Laserfiche WebLink
Table A-III: Urban Street Class based on Function and Design Categories <br />Desi <br />n Cate <br />o Functional Category <br />g <br />g <br />ry PrlnclpalArterlal Minor Arterial <br />High-Speed I Not applicable <br />Suburban II II <br />Intermediate II III or IV <br />Urban III or IV IV <br />Source: Highway Capacity Manual 2000 <br />Table A-IV: Urban Street Levels of Service by Class <br />Urban Street Class 1 11 111 IV <br />Range of Free Flow Speeds (mph) 45 to 55 35 to 45 30 to 35 25 to 35 <br />Typical Free Flow Speed (mph) 50 40 33 30 <br />LOS Average Travel Speed (mph) <br />A >42 >35 >30 >25 <br />B >34 >28 >24 >19 <br />C >27 >22 >18 >13 <br />D >21 >17 >14 >9 <br />E >Ib >13 >10 >7 <br />F 516 <13 <_10 57 <br />Source: Highway Capacity Manua12000 <br />Interrupted Flow <br />One of the more important elements limiting, and often interrupting the flow of traffic on a highway is <br />the intersection. Flow on an interrupted. facility is usually dominated by points of fixed operation such <br />as traffic signals, stop and yield signs. These all operate quite differently and have differing impacts on <br />overall Flow. <br />Signalized Intersections <br />The capacity of a highway is related primarily to the geometric characteristics of the facility, as well as to <br />the composition of the traffic stream on the facility. Geometrics are a fixed, ornon-varying, <br />characteristic of a facility. <br />At the signalized intersection, an additional element is introduced into the concept of capacity: time <br />allocation. A traffic signal essentially allocates time among conflicting traffic movements seeking use of <br />the same physical space. The way in which time is allocated has a significant impact on the operation of <br />the intersection and on the capacity of the intersection and its approaches. <br />LOS for signalized intersections is defined in terms of control delay, which is a measure of driver <br />discomfort, frustration, fuel consumption, and increased travel time. The delay experienced by a <br />motorist is made up of a number of (actors that relate to control, traffic and incidents. Total delay is the <br />difference between the travel time actually experienced and the reference travel time that would result <br />during base conditions, i. e., in the absence of traffic control, geometric delay, any incidents, and any <br />other vehicles. Specifically, LOS criteria for traffic signals are stated in terms of average control delay <br />per vehicle, typically fora I S-minute analysis period. Delay is a complex measure and depends on a <br />number of variables, including the quality of progression, the cycle length, the ratio of green time to <br />cycle length and the volume to capacity ratio for the lane group. <br />