TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Instructor: Dr. Shou-Ren Hu Department of Transportation and Communication Management Science, NCKU Fall 2009

Course Outline
Introduction to TE Road User and Vehicle Characteristics Roadways and Their Geometric Characteristics Traffic Stream Characteristics Volume Studies and Characteristics Speed, Travel Time, and Delay Studies Capacity and Level-ofService Analysis
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Traffic Control Devices Elements of Intersection Design and Layout Basic Principles of Intersection Signalization Fundamentals of Signal Timing and Design Accidents: Studies, Statistics, and Programs (optional) Parking: Studies, Characteristics Facilities, and Programs (optional)

Unit One Introduction to Traffic Engineering

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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Definition (Institute of Traffic Engineer, ITE)
as a subset of transportation engineering Transportation engineering is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation, and management of facilities for any mode of transportation in order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods.
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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Traffic engineering is that phase of transportation engineering which deals with the planning, geometric design, and traffic operation of roads, streets, and highways, their networks, terminals, abutting lands, and relationships with other modes of transportation. a broadening of the profession to include:
multimodal transportation systems and options; variety of objectives in addition to the traditional goals of safety and efficiency.
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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Objectives
Safety : the primary objective
improvements in fatality rates

engineering
Vehicles Highway designs Traffic control systems, etc.

enforcement education
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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Speed Comfort Convenient Economy Environmental compatibility

Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Responsibility, Ethics, and liability
Responsibility
traffic engineer deals with the daily safety of the public

Ethics
Professional ethics of traffic engineers:
Work only in their areas of expertise; Do all work completely and thoroughly; Be completely honest with the general public, employers, and clients; Comply with all applicable codes and standards; Work to the best of their ability.
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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

Liability
to protect the community from liability by good practice such as:
Placing control devices that do not conform to applicable standards for their physical design and placement. Failure to maintain devices in a manner that ensures their effectiveness; the worst case of this is a dark traffic signal in which no indication is given due to bulb or other device failure. Failure to apply the most current standards and guidelines in making decisions on traffic control, developing a facility plan or design, or conducting an investigation. Implementing traffic regulations (and placing appropriate devices) without the proper legal authority to do so.
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Traffic Engineering as a Profession

The fundamental ethic issue for traffic engineers is :

to provide for the public safety through positive

programs, good practice, knowledge, and proper procedure.

avoid

liability problems.

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Transportation Systems and their Function

Impacts on:
Economy efficiency Society shape, e.g.,
automobile-dependent cities; limited system capacity; continued growth in VMT (Vehicle-miles Traveled); increased congestion on the highways.

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Transportation Systems and their Function

The nature of transportation demand

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Transportation Systems and their Function

Concept of Mobility and Accessibility

Mobility
refers to the ability to travel many different destinations.

Accessibility
refers to the ability to gain entry to a particular site or area.

a good transportation system must provide for both mobility and accessibility and should be designed to separate the functions to the extent possible to ensure both safety and efficiency.
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Transportation Systems and their Function

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Transportation Systems and their Function

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Transportation Systems and their Function

People, Goods, and Vehicles
the movement of vehicles is not the objective; the goal is the movement of the people and goods that occupy vehicles Consider the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
Exclusive Bus Lane (EBL), HOV Lane, HOT Lane, etc. Loaded and Unloaded with minimal disruption to through traffic and the accessibility of people to a given site, etc.
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Transportation Systems and their Function

Transportation Modes
automobiles, bus transit, trucking,, etc. System integration into a comprehensive national, regional, and local transportation networks System-interfaces concerns, specific transfer facilities for both people and freight
general access, internal circulation, parking, pedestrian areas, and terminals, etc.

effective integration of multimodal transportation systems is a major goal in maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs associated with all form of travel.
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Elements of Traffic Engineering

Traffic studies and characteristics Performance evaluation Facility design Traffic control Traffic operations Transportation system management (TSM) Integration of intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies
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Modern Problems for the Traffic Engineer

Urban congestion Growth management Reconstruction of existing highway facilities Security of transportation facilities

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Standard References for the Traffic Engineers

Traffic Engineering Handbook Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (The AASHTO Green Book) Uniform Vehicle Code and Model Traffic Ordinance
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Standard References for the Traffic Engineers

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