Introduction to Traffic Engineering
Traffic Engineering
Traffic engineering is that phase of
transportation engineering which deals with
the planning, geometric design and traffic
operations of roads, streets, and highways,
their networks, terminals, abutting lands, and
relationships with other modes of
transportation.
Transportation Modes
➢ Urban People Transportation Systems
▪ Cars
▪ Taxi/For-Hire Vehicles
▪ Local Buses
▪ Matatus
▪ Light Rail
▪ Heavy Rail
▪ Ferry
➢ Intercity People-Transportation Systems
➢ Urban and Intercity Freight Transportation
Transportation Modes cont’
Intercity People-Transportation Systems
❖ Intercity Buses
❖ Heavy Rail
Urban and Intercity Freight Transportation
❖ Heavy and Medium Goods Vehicles
❖ Heavy Rail
Traffic Engineering Profession
• Relationship with General Public
More than any other engineer.
• Relationship with Elected Official
A wide range of officials.
• Professional Ethics
According to outcomes it produces great
responsibility.
Objectives of Traffic Engineer
Safety: The Primary Objective
➢ The principal goal of the traffic engineer
remains the provision of a safe system for
highway traffic;
➢ Approx. 3000 fatalities in Kenya yearly;
➢ Approx. 1.35M fatalities in the world
yearly;
➢ The objective of safe travel is always
number one and is never fully realized for
the traffic engineer.
Other Objectives of Traffic Engineer
➢ Speed
➢ Comfort
➢ Convenience
➢ Economy
➢ Environmental compatibility
Other Objectives of Traffic Engineer cont’
While speed of travel is much to be desired,
it is limited by transportation technology,
human characteristics, and the need to
provide safety.
Comfort involves the physical
characteristics of vehicles and roadways,
and is influenced by our perception of safety.
Convenience relates more to the ease with
which trips are made and the ability of
transport systems to accommodate all of our
travel needs at appropriate times.
Other Objectives of Traffic Engineer
Economy is also relative. There is little in modern
transportation systems that can be termed
“cheap.” Highway and other transportation
systems involve massive construction,
maintenance, and operating expenditures, most of
which are provided through general and user
taxes and fees. Nevertheless, every engineer,
regardless of discipline, is called upon to provide
the best possible systems for the money.
Harmony with the environment is a complex
issue that has become more important over time.
All transportation systems have some negative
impacts on the environment. All produce air and
noise pollution in some forms, and all utilize
valuable land resources.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
Traffic studies and characteristics;
Performance evaluation;
Facility design;
Traffic control;
Traffic operations;
Transportation systems management;
Travel demand management
Integration of intelligent transportation
system technologies (ITS).
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Traffic studies and characteristics
➢ Involve measuring and quantifying
various aspect of highway traffic. Studies
focus on data collection and analysis
that is used to characterize traffic,
including (but not limited to) traffic
volumes and demands, speed and travel
time, delay, accidents, origins and
destinations, modal use, and other
variables;
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Performance evaluation
➢ Is a means by which traffic engineers can rate
the operating characteristics of individual
sections of facilities and facilities as a whole in
relative terms; Such evaluation relies on
measures of performance quality and is often
stated in terms of “levels of service.”
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Facility design
➢ Involves traffic engineers in the functional
and geometric design of highways and
other traffic facilities; Traffic engineers,
per se, are not involved in the structural
design of highway facilities but should
have some appreciation for structural
characteristics of their facilities.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Traffic control
➢ Is a central function of traffic engineers and
involves the establishment of traffic
regulations and their communication to the
driver through the use of traffic control
devices, such as signs, markings, and
signals.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Traffic operations
➢ Involves measures that influence overall
operation of traffic facilities, such as one-
way street systems, transit operations,
curb management, and surveillance and
network control systems.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Transportation systems management (TSM)
➢ Involves virtually all aspects of traffic
engineering with a focus on optimizing system
capacity and operations. Specific aspects of TSM
include high-occupancy vehicle priority systems,
car-pooling programs, pricing strategies to
manage demand, and similar functions.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Transportation System
Management (TSM)
Facility Design
✓ Add Lanes;
✓ Remove Bottlenecks (Bridges, Tunnel,…);
✓ Revise Geometrics to Increase Speed;
✓ Vehicle Improvement to Reduce Headways.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Transportation System Management
(TSM) cont’
Traffic Control
✓ Ramp metering;
✓ Signal Coordination;
✓ Signal Phase Sequence;
✓ Left or Right Turn Restrictions;
✓ Parking Restrictions.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Transportation Demand Management
(TDM)
• Reducing Demand
✓ Telecommuting;
✓ Trip Chaining;
✓ Shorter Work Week;
✓ Residential Relocation;
✓ Alternative Land Use Pattern.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
cont’
Transportation Demand Management
(TDM) cont’
• Shifting Demand
✓ Flexible Working Hours;
✓ Staggered Working Hours;
✓ Business Operating Hours;
• Repacking Demand
✓ Car Pooling and Van Pooling;
✓ Transit.
Elements of Traffic Engineering
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)
➢ Refers to the application of modern
telecommunications technology to the
operation and control of transportation
systems. Such systems include automated
highways, automated toll-collection systems,
vehicle-tracking systems, in-vehicle GPS and
mapping systems, automated enforcement of
traffic lights and speed laws, smart control
devices, etc.
NEXT LESSION
Traffic Survey and Data
Collection
