Freeway Level of Service

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 Issues of traffic capacity analysis
➢ How much traffic a given facility can accommodate?
➢ Under what operating conditions can it accommodate that
much traffic?
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM)
❖ 1950 HCM by the Bureau of Public Roads
❖ 1965 HCM by the TRB
❖ 1985 HCM by the TRB (Highway Capacity Software published)
❖ 1994 updates to 1985 HCM
❖ 1997 updates to 1994 HCM
❖ 2001 updates to 2000 HCM
❖ 2010 HCM
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 Outline

1. Definitions
2. Level of Service (LOS)
3. Freeway Segment LOS Determination
a. Free-flow speed
b. Flow Rate
4. Multilane Highway LOS
5. Design Traffic Volume
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 MOE in 2000 HCM
Uninterrupted Fwy: Basic sections Density (pc/mi/ln)
Fwy: Weaving areas Density (pc/mi/ln)
Fwy: Ramp junctions Density (pc/mi/ln)
Multilane highways Density (pc/mi/ln)
Two-lane highways Percent-time spent
following
Average upgrade speed
Interrupted Signalized Approach delay (sec/veh)
intersections
Unsignalized Average total delay
intersections (sec/veh)
Arterials Average travel speed
Transit Load factor (pers/seat)
Pedestrians Space (sq ft/ped)
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 Freeway
• A divided highway with full control of access and
two or more lanes for the exclusive use of traffic in
each direction.
• Freeways are classified by total # of lanes in both
directions
• Assumptions
– No interaction with adjacent facilities (streets, other
freeways)
– Free-flow conditions exist on either side of the facility
being analyzed
– Outside the influence or ramps and weaving areas
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Basic Freeway Segment

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Definitions
• Freeway Capacity as defined by HCM
– Maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles
reasonably can be expected to traverse a point or
uniform section of a lane or roadway during a
given time period under prevailing traffic and
roadway ands control conditions in one direction
of flow.

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 Definitions--The v/c ratio and its use in capacity
analysis
The comparison of true demand flows
Rate of flow
v/c = to capacity is a principal objective of
Capacity
capacity and LOS analysis.

The volume capacity ratio indicates the proportion of the facility’s

capacity being utilized by current or projected traffic. ➔ Used as a
measure of the sufficiency of existing or proposed capacity.
v/c is usually less than or equal to 1.0. However, if a projected rate of
flow is used, it may become greater than 1.0 or when the estimated cap
is not sufficient. The actual v/c cannot be greater than 1.0 if departure
volume is used for v.
A v/c ratio above 1.0 predicts that the
planned design facility will fail! Queue
will form. 8
Basic freeway & multilane highway characteristics
Speed vs. Flow

Sf
Free Flow Speed

Uncongested Flow
Speed (mph)

Sm

Optimal flow,
Congested Flow Flow (veh/hr) capacity, vm

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Uncongested Flow

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Definitions – Free-Flow Speed
• Cap analysis procedures for freeway & multilane
highway are based on calibrated speed flow curve
with various free flow speed under base conditions
– All PC
– All commuter drivers

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 Free-Flow Speed
• Free-Flow Speed (FFS)
– The speed intercept when flow is zero on the calibrated
speed-flow curve
– The mean speed of passenger cars that can be
accommodated under low to moderate flow rates on a
uniform freeway segment under prevailing roadway
and traffic conditions.
• Factors affecting free-flow speed
– Lane width
– Lateral clearance
– Number of lanes
– Interchange density
– Geometric design
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 Definitions
• Passenger car equivalents
– Trucks and RVs behave differently
– Baseline is a freeway with all passenger cars
– Traffic is expressed in passenger cars per lane per hour
(pc/ln/hr or pcplph)
• Driver population
– All commuters
– They may affect capacity
• Capacity
– Corresponds to LOS E and v/c = 1.0

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Definitions – Level of Service (LOS)
“Level of service (LOS) is a quality measure describing operational
conditions within a traffic stream, generally in terms of such service
measures as speed and travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic
interruptions, and comfort and convenience.”

