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Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Article · April 2014

DOI: 10.33899/rengj.2014.87334

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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Ayman A. Abdul-Mawjoud Gandhi G. Sofia

College of Engineering College of Engineering
University of Mosul-Iraq University of Al-Mustansriya-Iraq

Abstract
Passing on rural two-lane highways is one of the most important driving tasks.
More than 28000 vehicles were observed and the passing maneuvers were recorded of 10
two-lane highways in northern Iraq during June and July months of 2005. It was found
that the number of passing maneuver increase as the flow rate for both directions
increase up to 1500 veh/hr flow rate. The passing maneuvers decreases with the increase
in flow rate. The increase in flow rate causes an increase in demand of passing and
decrease in passing supply. Volume of around 212 veh/hr gives a balance between
demand of passing and passing supply.

Keywords: flow rate, passing maneuvers, rural highway, two-lane highway.

‫االجتياز في الطرق الخارجية ذات الممرين‬

‫ غاندي صوفيا‬.‫د‬ ‫ أيمن عبد الموجود‬.‫د‬
‫كلية الهندسة الجامعة المستنصرية‬ ‫ جامعة الموصل‬/ ‫كلية الهندسة‬

‫المستخلص‬
‫ تم مالحظة اكثر من‬.‫تعتبر عملية االجتياز في الطرق الخارجية ذات ال ممرين واحدة من اهم مهمات قيادة المركبات‬
‫ مركبة وتسجيل مناورات االجتياز لعشرة طرق ذات الممرين في شمال العراق خالل شهري حزيران وتموز‬00222
‫ مناورات االجتياز تقل بزيادة معدل‬,‫ساعة‬/‫ مركبة‬0222 ‫ تبين ان عدد مناورات االجتياز يزداد والى معدل جريان‬. 0222
‫ ان الحجم المروري‬.‫ الزيادة في معدل الجريان يسبب في زيادة على طلب االجتياز ونقصان في تجهيز االجتياز‬,‫الجريان‬
.‫ساعة تعطي التوازن بين الطلب على االجتياز وتجهيز االجتياز‬/‫ مركبة‬000 ‫بحدود‬

.‫ الطرق ذات الممرين‬,‫ الطرق الخارجية‬,‫ مناورة االجتياز‬,‫ معدل الجريان‬:‫الكلمات الدالة‬

Received: 28 – 5 - 2013 Accepted: 17 – 9 - 2013

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Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

Introduction
Passing on rural two-lane highways is one of the most significant yet complex and
important driving tasks [1]. This process, though, is relatively difficult to quantify, primarily
because of the many stages involved and the lengthy section of road that typically is needed to
complete the maneuver. Road capacity, safety, and level of service are all affected by the
passing ability of faster vehicles. The ability to pass is influenced by a variety of parameters
including the volumes of through and opposing traffic, the speed differential between the
passing and passed vehicles, the highway geometry particularly available sight distance, and
human factors [2, 3, 4].

Background
Passing Mechanism
On ordinary two-lane highways passing vehicles must use the lane reserved for
oncoming traffic. Passing demands, as well as supply, occur at certain locations at certain
times. Passing can occur, when passing demand and supply occur at the same time at the same
location [5, 6, 7]. As a vehicle approaches a slower vehicle, it has three options [8]:
1. It can pass the slower vehicle “on the fly”.
2. It can follow the slower vehicle until a passing opportunity is found.
3. It can follow the vehicle ahead with no passing intention.
The first option is possible, if the driver finds a passing opportunity when the slower
vehicle is reached. If there is no passing opportunity at that moment, the driver must wait
following the slower vehicle. It is however, possible that the driver will stay as a follower
because of high traffic and /or heavy vehicle flow rate, or because the speed of the vehicle
ahead is only slightly slower than the desired speed of the driver. In both cases the driver
considers the difference in travel time not worth the safely risk of passing. This third option is
usually ignored in theoretical models. All vehicles following a vehicle with a slower desired
speed are assumed to pass at the first opportunity.
If vehicles can not pass slower vehicles without delay, platoons begin to form.
Platooning increases the proportion of relatively short (follower) headways and decreases the
mean speed. In addition, in front of slower vehicles there are empty zones, which can not be
used effectively. This reduces the capacity of two-lane highway [5].
Mahdi [9] concluded that the main two parameter, which affect the passing behavior,
are the size of the accepted gap and the speed of the passed vehicle.

The Passing Demand / Supply Model

The passing demand / supply model of two-lane flow performance was proposed by
Werner and Morrall [10]. The model concept is based on the premise that driver’s
perception of level of service is determined by his ability to pass slower moving vehicles.
Therefore, flow performance as perceived by drivers will depend on the demand for passing
in the primary stream and the supply of passing opportunities provided by the sight distance
profile and gaps in the opposing stream [8, 11].
Before a driver will pass, the passing opportunity must be greater than some minimum
value. This minimum passing opportunity is termed a critical gap. For simplicity it usually
assumed in traffic engineering studies that each driver has a single constant critical gap [9].
Observed variation in gap acceptance is; therefore, attributed entirely to differences between
drivers.

