IRC 9-1972

TRAFFIC CENSUS
ON
NON-URBAN ROADS

(First Revision)

THE INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS

1989
<<
 IRC 9-1972

TRAFFIC CENSUS
ON
NON-URBAN ROADS

(First Revision)

Published by
THE INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS
Jamnagar House, Shabjaban Road,
New Delhi-il
1989

<< Price Rs.*1~24

(plus Postage & Packing)
IRC: 9—1972

First published: 1960

First Revision September 1 972
Reprinted: May, 1 989

(Rights of Publication and of Translation are reserved)

<<
Printed at M/s Sagar Printer & Publishers, New Delhi
(1000 Copies)
 IRC : 9-1972

TRAFFIC CENSUS ON NON-URBAN ROADS

I. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Periodic traffic census are a valuable source of basic data
for highway planning. As such, these should be a regular feature in
all highway departments.
This Standard was originally published in 1960. The revised
Standard was considered and approved by the Specifications and
Standards Committee in their meeting held on the 18th and 19th
November, 1971 and by the Executive Committee in their meeting
held on the 26th and 27th April, 1972. Later, it was approved for
publication as the flnalised Standard by the Council at their 78th
meeting held at Nainital on the 10th July, 1972.

2. SCOPE
2.1. It is desirable that traffic census operations be carried out
in a uniform manner throughout the country.
2.2 The repetition of census operations, on the scale recom-
mended here, should normally be limited to important trunk routes
like the National Highways, State Highways and Major District
Roads.

3. SELECTION OF CENSUS POINTS

3.1, Judicious location of traffic count stations is crucial to the
success of a census programme. For trunk routes serving inter-city
traffic, it is relevant that the ~censussites should be fixed well away
from all urbanised developments and villages. In particular, sites
within zone of influence of towns where there may be a regular flow
of commuter traffic must be avoided. If need be, additional stations
could be set up for these zones.
3.2. Every road should be divided into convenient sections,
each carrying approximately similar traffic between points of substan-
tial traffic change. Count stations should be set up for each section.
The limits of the sections could generally be the important towns
along the road or major roads intersecting or taking off from •the
highway in question.
<< 1
IRC : 9-1972
3.3. Since division of the highway into sections and fixation of
census points for them are decisions of lasting significance, these
should be taken at a senior level in each highway department after
considering the traffic pattern along the entire route.
3.4 Every subsequent census should be taken at the same
locations. New stations could, of course, be added as and when
needed.

4. FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF CENSUS

4.1. Traffic should be counted at each point at least twice every
year. One count should be taken during the peak season of harvest-
ing and marketing and the other during the lean season. Each time
the count should be made for a full week spread over 7 consecutive
days and 24 hours of each day.
4.2. Traffic census should not generally encompass abnormal
conditions of traffic like a fair or exhibition. In such cases, the count
in the area should be postponed by a few days tilt normalcy returns.

5. RECORDING OF DATA
5.1. For the purpose of counts, a day could be divided into
three shifts of 8 hours each and separate enumerators with a super-
visor assigned for each shift. Enumerators should be literate persons
with preferably middle or matriculation level qualification. It may
be worth-while to specially train supervisors to go round from one
census point to the next and initiate the other staff new to this kind
of work.
5.2. Recordingshould be done for each direction of travel sepa-
rately. For this it will be necessary to dIvide staff for every shift
into two parties.
,.3. A field data sheet form for the manual recording of hourly
flows is given in Plate I. Before start of enumeration, it should be
ensured by the supervisors that the information In the form at the tøp
is duly filled in by the enumerators.
5.4. In each hourly column, the traffic should be recorded by
making tally marks in the five-dash system (vertical strokes for the
first four vehicles, followed by an oblique stroke for the fifth vehicle
so as to depict a total of five). Hourly totals should be made at the
end of the shift.
<< 2
 IRC 9-1972