LOS A (best) LOS F (worst or system breakdown)

A Free flow
SFA
B Reasonably free flow
SFB
C Stable flow
SFC
D Approaching unstable flow
SFD
E Unstable flow
SFE
F Forced flow or breakdown flow

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Definitions – Level of Service (LOS)

• Chief measure of “quality of service”

– Describes operational conditions within a traffic
stream.
– Does not include safety
– Different measures for different facilities
• Six measures (A through F)

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 Levels of Service
• LOS A
– Free-flow operation

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000

• LOS B
– Reasonably free flow
– Ability to maneuver is only
slightly restricted
– Effects of minor incidents still
easily absorbed 16
 Levels of Service
• LOS C
– Speeds at or near FFS
– Freedom to maneuver is
noticeably restricted
– Queues may form behind any
significant blockage.

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000

• LOS D
– Speeds decline slightly with
increasing flows
– Density increases more quickly
– Freedom to maneuver is more
noticeably limited
– Minor incidents create queuing 17
 Levels of Service
• LOS E
– Operation near or at capacity
– No usable gaps in the traffic
stream
– Operations extremely unstable
– Any disruption causes queuing

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000

• LOS F
– Breakdown in flow
– Queues form behind
breakdown points
– Demand > capacity 18
Freeway LOS

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 Freeway LOS
LOS Calculation
• Does not consider
– Special lanes reserved for a particular type of
vehicle (HOV, truck, climbing, etc.)
– Extended bridge and tunnel segments
– Segments near a toll plaza
– Facilities with FFS < 55 mi/h or > 75 mi/h
– Demand conditions in excess of capacity
– Influence of downstream blockages or queuing
– Posted speed limit
– Extent of police enforcement
– Intelligent transportation system features
– Capacity-enhancing effects of ramp metering 20
 Freeway LOS
Input
Geometric Data
Measured FFS or BFFS
Volume
BFFS Input

BFFS Adjustment Volume Adjustment

Lane width PHF
Number of lanes Number of lanes
Interchange density Measured Driver population
Lateral clearance FFS Input Heavy vehicles

Compute FFS Compute flow rate

Define speed-flow curve

Compute density using flow rate and speed

Determine speed using speed-flow curve

Determine LOS 21
Speed Flow Curve

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 LOS Criteria for Basic Freeway Segments
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Freeway LOS

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000

 Types of analysis

V
vp =
• Operational analysis (Determine PHF * N * f HV * f p
speed and flow rate, then density
and LOS) vp
D=
S
• Service flow rate and service
volume analysis (for desired LOS) SFi = MSFi * N * f HV * f p
MSF = Max service flow rate
SVi = SFi * PHF

• Design analysis (Find the number DDHV

of lanes needed to serve desired Ni =
MSF)
PHF * MSFi * f HV * f p
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 Freeway LOS
Operational analysis

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 Freeway LOS
Service flow rate and service volume
analysis
• For speed determination of the expected LOS

SFi = MSFi * N * f HV * f p
SVi = SFi * PHF

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 Service flow rates vs. service volumes
What is used for analysis is service flow rate. The actual number of
vehicles that can be served during one peak hour is service volume.
This reflects the peaking characteristic of traffic flow.

Stable flow
SFE Unstable
flow
Flow

E F
D

SFA C SVi = SFi * PHF

Congested
B
A Peak _ hourly _ volume
PHF =
4  V15 _ peak
Uncongested Density Chapter 12 27
 Freeway LOS
Design analysis

• Design analysis of a freeway is an iterative process

• MSFi value depends on FFS
• FFS depends on the number of lanes
• Thus N must be assumed then computed and check

DDHV
Ni =
PHF * MSFi * f HV * f p

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 Freeway LOS

Determining FFS
• Measure FFS in the field
– Low to moderate traffic conditions

• Use a baseline and adjust it (BFFS)

FFS = BFFS − f LW − f LC − f N − f ID
FFS = free-flow speed (mph)
BFFS = base free-flow speed, 70 mph (urban), 75 mph (rural)
fLW = adjustment for lane width (mph)
fLC = adjustment for right-shoulder lateral clearance (mph)
fN = adjustment for number of lanes (mph)
fID = adjustment for interchange density (mph)
Factors affecting: examples

Trucks occupy more

space: length and gap

Drivers shy away from

concrete barriers

Chapter 12 30
 Freeway LOS

Lane Width Adjustment (fLW)

• Base condition (fLW = 0)

– Average width of 12 ft. or wider across all lanes

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS

Lateral Clearance Adjustment (fLC)

• Base condition (fLC = 0)
– 6 ft. or greater on right side
– 2 ft. or greater on the median or left side

