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3.4 Capacity-Level-of-Service

Capacity is defined as the maximum hourly rate of vehicles that can traverse a road under prevailing conditions. Level of service analyzes traffic flow quality on a qualitative scale from A to F. Level of service A represents free flow while level F is forced flow with congestion. Key metrics used to determine level of service include speed, density, travel time, and delay. The Highway Capacity Manual provides guidelines for distinguishing between levels of service based on these metrics.

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290 views21 pages

3.4 Capacity-Level-of-Service

Capacity is defined as the maximum hourly rate of vehicles that can traverse a road under prevailing conditions. Level of service analyzes traffic flow quality on a qualitative scale from A to F. Level of service A represents free flow while level F is forced flow with congestion. Key metrics used to determine level of service include speed, density, travel time, and delay. The Highway Capacity Manual provides guidelines for distinguishing between levels of service based on these metrics.

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CAPACITY AND

LEVEL OF SERVICE
CAPACITY AND LEVEL OF SERVICE

Capacity and Level of Service are two related terms.

 Capacity analysis tries to give a clear understanding of how much traffic a given
transportation facility can accommodate.
 Level of Service tries to answer how good is the present traffic situation on a given
facility.

Thus it gives a qualitative measure of traffic, whereas capacity analysis gives


quantitative measure of a facility.
 Capacity

It is defined as the maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles can reasonably
be expected to traverse a point or uniform section of a lane or roadway during a
given time period under prevailing roadway, traffic, and control conditions.
 Level Of Service (LOS)

- a qualitatively measures both the operating conditions within a traffic system and
how these conditions are perceived by drivers and passengers.

There are two measures used to describe the service quality of a two-lane highway.
These are (1) Present Time-Spent Following another vehicle (PTSF) and (2)
Average Travel Speed (ATS).
1. Present Time-Spent-Following another vehicle (PTSF)

- is the average percentage of time that vehicles are traveling behind slower vehicles.
When the time between consecutive vehicles (called the “headway”) is less than
three seconds, the trailing vehicle is considered to be following the lead vehicle.

2. Average Travel Speed (ATS)

- is the space mean speed of vehicles in the traffic stream. Space mean speed is the
segment length divided by average time for all vehicles to traverse the segment in
both directions during a designated interval. ATS is a measure of the degree in
which the highway serves its function of providing efficient mobility.
Definitions of LOS and appropriate ranges for PTSF and ATS values are
as follows:

 Level of Service A (Free Flow): This is the highest quality of service that can be
achieved. Motorists are able to travel at their desired speed. The need for passing other
vehicles is well below the capacity for passing and few (if any) platoons of three or more
cars are observed.

 Level of Service B (Stable Flow): At this level of service, if vehicles are to maintain
desired speeds, the demand for passing other vehicles increases significantly. At the lower
level of LOS B range, the passing demand and passing capacity are approximately equal.
LOS A LOS B
Definitions of LOS and appropriate ranges for PTSF and ATS values are
as follows:

 Level of Service C (Stable Flow): Further increases in flow beyond the LOS B range
results in a noticeable increase in the formation of platoons and an increase in platoon
size. Passing opportunities are severely decreased.

 Level of Service D (Approaches Unstable Flow): Flow is unstable and passing


maneuvers are difficult, if not impossible, to complete. Since the number of passing
opportunities is approaching zero as passing desires increase, each lane operates essentially
independently of the opposing lane. It is not uncommon that platoons will form that are 5
to 10 consecutive vehicles in length.
LOS C LOS D
Definitions of LOS and appropriate ranges for PTSF and ATS values are
as follows:

 Level of Service E (Volume Near Capacity): Passing has become virtually impossible.
Platoons are longer and more frequent as slower vehicles are encountered more often.
Operating conditions are unstable and are difficult to predict.

 Level of Service F (Forced Flow): Traffic is congested with demand exceeding capacity.
Volumes are lower than capacity and speeds are variable.
LOS E LOS F
Types of Facilities

Uninterrupted Flow
• It is the flow of traffic in which there is no obstructions to the movement of
vehicles along the road.

Interrupted Flow
• It refers to the condition when the traffic flow on the road is obstructed due to
some reasons.
Level of Service “A” represents the best quality of traffic where the driver has the
freedom to drive with free flow speed and Level of Service “F” represents the worst
quality of traffic.

Level of Service is defined based on the measure of effectiveness. Typically three


parameters are used under this and they are following:
 Speed and Travel Time
 Density
 Delay
 Speed and Travel Time
Considered to be more effective in defining Level of Service of a facility
knowing that one of the important measures of service quality is the amount of
time spent in travel.
 Density
It gives the proximity of other vehicles in the stream. Since it affects the ability
of drivers to maneuver in the traffic stream, it is also used to describe LOS.
 Delay
It is a term that describes excess or unexpected time spent in travel.
Level of Service for Freeway

Level of Service K (veh/km/lane) FFS (km/hr) v/c


A 0–7 120 0.35

B 7 – 11 120 0.55

C 11 – 16 114 0.77
D 16 – 22 99 0.92
E 22 – 28 85 1.0
F > – 28 < 85 > 1.0
Factors Affecting Level of Service

o Speed and Travel Time


o Traffic Interruptions/Restrictions
o Freedom to travel with desired speed
o Driver comfort and convenience
o Operating Cost
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) used travel speed and volume by capacity ratio (v/c
ratio) to distinguish between various levels of service. The value of v/c ratio can vary
between 0 and 1. Depending upon the travel speed and v/c ratio, HCM has defined
six levels of service, level A to level F based on a graph between operating speed and
v/c ratio.
Traffic engineers rely on capacity and level of service analyses to determine the width
and number of lanes when planning for new facilities or when expanding existing
facilities that are already experiencing congestion problems.

The LOS concept uses qualitative measures that characterize operational conditions
within a traffic stream and perception of these conditions by motorists and passengers.
The Philippine Highway Planning Manual (PHPM) developed by the Planning
Service of the DPWH provides a methodology to carry out the process of such
analysis.
Highway Capacity

It is defined by the Highway Capacity Manual as the maximum hourly rate at which
persons or vehicles can be reasonably expected to traverse a point or a uniform
segment of a lane or roadway during a given time period under prevailing roadway,
traffic and control conditions.
 Traffic Conditions
It refers to the traffic composition in the road such as the mix of cars, trucks,
buses in the stream. It also include peaking characteristics, proportions of
turning movements at intersections and the like.
 Roadway Characteristics
This points out to the geometric characteristics of the road. These include lane
width, shoulder width, lane configuration, horizontal alignment and vertical
alignment.
 Control Conditions
This primarily applies to surface facilities and often refer to the signals at
intersections etc.
END!

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