Abstract

This research investigates the impact of slow-moving vehicles on road capacity and service
levels in Addis Ababa's Arada, Kolfe, and Nifasilk areas. Measurements, including road width,
traffic volume, speed, and other parameters, were taken during both peak and non-peak hours. A
mathematical model was developed using SPSS software to analyze capacity factors like road
width, heavy vehicle percentage, and roadside activities. The results show peak-hour congestion,
with Nifasilk having the highest traffic volume. As slow-moving vehicle percentages increase,
road capacity decreases significantly. This research provides valuable insights for potential
administrative and infrastructure improvements in the study area. The level of service (LOS) in
midblocks meets HCM criteria but remains at service level E throughout the survey.

Keywords: Capacity, Level of service, Slow-moving, Urban Road.

Introduction

Transportation is a vital component of any nation's development and progress, serving as the
backbone for trade, commerce, and societal interactions. However, the presence of slow-moving
vehicles in traffic, within the context of traffic composition, poses unique challenges and
considerations. These slow-moving vehicles can have a profound impact on the transportation
system as a whole.

Slow-moving vehicles disrupt the smooth flow of traffic, affecting various aspects of road
operations, including speed, capacity, and overall vehicle operations. Road capacity, which
defines the maximum number of vehicles that can pass through a specific point on a road within
a set time frame, can be significantly reduced when slow-moving vehicles are present. This
reduction in capacity often leads to traffic congestion, as vehicles behind the slow-moving ones
are forced to slow down or change lanes to overtake. This disruption causes a ripple effect
throughout the traffic stream, resulting in delays and a decrease in overall capacity (Rojas Suárez
et al., 2020).

Numerous organizations and entities are responsible for planning, designing, constructing,
operating, and maintaining transportation systems. Transportation, beyond its role in facilitating
movement, has far-reaching implications for economic development, trade, and market
connectivity. It plays a pivotal role in fostering economic growth, social connections, and
environmental sustainability. Reliable transportation options are essential for promoting equity
and inclusivity, allowing individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds to access vital
services and participate fully in society. Transportation is a dynamic field that requires careful
planning, innovation, and collaboration to meet the diverse needs of individuals and communities
while minimizing adverse impacts (Msallam et al., 2016).

Traffic on road sections is often composed of diverse vehicle types, each with varying road-space
requirements based on size and performance characteristics. To accommodate this diversity,
traffic volumes are expressed in terms of Passenger Car Units (PCUs), representing the
equivalent traffic impedance values of various vehicle types compared to passenger cars. This
approach helps in highway capacity measurements and addressing differences in speed and
performance among vehicle categories (Mondal et al., 2017).
In regions experiencing rapid urbanization, such as Ethiopia, the number of vehicles on road
sections has significantly increased. However, traffic in Ethiopia is highly heterogeneous,
comprising a wide variety of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, three-wheelers,
and non-motorized vehicles. These vehicles exhibit diverse static and dynamic characteristics.
Analyzing such mixed traffic becomes more straightforward when the impact of each vehicle
type can be expressed in common units, such as PCUs. The challenge of road capacity becomes
more pronounced in mixed traffic flow, particularly when significant speed disparities exist
among vehicle categories (Savitha et al., 2017).

Determining road capacity is a pivotal aspect of transportation flow analysis. Capacity, along
with various flow characteristics, depends heavily on driver behavior and traffic composition.
Road capacity exhibits variations over time and across locations, making it best described as the
maximum average flow rate that can be consistently maintained (Suresh & Umadevi, 2014).

In developing countries, road traffic, particularly in urban areas, is highly heterogeneous,

featuring vehicles with varying static and dynamic characteristics. These vehicles share the same
road space without segregation. Knowledge of fundamental traffic flow characteristics, such as
traffic volume, is crucial for planning, designing, and operating road networks. Due to the
heterogeneity of traffic flows, there is an increasing demand for overtaking, even as passing
opportunities diminish with increased traffic flow. Evaluating roadway capacity is a fundamental
requirement for designing, operating, and planning road network systems for smooth traffic flow.
The capacity of a roadway is determined based on operational factors like average speed and
time following. These factors are influenced by various factors such as vehicle characteristics,
traffic factors, pavement geometry, and road user behavior, all of which impact the capacity and
operating speeds of vehicles on the roadway (Indo-HCM, 2017).