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS

Number of Lanes Adjustment (fN)

• Base condition (fN = 0)

– 5 or more lanes in one direction
– Do not include HOV lanes
– fN = 0 for all rural freeway segments

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS

Interchange Density Adjustment (fIC)

• Base condition (fIC = 0)

– 0.5 interchanges per mile (2-mile spacing)
– Interchange defined as having at least one on-ramp
– Determined over 6-mile segment

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS
Determining Flow Rate
• Adjust hourly volumes to get pc/ln/hr
- trucks and buses
- RVs
V
vp =
PHF  N  f HV  f p
vp = 15-minute passenger-car equivalent flow rate (pcphpl)
V = hourly volume (veh/hr)
PHF = peak hour factor
N = number of lanes in one direction
fHV = heavy-vehicle adjustment factor
fP = driver population adjustment factor
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 Freeway LOS

Peak Hour Factor (PHF)

• Typical values
– 0.80 to 0.95
– Lower PHF characteristic or rural or off-peak
– Higher PHF typical of urban peak-hour
V
PHF =
V15  4
V = hourly volume (veh/hr) for hour of analysis
V15 = maxiumum 15-min. flow rate within hour of analysis
4 = Number of 15-min. periods per hour
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 Freeway LOS

Heavy Vehicle Adjustment (fHV)

• Base condition (fHV = 1.0)
– No heavy vehicles
– Heavy vehicle = trucks, buses, RVs

• Two-step process
– Determine passenger-car equivalents (ET) and (ER )
– Determine fHV
1
f HV =
1 + PT (ET − 1) + PR (ER − 1)
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 Freeway LOS

Passenger-Car Equivalents (ET)

• Extended segments method
– Determine the type of terrain and select ET
– No one grade of 3% or more is longer than 0.25 miles
OR
– No one grade of less than 3% is longer than 0.5 miles

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS

Passenger-Car Equivalents (ET)

• Specific grades method
– Any grade of 3% or more that is longer than 0.25 miles
OR
– Any grade of less than 3% that is longer than 0.5 miles

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 40
Freeway LOS

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000

 Freeway LOS

Passenger-Car Equivalents (ER)

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 Freeway LOS

Passenger-Car Equivalents (ET)

• Composite grades method
– Determines the effect of a series of steep
grades in succession
– Method OK if…
• All subsection grades are less than 4%
OR
• Total length of composite grade is less than 4000 ft.
– Otherwise, use a detailed technique in the
Highway Capacity Manual (HCM)

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Average grade or composite grade?
• In a basic freeway segment analysis, an overall average
grade can be substituted for a series of grades if no single
portion of the grade is steeper than 4% or the total length
of the grade is less than 4,000 ft.
• For grades outside these limits, the composite grade
procedure is recommended. The composite grade
procedure is used to determine an equivalent grade that
will result in the same final truck speed as used to
determine an equivalent grade that will result in the same
final truck speed as would a series of varying grades
• For analysis purposes, the impact of a grade is worst at the
end of its steepest (uphill) section. (e.g. if 1000 ft of 4%
grade were followed by 1000 ft of 3% grade, passenger-car
equivalents would be found for a 1000 ft, 4%)

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 Freeway LOS

Determine fHV

1
f HV =
1 + PT (ET − 1) + PR (ER − 1)

fHV = Heavy vehicle adjustment factor

ET, ER = Passenger-car equivalents for trucks/buses and RVs
PT, PR = Proportion of trucks/buses and RVs in traffic stream

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 Freeway LOS

Driver Population Adjustment (fP)

• Base condition (fP = 1.0)

– Most drivers are familiar with the route
• Commuter drivers
– Typical values between 0.85 and 1.00

• Two-step process
– Determine passenger-car equivalents (ET)
– Determine fHV

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 Freeway LOS

Determine Density
• Calculate density using:

vp
D=
S
D = density (pc/mi/ln)
vp = flow rate (pc/hr/ln)
S = average passenger-car speed (mph)

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 Freeway LOS

Determine LOS

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS
Define Speed-Flow Curve
Select a Speed-Flow curve based on FFS
Use vp and FFS curve to find average passenger car speed (S)

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
 Freeway LOS

Determine LOS

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From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000
LOS Criteria for Basic Freeway Segments
LOS

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Determine
Freeway LOS

From Highway Capacity Manual, 2000