6. COMPiLATION OF DATA
6.1. A form for daily’ traffic summary is shown at Plate H.
Information in this sheet should be compiled from the field data
sheets. The highest peak hour traffic in the day for fast as well as
slow vehicles may be highlighted in the summary sheets by drawing
a firm line in red around the figures in the appropriate column.
6.2. The information collected in the daily summary sheets
should be transferred to the weekly traffic summary form shown at
Plate III. The average daily traffic for the week should then be
determined and indicated in the space provided for that in the form.
6.3. The daily and weekly traffic summaries should be prepared
in quadruplicate so that one copy could be kept by the Executive
Engineer incharge of maintenance of the road and the other copies
sent to the planning division at the headquarters office which in turn
would remit this information to the other agencies concerned, e.g., the
Roads Wing of the Ministry of Shipping and Transport in the case of
National Highways. The field data sheets should be preserved as
permanent record for at least five years.
6.4. An index map indicating the location of the census site
should be attached to the traffic summary sheets.

<<
3
 IRC 94972
PLATE1

TRAFFIC CEt4SUS
PIcLD D~TASHEET
DP~TE- ~.t4D DI.~( O~WZ1~(. ~ ~kOAD~
I~RECTIOH o~i~.cric~
~_ FROM 10 LL~RP~GLLE~A~-
ROUTE NO. (~F ~
D~r~T

OF C~R5, JEEPS, VANS CYCLES

~#LOTOR ANIMAL DRAWN CYCLES OTHERS
HOUR ~W~~4ICLE~ ‘THR!.E WHEELERS ETC. BUsc~S 1’RUCI~S AND SCOOTERS VEHICLES (Spec~) R E.MA~RI(S,
O~COUNT ‘‘.,.~,,,, INCLUOtN6 WEATHER CDNDflIOI~

t 2 3 4 S 5 7 5 9

FROM I4RS~
.TO HRS

HOURLY ‘TOTAt..
FROM HR5~
TO I4R~

HOURLY ~O1M~

FROM HR~

MRS

HOURLY TOTAL

FROM HR$~

‘TO HRS .

HOU~L’~
TOTAt- ‘
... - --

NOTEZ*-
1. RECORD TR*.FFIC VOLU$4E IN ~O4W.iNS Z~O8 BY MAKING TALULS III ‘EKE. FORM or vf.R’RCM. ~tRORE$
FOR FIRST FOUR VEHICLES
ASID DRMNIHG NI OOt.~UIB’TROi(.E FOR EVERY 5TH AS SIQNN WI’TIUN BRW~KE.TSQ~II).
2. SGML ROADS V.ARR~( APPREC1MU. VOLUME OF OThER TRAFFIC LIKE V(CLE. RIUI5M~AS.RECORD THE VOLUME
OF SUCH VEHICLE.S IN COLUMN 8 AFTER SPECIFYING THE VEHICLE TYPE $M~.AND ~IONATURL O~VW$~.RJITO*

Pc THE HOUR OF COUNT SHOULD & ENTERED 8EF’QRE. THE START OF ~NUMERA1’IQN. PM HOURS ~ DATE
SHOULD BE RECORDED AFTER ADDING 12 TO THE ACTUAL HOUR, FOR EXAMPLE 2PM SHOULD NAME AND BIGNbtURLOc SUPERVISOR
BE RECORDED AS I4~OOHRS
~t IF FELT NECESSARY ØY HIGHWAY ~THORITY, THIS COLUMN COULD BE SUB- DIVIDED INTO TWO FOR RECORDING THE
VOI.UME OF “PNEUMATIC’- TYPED AND “IRON— TYPED” VEHICLE5 SEPARATELY. -

<< 5
 IRC 9 1U72
PLATE I!

