Integrated Simulation-Based Method for Estimating Arrival Type for Signalized Arterial Planning Applications

Author(s):  
Scott S. Washburn ◽  
Kenneth G. Courage ◽  
Thuha Nguyen

One of the primary determinants of signalized intersection delay, and consequently signalized arterial level of service, is progression quality. Progression quality is represented by an arrival-type variable in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) procedure for calculating signal delay. Ideally, the arrival type is estimated from collected field data, in particular the percentage of vehicles that arrive at an intersection approach while that approach has the green signal indication. The Florida Department of Transportation prescribes the use of its ARTPLAN software program for planning-level analyses of signalized arterial level of service in the state of Florida. This software is a planning-level implementation of the arterial analysis methodology contained in Chapter 15 of the 2000 HCM. One of the inputs to this software program is arrival type. Given the significant impact this variable can have on delay, and subsequently level-of-service results, it is prudent to have as good an estimate of its value as possible. However, collecting accurate data on progression quality is very difficult, and the intent behind a planning-level analysis is that detailed field data should not be required. Consequently, the blanket HCM recommendations for arrival type are often applied in these analyses without much consideration of how appropriate these values really are for the specified roadway, traffic, and control conditions. A method developed to estimate arrival-type values with a simulation-based approach from the planning-level inputs of ARTPLAN is described. Also provided is a summary of simulation-derived arrival-type values from a large number of sample data sets.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-59
Author(s):  
Vsevolod Prykhodko ◽  
◽  
Ihor Vikovych ◽  

In this paper, several methods of the assessment of pedestrian objects operation based on the level of service are reviewed. Today, there is a problem that should be assessed, particularly how pedestrian paths respond the level of service. Assessment of this level is the most widespread method of determination the objects` quality that relate to the pedestrian operations. Places, where a significant probability of conflict between different flows and their users, are often called intersections. Moreover, on such intersections, particularly with complex road conditions and on which the movement of cyclists, cars, and different vehicles is present, road users face with complicated situations when every of them should be sure in his safety and forecast further actions and decisions of other road users. The most widespread and generally accepted methods of assessment of level of service on pedestrian path, particularly: Highway capacity manual 2000 method, Australian method, method of the trip quality, Landice model and common approach analysis. Vehicles, signal delay, and interaction of pedestrians and cyclists were determined as the main factors that have impact on the level of service of pedestrians at the intersections. Analysis of different methods in the paper allows assessing and identifying the level of service determining the characteristics that could help in solving the questions concerning the comfort of pedestrian movement. In the range of these methods, the principles of vehicles movement and interaction with pedestrians are also reviewed. Other methods relate more to the design of the objects of pedestrian environment than factual movement of pedestrians. To form the whole understanding of the methodology of determination of the level of service of pedestrian objects, we should analyze and compare the values, obtained by different methods.


Author(s):  
Scott S. Washburn ◽  
Douglas S. McLeod ◽  
Kenneth G. Courage

A planning-level adaptation was developed of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) 2000 procedure for estimating the level of service (LOS) on two-lane and multilane highways in Florida. The problems associated with planning-level adaptations in general and with uninterruptedflow highways in particular were identified. Although much of the adaptation was achieved though the use of default values for data items, some departures from the HCM procedures were required. The most significant deviation was the creation of a third class of two-lane highway to supplement the two classes currently defined in the HCM. A case was made for the existence of this class and its inclusion in a future edition of the HCM. The Florida Department of Transportation’s planning-level methodology, termed HIGHPLAN, is well suited to its intended application, which is planning-level analysis of two-lane and multilane highways in Florida. It maintains fidelity to the HCM procedures to the extent that Florida conditions will allow and Florida users will accept. As long as they are understood, the departures from the HCM should not pose significant problems for users outside of Florida. The planning-level methodology has also been implemented in a software program that produces LOS estimates and service volume tables covering sitespecific conditions.