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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Dommerholt and Botma [2, 12] assumed that the average driver needs headway of 20
sec in the opposing flow to carry out a passing. This is a crude representation of average
driver behavior and no dependence on speed is taken into account.
Polus et al. [13] found that the accepted gap while passing ranged approximately from
9 to 23 sec, the median being about 16 sec.
McLean [11] stated that Normann in 1942 found the following linear model for the
ratio of supply to demand passing:

P = 0.903 – 0.000467 Q ……………………… (1)

Where, Q is the total two-way flow rate. The number of supply (observed) passing
becomes zero as flow rate reaches 1934 veh/hr. It should be noted that the data of Normann
shows considerable scatter and an apparent non-linear effect.
Morrall [14] showed that the models based on passing supply and demand provide a
better representation of driver’s perceptions of quality of service than traditional measures
based on volume/ capacity ratios.

Objective of the Study

The goals of this study were to:
1- Find the relation between passing maneuvers and flow rate for each and both directions.
2- Find the relation of demand of passing and passing supply with traffic flow.

Data Collection Methodology

The types of sites that were selected included site with high to moderate traffic
volumes located in both level and rolling terrain with sufficient sight distance. A total of 10
field sites in three governorates in northern Iraq i.e., Mosul, Erbil and Dohuk were selected in
this study. Data collection was carried during June and July months of 2005.
Two video cameras were placed and played on the roadside at each end of the
roadway section. Measurements were carried out simultaneously at both lanes. Marking were
fixed at each end of section and served as reference points for measurement. Vehicle license
numbers and type together with the time of passage were manually transferred into computer
files.
The length of the observed section was not less than 3.0 km, as proposed by 2000
edition of the Highway Capacity Manual [15]. Cameras were hidden from the view of the
driver because it may influence their driving behavior. The record section was focused in the
field of the camera and traffic was recorded for more than 3 hours for each site during peak
periods on a typical weekday.
The recorded film was played on a monitor screen to extract the traffic information’s.
More than 28000 vehicles were observed and their traffic characteristics recorded. For each of
passage of a vehicle, the following data were conducted: vehicle license number, type of
vehicle, arrival and departure time to the section.
The traffic characteristics, vehicle characteristics and operational performance
measures that were determined directly or indirectly in the field studies include:
-Flow rate derived for 15-minute intervals.
-Vehicle types i.e. passenger car or truck.
-Headways between successive vehicle.
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Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

-Numbers and types of passing and passed vehicles.

The components of passing maneuver were evaluated on the basis of real passing for
which data were collected for about 6800 passing on two-lane rural highways. The passes
were not observed directly, but obtained through the difference in entry and exit orders at both
ends of road test sections. If the order at the end differs from the order at the beginning,
vehicles have performed an overtaking maneuver. The method is precisely described in
Hegeman [16].

Analysis and Results

Types of Passing and Passed Vehicles
Two types of vehicles are considered in this study i.e., passenger car and truck. Table
(1) shows the percentage of truck in passing and passed vehicles. It is shown from the table
that the ranges of percentages of truck in passing and passed vehicles are 4 to 11 and 47 to 68
respectively. The difference in the range depended on the characteristics of highways and
vehicles.

Table (1): Percentage of Truck in Passing and Passed Vehicles

Highway %of truck in %of truck in %of truck in
flow rate passing vehicle passed vehicle
Mosul – Kirkuk 22 33.1 1..1
Mosul – Bashaka 1 7.. 17.3
Mosul – Rabiya 32 1.1 11.1
Mosul – Talafir 37 7.3 11.7
Mosul – Sahage 31 1.7 17.1
Erbil – Kirkuk 32 32.1 11.3
Erbil – Sulyminya 9 7.3 12.1
Erbil – Salahaldin 9.1 9.1 17.1
Dohuk – Mosul 27 9.7 11.1
Dohuk – Zawita 3.1 1.2 11.1

Passing and Headway

Vehicles that pass the one that preceded it at entry of studied sections are considered
to be contiguous vehicle. However, accumulative percentage of contiguous vehicle with
headway for Mosul – Sahage highway as an example is shown in Figure (1). The general form
of the equation is:

Accumulative % of contiguous vehicle  a  b ln (headway) ……… (2)

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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Accumaltive Percentage of Contiguous 100

90
80
70
60
Vehicles

50
40
30
20
10
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28
Headway (second)
Figure (1): Accumulative Percentages of Contiguous Vehicles with
Headway, Mosul – Sahage Highway

The values of the parameters (a) and (b) are shown in Table (2).