TRAFFIC CENSUS
~MLYTRF1C.SUMMP~L
R~ CL~SW~,M~
fl.— — —_______
___________‘TO -~—---- __________ ~RS ON _____________
NlL0I~tTRML/MILEAGE ____________
~IREC’TIO!c rw TRWFiC~ FRO~I_________ TO (up) ROUTE, NO. (IFA~4Y’) —
STATE
FROM TO ~
~Owfl ~ CARE. JEEPs. VMI~,
FAST VEJ4%C
‘rP ~ K I~‘ AMD ~tOO’TLR..S
MOTOR CYCLES TOTAL A57 VtH~CLE~
I TOTAL SLOW
.~ThREE WHLLLEP.S EITE. REMAR~S
Up DOWN up UP DOWNS ~,P DOWN JR 1DO~ UP up UP DO’~4N UP DOWN TOTAL
CDL. %~
COL.1~
Sc12It St to
.f ~ ~ 10 11
I 3 4 B 14 15 10 17 18 19 20 21
0000 - 0700 — —~—~—-———‘,- ~—~-1.— ~—~- —~------— ~—.---——---~

.
070* — 0600 1 I ~-

00*0 — 0~D0 ~

::~:
1100 — 42.00

12.00 IUO

1400

1400 — 1500
1500 - 1$0*
1600 - 1700

1700 1*00
.

1100 — 1*04
1*00 — 2000
1*00 2100

2100 - 2t00

2200—*100
flO0~t400 ~—-—-—.,-—— ..—~—

0*00 0400

0100_ *200
02oO_0~0O ‘——--‘---——‘--4--————-
0300_!400,.,,,
040* — 05*0
0500 — 010*
TOTAL
10’TM. UP * DOWI.
FOR flNIELL 1TPI
1
* ENT*~D~ AIlO DRf 0~

<< NAME AND $I0~TuRL OF

SUPERVISOR wiTh DATE

7
 IRC; 9-1972
Pt.ML)~

r FROM TO ,~
TRAFFIC CENSUS
WEEKLY IRAPPIC. SUMNARY ROAD C.LASSWICE’TION

.
IOATL) (DATE)
DETh.ILS 1W CENSUS PQIH’r~_.~___.~ HILOULTRAGE/MILEME-. .~.

ROUTE NO. (IF AWY’)~-

DISTRiCT STATE

P L RIO 0 — FAST VEHICLER SLOW VU4ICLLS

REMARKS
CARS,JLEPS,VANS, BUSES TRUCKS MOTOR CYCLES TOTAL ANIMAL DRAWN CYCLES OTHERS TOTAL
DATE HOUR DATE HOUR iNREI WHEELERS 5~5.C0OTLflS (COL~TO5’~ VEHICLES (SPECIFY) (cot.. 10 TO 12.)
I 1 3 4 5 6 7 0 9 10 Ii 12. 13 14

TOlAL FOR THE. WEEK

.
PWERA6L DAILY TRAFFIC
FOR TWE WILt’

MANS. AIiO UG$MU~ OF

aUPIRV~GMW~

9
<<
 LIST OF INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS CODES & STANDARDS

PRICE
per copy
(Postage &
packing
charges extra)
Rs P.