2000 ◽  
Vol 1710 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred L. Hall ◽  
Loren Bloomberg ◽  
Nagui M. Rouphail ◽  
Brian Eads ◽  
Adolf D. May

Some researchers have noted that the current procedures in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) may not be appropriate for analyzing complex or oversaturated freeway facilities. The results of a comparison of an HCM-based procedure with field data from six such freeway sites are reported. Because simulation has often been suggested as an alternative to the HCM for oversaturated freeway facilities, three simulation models (CORSIM, FREQ, and INTEGRATION) were also used to analyze these same six sites. The results suggest that the HCM-based procedures do as well as the three simulation models in reproducing the average speeds across the freeway facilities.


2002 ◽  
Vol 1802 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Tapio Luttinen

The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) 2000 provides methods to estimate performance measures and the level of service for different types of traffic facilities. Because neither the input data nor the model parameters are totally accurate, there is an element of uncertainty in the results. An analytical method was used to estimate the uncertainty in the service measures of two-lane highways. The input data and the model parameters were considered as random variables. The propagation of error through the arithmetic operations in the HCM 2000 methodology was estimated. Finally, the uncertainty in the average travel speed and percent time spent following was analyzed, and four approaches were considered to deal with uncertainty in the level of service.


1997 ◽  
Vol 1572 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagui M. Rouphail ◽  
Mohammad Anwar ◽  
Daniel B. Fambro ◽  
Paul Sloup ◽  
Cesar E. Perez

One limitation of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) model for estimating delay at signalized intersections is its inadequate treatment of vehicle-actuated traffic signals. For example, the current delay model uses a single adjustment for all types of actuated control and is not sensitive to changes in actuated controller settings. The objective in this paper was to use TRAF-NETSIM and field data to evaluate a generalized delay model developed to overcome some of these deficiencies. NETSIM was used to estimate delay at an isolated intersection under actuated control, and the delay values obtained from NETSIM were then compared with those estimated by the generalized delay model. In addition, field data were collected from sites in North Carolina, and delays observed in the field were compared with those estimated by the generalized delay model. The delays estimated by the generalized model were comparable with the delays estimated by NETSIM. The data compared favorably for degrees of saturation of less than 0.8. However, at higher degrees of saturation, the generalized model produced delays that were higher than NETSIM’s. Some possible explanations for this discrepancy are discussed. The delays estimated by the generalized model were comparable with delays observed in the field. Researchers have concluded that the generalized delay model is sensitive to changes in traffic volumes and vehicle-actuated controller settings and that the generalized delay model is much improved over the current HCM model in estimating delay at vehicle-actuated traffic signals.


Author(s):  
Mark R. Virkler ◽  
Shashi Gannavaram ◽  
Anand Ramabhadran

The 1994 update of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) includes a planning procedure to estimate the capacity condition of a signalized intersection (Xcm). The planning method results can also be extended to a planning application of the more data-intensive HCM operational procedure to estimate intersection critical flow-to-capacity ratio (Xc) and level of service with only planning-level data. Both the planning procedure and the planning application of the operational procedure involve default adjustment factors and synthesized traffic signal timing (called the “default signal timing”). Data from 166 Missouri intersections were used to determine how well the planning approaches predict operational analysis results. In general, the default signal timings had shorter cycle lengths than the timing plans used at pretimed signals. The shorter cycle lengths led to slightly higher flow-to-capacity ratios, since a higher proportion of each cycle was devoted to lost time. The default signal timings also had more equal flow-to-capacity ratios within critical lane groups. The shorter cycle lengths and more equal flow-to-capacity ratios led to a predicted level of service that was the same or better than that calculated for actual conditions. For the subject intersections, locally calibrated default adjustment factors yielded better predictions of flow-to-capacity ratios and level of service than the HCM defaults. The planning value for Xcm was often less than the actual Xc for operational analysis of actual conditions. This was to be expected since Xcm is based on the maximum allowable cycle length. The HCM planning procedure is expected to receive wide use in a variety of planning and design applications. Calibration of appropriate local default values should improve the accuracy of the planning procedure results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed I. Z. Mohamed ◽  
Yusheng Ci ◽  
Yiqiu Tan