Table (2): Regression Parameters for Accumulative Percentage of Contiguous Vehicle

Highway a b R2
Mosul – Kirkuk 12..27 39.1.1 2.97
Mosul – Bashaka 11.29. 22.137 2.99
Mosul – Rabiya 13..21 39.277 2.91
Mosul – Talafir 17.71. 39.911 2.91
Mosul – Sahage 22.99. 21.1.7 2.99
Erbil – Kirkuk 11.12. 37.1.1 2.99
Erbil – Sulyminya 12.121 21.211 2.99
Erbil – Salahaldin 11.339 22.911 2.9.
Dohuk – Mosul 11.229 22...7 2.91
Dohuk – Zawita 19.317 33.391 2.79

Passing and Flow Rate

Number of passing maneuvers increase in the highway as the flow rate for both
directions increase as shown in Figure (2). However, for high flow rate (greater than 1500
veh/h) the number of passing maneuvers was decreased as flow rate increased (as shown for
Dohuk – Zawita highway). Possible explanations for this difference are:
-Drivers didn’t expect to gain much travel time by passing on these busy highways sections
and even stick to this tendency when volumes are not extreme;
-Drivers postpone their passing to nearby highway sections where the opportunities are
greater. However, a linear relationship was found between number of passing (veh/h/km) and
flow rate (V), as the following formula:
32.
Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

number of passing maneuvers = a + b (V) …………….(3)

The values of parameters (a) and (b) for the highways under study are shown in Table (3).

350
Number of Passing (veh/hr/km)

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Flow Rate in both Direction (veh/h)
(a) Mosul Highways

160
Number of Passing (veh/hr/km)

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500
Flow Rate in both Direction (veh/hr)

(b) Erbil and Dohuk Highways

Figure (2): Number of Passing against Flow Rate in both Directions

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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

Table (3) Regression Parameters for Relation between Passing and Flow Rate
Highway a b R2
Mosul – Kirkuk 5.932 0.255 0.59
Mosul – Bashaka 8.791 0.044 0.48
Mosul – Rabiya - 37.699 0.195 0.73
Mosul – Talafir - 33.832 0.158 0.82
Mosul – Sahage - 25.228 0.152 0.75
Erbil – Kirkuk - 12.306 0.102 0.75
Erbil – Sulyminya - 12.837 0.083 0.67
Erbil – Salahaldin - 6.939 0.147 0.35
Dohuk – Mosul - 1.460 0.097 0.27
Dohuk – Zawita 97.096 - 0.035 0.41

When the flow rate is considered as a directional (Vd) and opposing flow rate (Vo), the
number of passing increase with the increase of flow rate for the same direction and with
decrease of flow rate on the opposing direction. The following results were obtained:

Number of passing maneuvers = a + b (Vd) + c (Vo) ……..(4)

Table (4) shows the values of the parameters. While Figure (3) shows the reduction in
number of passing with the increase of flow rate in opposing direction. Therefore, it was
shown that there is more demand for passing in heavier flow and more opportunities to pass
due to less to opposing vehicles. The opposite is true for the lighter flow in other direction.

140
No. of passing = 111.45 – 0.0676Vopp.
120
Number of Passing (veh)

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Opposing Traffic Volume (pc/h)

Figure (3):Total Number of Passing against Opposing Flow for all sights

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Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

Table (4): Regression Parameters for Relation between Passing and both Directional
and Opposing Flow Rate
Highway a b c R2
Mosul – Kirkuk - 6.441 0.328 - 0.044 0.59
Mosul – Bashaka - 5.437 0.188 - 0.034 0.68
Mosul – Rabiya - 6.408 0.354 - 0.082 0.81
Mosul – Talafir - 1.461 0.316 -0.089 0.72
Mosul – Sahage - 26.338 0.279 - 0.021 0.76
Erbil – Kirkuk - 2.370 0.189 - 0.054 0.64
Erbil – Sulyminya - 10.297 0.186 - 0.042 0.73
Erbil – Salahaldin - 21.583 0.225 - 0.014 0.73
Dohuk – Mosul 3.487 0.277 - 0.096 0.63
Dohuk – Zawita - 10.326 0.118 - 0.035 0.84

The number of passing vehicles and the traffic volume are observed for all sites, in each
and both directions. Numbers of passing are collected per 15 minutes and aggregated to
hourly values per km and also per km per 100 vehicles. Figure (4) shows the relationships
between total passing and traffic volumes. It is shown from the figure that beyond the value of
650 pc/h for each direction, and 1200 pc/h for both directions, total passing is reduced. It
seems that drivers don’t want to carry out a passing when their desired speed is only
marginally more than the speed of the platoon in which they drive. With the increasing
volume, the vehicles that do not pass increase and this may be because drivers are not inclined
to take the trouble to pass, while they are expect that they will face the next platoon within a
short time.
140
Number of Passing (veh)