1. IRC: 1—1953 Type Designs for Highway Milestones (First

Reprint). 100
2. IRC: 2—1968 Route Marker Signs for National Highways (in
Metric Units) (First Revision). 2 50
3. IRC: 3—1954 Dimensions and Weights of Road-Design
Vehicles (First Reprint). 100
4. IRC: 4—1955 Type Designs for Furlong and Boundary Stones. 100
5. IRC: 5—1970 Standard Specifications andCode of Practice for
Road Bridges Section I—General Features of
Design (in Metric Units) (Fourth Revision). 350
6. IRC: 6—1966 Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Road Bridges Section lI—Loads and
Stresses in Metric Units (Second Revision) 400
7. 1RC~ 7—1971 Recommended Practice for Numbering Bridges
and Culverts (First Revision). 200
8. IRC: 8—1969 Type Designs for Highway Kilometre Stones
(First Revision). 2 50
9. IRC; 9—1972 Traffic Census on Non-Urban Roads.
10. lRC~10—1961 Recommended Practice for Borrowpits for 300
Road Embankments Constructed by Manual
Operation (First Reprint). 100
Ii. IRC: 11—1962 Recommended Practice for the Design and
Layout of Cycle Tracks (First Reprint). 200
12. IRC: 12—1967 Recommended Practice for Location and Layout
of Roadside Motor-Fuel Filling-Cum-Service
Stations (First Revision). 200
13. IRC: 13—1967 Recommended Practice for Location and
Layout of Roadside Motor-Fuel Filling
Stations (First Revision). 200
14. IRC: 14—1970 Recommended Practice for 2 Cm Thick
Bitumen and Tar Carpets (First Revision). 250
15. IRC: 15—1970 Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Construction of Concrete Roads (First
Revision). 500
16. IRC: 16—1965 Tentative Specification for Priming of Base
Course with Bituminous Primers. 1 50
17. Tentative Specification for Single Coat Bitumi-
IRC: 17—1965
nous Surface Dressing. 1 50
18. IRC: 18—1965 Design Criteria for Prestressed Concrete
Road Bridges (Post-Tensioned Concrete)
(First Reprint). 250
19. IRC: 19—1966 Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for
Water Bound Macadam and Surface Treated
Water Bound Macadam (First Reprint), 200
20. 1RC: 20—1966 Recommended Practice for Bituminous Penetra-
<< tion Macadam (Full Grout). 150
21. IRC: 21—1972 Standard Specifications and Code of Practice
for Road Bridges—Section III Cement
Concrete (Plain and Reinforced), (First Revision). 5 00
22. IRC: 22—1966 Standard Specifications nnd Code of Practice for
Road Bridges—Section VI Composite Cons-
truction for Road Culverts and Medium
Span Bridges (First Reprint). 3 00
23. IRC: 23— 1966 Tentative Specification for Two Coat Bitumin
otis Surface Dressing. I 50
24. IRC: 24—1967 Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for
Road Bridges—Section V Steel Road Bridges. 6 00
25. IRC: 25—1967 Type Designs for Boundary Stones (in Metric
Units). 2 00
26. 1RC: 26—1967 Type Design for 200-Metre Stones. 2 00
27. Tentative Specification for Bituminous Maca-
IRC: 27—1967 damBase & Binder Course. 2 00
28. IRC: 28—1967 Tentative Specification for the Construction of
Stabilized Soil Roads with Soft Aggregate in
Areas of Moderate and High Rainfall. 2 00
29. IRC: 29—1968 Tentative Specification for 4 Cm (14 in.)
Asphaltic Concrete Surface Course. 200
30. IRC: 30—1968 Standard Letters and Numerals of Different
Heights for Use on Highway Signs (in Metric
Units). 200
31. IRC: 31—1969 Route Marker Signs for State Routes (in Metric
Units). 2 50
32. IRC: 32—1969 Standard for Vertical and Horizontal Clearances
of Overhead Electric Power and Telecommuni-
cation Lines as Related to Roads (in Metric
Units). 200
33, IRC: 33—1969 Standard Procedure for Evaluation and Con-
dition Surveys of Stabitised Soil Roads. 200
34. IRC: 34—1970 Recommendations for Road Construction in
Waterlogged Areas, 2 50
35. IRC: 35—1970 Code of Practice for Road Markings (with
Paints). 500
36. IRC~36—1970 Recommended Practice for the Construction of
Earth Embankments for Road Works, 4 00
37. IRC: 37—1970 Guidelines for the Design of flexible Pavements, 3 50
Design Tables for Horizontal Curves for
38. IRC: 38—1970 Highways. 20 00
39. IRC: 39—1970 Standards for Road-Rail Level Crossings. 3 00
40. IRC: 40—1970 Standard Specifications and Cede of Practice
for Road Bridges-Section IV (Brick, Stone
and Block Masonry). 3 50
41. IRC: 41—1972 Type Designs for Check Barriers, 300
42. 1RC: 42—1972 Proforma for record of Test Values of Locally
Available Pavement Construction Materials 3 00
43. IRC: 43—1972 Recommended Practice for Tools Equipment
and Appliances for Concrete iavement Con-
struction. 500
44. IRC: 44—1972 TentatIve Guidelines for Cement Concrete Mix
Design for Road Pavements (for non-air ent-
<< rained and continuously graded concrete). 250