This research aims to explore the influence of slow-moving vehicles on urban roads, focusing on
their impact on speed and maximum crossing capacity by estimating the dynamic units of
passenger cars. Additionally, the study seeks to understand the traffic stream characteristics of
urban streets influenced by varying proportions of non-motorized vehicles (SMVs). Using PCUs
as a measure, the research examines the effect of SMVs on traffic flow characteristics and their
impact on other vehicles in the observed traffic stream on urban arterials. The study also
establishes a trend indicating a reduction in capacity as the proportion of SMVs increases.
This literature review provides an overview of research relevant to the study's objectives
regarding the impact of slow-moving vehicles on road capacity and level of service. Slow-
moving vehicles, which travel at lower speeds than the general traffic flow, can significantly
affect road capacity and level of service due to their influence on traffic composition.

Historically, highway capacity manuals did not directly consider slow-moving vehicles due to
their absence in advanced countries. However, heavy vehicles like trucks, buses, and recreational
vehicles were addressed with an adjustment factor. This factor was based on the equivalent
passenger car values of heavy vehicles and their proportion in the traffic stream, with a higher
proportion of heavy vehicles leading to reduced road service volume.

Design speeds for urban arterials and sub-arterials are standardized but may differ from actual
operating speeds at the desired level of service. Traffic composition, directional distribution, and
the presence of slow-moving vehicles or heavy vehicles significantly affect the capacity of two-
lane roads, especially in heterogeneous traffic.

Recent research by Omar et al. (2020) introduced a methodology for calculating Passenger Car
Equivalents (PCE) based on relative speed reduction rates, specifically designed for two-lane
highways. Anand et al. (1999) developed a model considering factors influencing PCUs, such as
vehicle speed, time headway, and lateral clearance, providing insights into PCU determination.
Chandra's method of PCU determination was also presented.

Studies on directional distribution and slow-moving vehicles showed a non-linear relationship

between capacity and slow-moving vehicles, indicating a capacity reduction. Puvvala et al.
(2013) introduced the concept of influence area in PCU estimation, observing speed reduction in
larger vehicles due to slow-moving vehicles.

Adjustment factors for density in mixed traffic were proposed by Patkar & Dhamaniya (2020),
while Tiwari et al. (2007) suggested service lanes for slow-moving vehicles to separate their flow
from the main carriageway, which was found to reduce capacity and speed.

(Xiang et al., 2018) suggested strategies like dedicated lanes for slow-moving vehicles and
enforcing lane discipline to mitigate the negative impact of slow-moving vehicles on capacity. A
link node model in PARAMICS (Puvvala et al., 2013) demonstrated that small vehicle
maneuvering could increase road capacity.

Finally, De Bruin & Jordaan (2004) emphasized the significance of understanding traffic
composition in determining road capacity. The presence of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the
traffic stream was found to have a major impact on road capacity due to their size, limited
maneuverability, and lower desired speed. Engine power-to-weight ratio also influenced road
capacity, with an increase in HGVs leading to capacity reduction

This section presents the determination of the Heavy-Vehicle Adjustment Factor (fhV) based on
passenger car equivalents (PCUs). The formula for fhV is as follows:

fhV = 1 / (1 + Pt(Et - 1) + Pr(Er - 1))

Where:

 fhV is the heavy vehicle adjustment factor.

 Pt is the proportion of trucks and buses in the traffic stream.

 Pr is the proportion of recreational vehicles in the traffic stream.

 Et is the passenger car equivalent for trucks and buses.

 Er is the passenger car equivalent for recreational vehicles.

Traffic flow theory is a fundamental discipline within traffic engineering that uses mathematical
analysis and modeling to explain traffic flow mechanisms. Three basic variables - volume or
flow rate, speed, and density - are used to describe traffic on any roadway.

In the context of traffic flow theory, the following terms are defined:
  Speed: Speed is the rate at which vehicles move along a given roadway and is typically
measured in kilometers per hour (km/hr). Various speed parameters, such as average
running speed, average travel speed, free-flow speed, and space mean speed, are
considered depending on the purpose of the study.

 Volume: Traffic volume or flow rate is the number of vehicles passing a point on the road
over a given period, often measured in vehicles per hour (veh/hr). Flow is a
conceptualization that accounts for the measurement of vehicles over any period of time.

 Density: Density is the number of vehicles occupying a given length of road section or
lane and is typically expressed as vehicles per kilometer (veh/km). It can be computed
from speed and volume data or estimated.

Important density parameters include optimum density, which corresponds to peak flow, and jam
density, which represents the highest density achievable on a road when all vehicles are stopped.

The relationship between traffic flow characteristics is often simplified by assuming a linear
relationship between speed and density. This relationship is fundamental in traffic flow analysis.

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