Mega elliptical roundabout is a new intersection on rural multilane highways. This intersection was developed in a previous paper using simulation data, and the authors found that it is better than interchange (full cloverleaf) in most scenarios of traffic flow. Basically, there are no guidelines or procedures for designing mega elliptical roundabout in AASHTO Green Book, Federal Highway Administration guides, and Highway Capacity Manual. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze the traffic operation performance and propose a methodology for calculating the capacity of mega elliptical roundabout and also the level of service by gap acceptance theory. Moreover, this research studied the influence of different values of truck ratios and also different values of a major highway speed on geometric design and traffic operation performance for mega elliptical roundabout. To validate the thoroughness of the proposed methodology, VISSIM simulations were conducted. This research will assist practitioners in determining the appropriate geometric design, assessing mega elliptical roundabout intersections, and making comparisons with other alternatives.


Author(s):  
Ioannis Kaparias ◽  
Rui Wang

Inspired by developments in urban planning, the concept of “shared space” has recently emerged as a way of creating a better public realm. This is achieved through a range of streetscape treatments aimed at asserting the function of streets as places by facilitating pedestrian movement and lowering vehicle traffic volumes and speeds. The characteristics of streets with elements of shared space point to the conjecture that traffic conditions and road user perceptions may be different to those on streets designed according to more conventional principles, and this is likely to have an impact on the quality of service. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to perform an analysis in relation to level of service (LOS) and to investigate how this may change as a result of the implementation of street layouts with elements of shared space. Using video data from the Exhibition Road site in London during periods before and after its conversion from a conventional dual carriageway to a layout featuring several elements of shared space, changes in relation to LOS for both vehicle traffic and pedestrians are investigated, by applying the corresponding methods from the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. The results suggest that streets with elements of shared space provide a much improved pedestrian experience, as expressed by higher LOS ratings, but without compromising the quality of vehicle traffic flow, which, in fact, also sees slight improvements.


2000 ◽  
Vol 1710 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Simpson ◽  
Judson S. Matthias

Control delay for left-turning vehicles at unsignalized intersections was observed in the field and compared with average control delay calculated from the methodologies presented in the 1997 update of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). Unsignalized intersections with two-way left-turn lanes on the major street were observed in the peak and offpeak hours, and control delays were recorded for the one-stage and twostage left-turn processes. Next, the methodologies presented in the HCM were used to calculate the control delay for both processes and compared with the observed data. These comparisons were used as the basis for validation of the HCM methodologies regarding left-turn control delay at unsignalized intersections. From the comparisons, the calculated delay closely corresponds with the observed data, with a total approach volume at the intersection of approximately 2,500 vehicles per hour or less. Once the total approach volume increases above this level, the calculated values rapidly increase and the actual observed control delays gradually increase at a much lower rate. As a result, the observed and calculated delays are different when the intersection handles more than 2,500 approach vehicles in an hour. Statistical analyses were performed on the data to determine if the average observed control delay was related to the calculated control delay. Statistically, the observed control delay and the calculated control delay at the 95 percent confidence level show that the two data sets yield similar results for off-peak conditions. However, during the peak hour, when the total approach volumes are higher, the 95 percent confidence interval yields different results. Hence, the HCM procedures produce, on average, greater control delay estimates than the field observations when the total approach volumes are high.


Author(s):  
Janice Daniel ◽  
Daniel B. Fambro ◽  
Nagui M. Rouphail

The primary objective of this research was to determine the effect of nonrandom or platoon arrivals on the estimate of delay at signalized intersections. The delay model used in the 1994 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) accounts for nonrandom arrivals through the variable m, which can be shown to be equal to 8kI, where k describes the arrival and service distributions at the intersection and I describes the variation in arrivals due to the upstream intersection. The 1994 HCM delay model m-values are a function of the arrival type, where the arrival type describes the quality of progression at the intersection. Although an improvement to the fixed k I-value used in the 1985 delay model, the 1994 m values are based on empirical studies from limited field data and do not account for the decrease in random arrivals as the volume approaches capacity at the downstream intersection. This research provides an estimate of the variable kI for arterial conditions. An analytical equation was developed as a function of the degree of saturation, and a separate equation was developed for each signal controller type. The results from this research show that the proposed kI's provide delay estimates closer to the measured delay compared with the delay estimates using the kI-values in the 1994 HCM delay model.


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