120

100 pass / hr / km  24.457  0.3836V  0.0003V 2

80

60

40
pass / hr / km / 100veh  7.4999  0.097V  8E  05V 2
20

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Traffic Volume in each Direction (pc/h)

(a) Each Direction

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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

200
180
Number of Passing (veh) 160
140
pass / hr / km  80.705  0.1636 V  8E  05V 2
120
100
80
60
40 pass / hr / km / 100veh  0.4432  0.0355 V  2E  05V 2
20
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Traffic Volume in both Direction (pc/h)
(b) Both Directions

Figure (4): Total Number of Passing with Traffic Volume

for each and both Directions

Effect of Gaps for Passing

The headways between vehicles are depending on flow rate on that lane. Passing on
two-way two-lane depend mainly on gaps between oncoming vehicles in opposing lane. The
minimum critical gaps that were assumed to be constant and suitable for reasonably safe
passing was 15 second as proposed by Polus et al., [13] for level terrain. However, when the
volume of oncoming traffic in the opposing lane (V) increases the percentage headway greater
than or equal to 15 second (%H ≥ 15sec) decreases as shown in Figure (5). Therefore, when
the opposing percentage headway greater than or equal to 15 second (% Hopp.≥15sec)
increases, the opportunity of passing increases, as shown in Figure (6).
100
90
80
%Headway ≥ 15

70
60
sec

50
40
%Headway 15 sec  56.597 e 0.0023V
30
20
10
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Traffic Volume (pc/h)
Figure (5): Relation between Traffic Volume and Percentage of
Headway  15 sec
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Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

Passing Demand versus Passing Supply

A vehicle is considered to have a demand for passing that had headway less than or
equal to 3 second with a vehicle ahead. While passing supply are a number of gaps in
oncoming vehicle in the opposing direction which is sufficient to complete passing. A gap of
15 second or more is considered to be sufficient to complete passing. However, demand of
passing increased with increase in flow rate. While passing supply increased with a decrease
in flow rate in opposing direction. Platoon will form when the demand for passing is greater
than passing supply.
A plot of demand of passing and passing supply for all highways in this study is
shown in Figure (7). The point of intersection between the two lines gives a balance volume
of around 212 veh/h. It means that if the volume is greater than 212 veh/h, the demand of
passing is greater than passing supply and the reverse is true.

1000

900

800
Number of Passing/ hr

No. of passing = - 56.112 + 0.652 V

700

600

500

400

300

200
No. of passing = 93.719 - 0.054V
100

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400

Traffic Volume (veh/h)

Figure (7): Passing Demand and Supply on all Two–Lane
Highways

Observed Passing/ Passing Demand

The ratio of observed passing over demand passing is the actual passing divided by the
number of vehicles with headway less than or equal to 3 seconds.
The ratio was plotted against traffic volume for both directions as shown in Figure (8).
It is shown form the figure that as traffic volume increased the ratio is decreased, this is
because both of the increase in demand and decrease in observed passing.
A linear regression analysis yielded the following relations:
P  0.845  0.4 Q ……………….. (5)
Where,
P: ratio of observed to demand passing.
Q: total traffic flow (103 veh/h).
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 Abdul-Mawjoud: Passing Behavior on Rural Two-Lane Highways

The number of observed passing becomes zero as flow rate reaches 2110 veh/h.
1
0.9
Observed/ Passing Demand

0.8

0.7
0.6

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400
Traffic Volume for both Direction (veh/h)
Figure (8): Observed/ Passing Demand against
Traffic Volume

Conclusions and Recommendations

Within the limitations of studied sites, the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the data are
described below:
1- The ranges of percentages of truck in passing vehicles is 4 to 11, while for passed vehicles
is 47 to 68.
2- Number of passing maneuvers increase as the flow rate for both directions increase up to
1500 veh/hr flow rate. For flow rate greater than 1500 veh/hr, the number of passing
maneuvers was decrease as flow rate increase.
3- Number of passing maneuvers increase with the increase of flow rate for the same direction
and with decrease of flow rate on the opposing direction.
4- Demand of passing increased with increase of flow rate. While passing supply increased
with a decrease in flow rate in opposing direction. Volume of around 212 veh/hr gives a
balance between demand of passing and passing supply.
5- The ratio of observed over demand of passing decreased with the increase of traffic volume
for both directions. The number of observed passing becomes zero as flow rate reaches 2110
veh/hr.
It is recommended to study passing maneuvers at different oncoming gaps.

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 Al-Rafidain Engineering Vol.22 No. 2 March 2014

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The work was carried out at the college of Engineering. University of Mosul

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