Volume to capacity estimation of signalized road networks for metropolitan transportation planning

Date

2012-12

Authors

Fernando, Hiron

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Abstract

Transportation planning has played a critical role in shaping the economic health and quality of life for the general public. It not only provides insight into the mobility of people and goods, but also influences patterns of growth and economic activity. Metropolitan transportation planning is a challenging transportation topic due to the lack of future traffic information, such as evaluation of the capacity sufficiency on large metropolitan road networks with signalized intersections. The Highway Capacity Manual provides methods for analysis of signalized intersections and urban streets for planning; however, these methods need detailed traffic volume inputs and lane configurations at signalized intersections, which are normally not readily available in metropolitan transportation planning. The conventional four step planning process is widely used to forecast directional traffic volumes on particular road segments, but the projected volumes are not enough for analyzing more detailed information such as capacity sufficiency of future road networks. This study discusses the proposed quick v/c ratio estimation method developed by integration of available transportation planning data and characteristics of signalized intersections. This method merges traffic assignment results of the conventional transportation planning procedure to capacity sufficiency estimation. By using the proposed method, transportation planners can estimate capacity sufficiency of future metropolitan road networks through use of readily available data in transportation planning. This method will dramatically decrease the effort required for capacity evaluation of large signalized metropolitan road networks.

Description

Keywords

Volume-to-capacity ratio, Metropolitan transportation planning, Signalized intersection, signalized road network

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