 200 50 0 0
N (N-S)
1 Factors 0 0 1 2 0 0
300 1508.9 0.19882
TCU 0 0 200 100 0 0
Total TCU 0 0 300 0 0 0.20
Vehicles 0 0 320 80 0 0
S (S-N)
Factors 0 0 1 2 0 0
2 480 1508.9 0.318113
TCU 0 0 320 160 0 0
Total TCU 0 0 480 0 0 0.32

Y 0.52

Therefore; Y = 0.52

C) Recommend suitable cycle time for

the signal Lost Time and Effective Green Time
for all Phases
3600𝐿
𝐿 + 2.2 ∗ √
𝑆𝑡
𝐶𝑂 = Cycle Time =(Actual Green Time
1−𝑌
+Amber Time) for all phases
Co = Cycle time in second Therefore; EGT = 43.22 – 10 = 33.22
Sec
L = Total lost time per cycle, where amber
For Individuals Phase; Lost time (5s)
period is 3s and assume lost time of 5s per
+EGT = AGT + Amber (3s)
cycle.
Cycle time – (Amber time +lost
St = Lowest of the approach saturation flow of time/phase) = 43.22-(3+5) = 35.22 sec
the representative approach
Therefore; 35.22*0.20/0.52 =
From the calculation we see that the South
13.55sec This is for one phase
approach is critical. That is highest Y-Value
Lost Time(5s) +EGT = AGT +Amber
and lowest saturation flow.
Time (3s)
South: Therefore, add 2sec (i.e. 5s-3s = 2sec)
to EGT that will give you the AGT.
St = 1508.9

Assume L= 10 NORTH:
EGT = 33.22*0.2/0.52 = 12.78 Sec
Therefore; Optimum Cycle Time = AGT = 12.78 +2 = 14.78sec
3600𝐿
𝐿 + 2.2 ∗ √ 𝑆𝑡
𝐶𝑂 = SOUTH:
1−𝑌 EGT = 33.22*0.32/0.52 = 20.44 Sec
√3600 ∗ 10 AGT = 32.5 + 2 = 22.44 Sec
10 + 2.2 ∗
= 1508.9
1 − 0.52
= 𝟒𝟑. 𝟐𝟐𝑺𝒆𝒄 Check The Value of Ert
𝟏. 𝟓
Therefore; Co = 43.22sec 𝑬𝒓𝒕 =
𝒇(𝑺𝒕𝒈 − 𝑸𝒕𝑪) 𝟒. 𝟓
+ 𝒈
𝒈(𝑺𝒕 − 𝑸𝒕)
 North;
Ert = 2.43
f = 0.65 since the opposing flow is
400vph
South; F) Calculate average delay to vehicles at
Ert =2.46 the bridge.
f = 0.81 since the opposing flow is
250 vph
𝑐−𝑔 2𝑥3600
𝑑= ( ∗ 𝐸𝑧 + (𝐶 − 𝑔))
2𝑐(1 − 𝑦) 𝑄
D) Calculate the Residual Queue NORTH: d = 15.12 sec.
EZ= (2x-1)/2(1-x) for ½<x<1 SOUTH: d= 9.86 sec
Where x = QC/Sg
NORTH;
X=0.56 G) The average Queue, Dmn
Ez = 0.136 Dmn = Ez + QP/3600(c-g)
SOUTH; NORTH: Dmn = 0.136 +
X=0.561 (250*1)/3600*(43.22-12.78) = 2.25 *
Ez = 0.139 8m =18m
E) The probability of Clearing the queue SOUTH: Dmn = 0.139 +
Po =1-exp(-1.58√𝑆𝑡𝑔(1-x)/x) (400*1)/3600*(43.22-20.44)=
NORTH: Po = 1 0.144*8m = 1.15m
SOUTH: Po = 1
H) Would you recommend the installation of traffic signal as an improvement to the present
situation? Support your recommendations by comparing total delays at the bridge with and
without the signal (existing situation).

Answer:
Without Signal, the total delays, d = 3.5 seconds but however when the signal is installed the
total delays from the North is d = 15.12 seconds and from the south is d = 9.86 seconds.
Therefore, with the comparison for the delays for with and without signal installation has
shown that there are more delays when the signal is installed and very less delay without
the signal. Therefore, I strongly DON’T RECOMMEND the installation of traffic signals except
a stop and give way sign on the North of Bumbu Bridge to give way for the vehicles coming
from China Town and wait for a gap created from the southern direction to turn right and
travel on the 3 m wide bridge.

Reference
INTERIM GUIDE FOR THE DESIGN OF INTERSECTIONS AT GRADE-National Association of Australian
Road Authorities
The Metro normally states their best headway as 142 trains per hour, but their english page Archived 21
August 2009 at the Wayback Machine uses the more familiar units.