Capacity Analysis & LOS
Lecture 9
Engr. Dr. Muhammad Arsalan Khan
Objectives
Review LOS definition and determinants
Define capacity and relate to “ideal”
capacities
Review calculating capacity using HCM
procedures for basic freeway section
Focus on relations between capacity,
level-of-service, and design
Capacity in Non-ideal Conditions
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Level of Service (LOS)
Concept – a qualitative measure
describing operational conditions within a
traffic stream and their perception by
drivers and/or passengers
Levels represent range of operating
conditions defined by measures of
effectiveness (MOE)
3
Level of Service- LOS A (Freeway)
Free flow conditions
Vehicles are
unimpeded in their
ability to maneuver
within the traffic
stream
Incidents and
breakdowns are
easily absorbed
4
Level of Service- LOS B
Flow reasonably free
Ability to maneuver
is slightly restricted
General level of
physical and
psychological
comfort provided to
drivers is high
Effects of incidents
and breakdowns are
easily absorbed
5
Level of Service- LOS C
Flow at or near FFS
Freedom to maneuver
is noticeably restricted
Lane changes more
difficult
Minor incidents will be
absorbed, but will
cause deterioration in
service
Queues may form
behind significant
blockage
6
Level of Service- LOS D
Speeds begin to decline
with increasing flow
Freedom to maneuver
is noticeably limited
Drivers experience
physical and
psychological
discomfort
Even minor incidents
cause queuing, traffic
stream cannot absorb
disruptions
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Level of Service- LOS E
Capacity
Operations are volatile,
virtually no usable gaps
Vehicles are closely
spaced
Disruptions such as lane
changes can cause a
disruption wave that
propagates throughout
the upstream traffic flow
Cannot dissipate even
minor disruptions,
incidents will cause
breakdown
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Level of Service- LOS F
Breakdown or forced flow
Occurs when:
Traffic incidents cause a
temporary reduction in
capacity
At points of recurring
congestion
In forecast situations,
projected flow (demand)
exceeds estimated capacity
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Design Level of Service
This is the desired quality of traffic conditions
from a driver’s perspective (used to determine
number of lanes)
Design LOS is higher for higher functional classes
Design LOS is higher for rural areas
LOS is higher for level/rolling than mountainous
terrain
Other factors include: adjacent land use type and
development intensity, environmental factors,
and aesthetic and historic values
Design all elements to same LOS (use HCM to
analyze)
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Design Level of Service (LOS)
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Capacity – Defined
Capacity: Maximum hourly rate of vehicles
or persons that can reasonably be expected
to pass a point, or traverse a uniform
section of lane or roadway, during a
specified time period under prevailing
conditions (traffic and roadway)
Different for different facilities (freeway,
multilane, 2-lane rural, signals)
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Ideal Capacity
Freeways: Capacity • Multilane Suburban/Rural
(Free-Flow Speed) 2,200 pcphpl (60 mph)
2,400 pcphpl (70 mph) 2,100 (55 mph)
2,350 pcphpl (65 mph) 2,000 (50 mph)
2,300 pcphpl (60 mph) 1,900 (45 mph)
2,250 pcphpl (55 mph)
• 2-lane 2-way rural – 2,800 pcph
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Principles for Acceptable Degree of Congestion:
1. Demand <= capacity, even for short time
2. 75-85% of capacity at signals
3. Dissipation from queue @ 1500-1800 vph
4. Afford some choice of speed, related to trip
length
5. Freedom from tension, esp for long trips,
density < 42 veh/mi.
6. Practical limits - users expect lower LOS in
certain situations (urban, mountainous etc.)
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Multilane Highways
Refer Highway Capacity Manual
For rural and suburban multilane highways
Assumptions for Ideal Conditions (all other
conditions reduce capacity):
Only passenger cars
No direct access points
A divided highway
FFS > 60 mph
Represents highest level of multilane rural and
suburban highways
15
Multilane Highways
Intended for analysis of uninterrupted-flow
highway segments
Signal spacing > 2.0 miles
No on-street parking
No significant bus stops
No significant pedestrian activities
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Source: HCM
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Step 1: Gather data
Step 2: Calculate FFS (Supply
Parameters)
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Source: HCM
Free Flow Speed
Free-Flow Speed (FFS) – The mean speed of
passenger cars that can be accommodated under
low to moderate flow rates on a uniform highway
segment under prevailing roadway and traffic
conditions.
Factors affecting free-flow speed:
– Lane width
– Number of lanes
– Lateral clearance
– Interchange density
– Geometric design
The base FFS is taken to be the design speed (if
available), or can be estimated based on the
speed limit.
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Source: HCM
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Lane Width
Base Conditions: 12 foot lanes
Source: HCM
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Lane Width (Example)
How much does use of 10-foot lanes decrease free flow speed?
Flw = 6.6 mph
Source: HCM
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Lateral Clearance
Distance to fixed objects
Assumes
>= 6 feet from left edge of travel lanes to
obstruction
>= 6 feet from right edge of travel lane to
object in median
Source: HCM
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Lateral Clearance
TLC = LCR + LCL
TLC = total lateral clearance in feet
LCR = lateral clearance from right edge of travel
lane
LCL= lateral clearance from left edge of travel
lane
Source: HCM
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Source: HCM
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Example: Calculate lateral clearance adjustment for a 4-lane
divided highway with milepost markers located 4 feet to the
right of the travel lane.
TLC = LCR + LCL = 4 + 6 = 10
Flc = 0.4 mph
Source: HCM
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fm: Accounts for friction between opposing directions of
traffic in adjacent lanes for undivided
No adjustment for divided, fm = 0
Source: HCM
27
Fa accounts for interruption due to access points along
the facility
Example: if there are 20 access points per mile, what is
the reduction in free flow speed?
Fa = 5.0 mph
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Estimate Free flow Speed
BFFS = free flow under ideal conditions
FFS = free flow adjusted for actual conditions
From previous examples:
FFS = 60 mph – 6.6 mph - 0.4 mph – 0 – 5.0 mph =
48 mph ( reduction of 12 mph)
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Step 3: Estimate
demand
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Calculate Flow Rate
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Heavy Vehicle Adjustment
Heavy vehicles affect traffic
Slower, larger
fhv increases number of passenger vehicles
to account for presence of heavy trucks
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Example: for 10% heavy trucks on rolling
terrain, what is Fhv?
For rolling terrain, ET = 2.5
Fhv = 1 = 0.87
1 + 0.1 (2.5 – 1)
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f(hv) General Grade Definitions:
Level: combination of alignment (horizontal and
vertical) that allows heavy vehicles to maintain same
speed as passenger cars (includes short grades 2% or
less)
Rolling: combination that causes heavy vehicles to
reduce speed substantially below P.C. (but not crawl
speed for any length)
Mountainous: Heavy vehicles at crawl speed for
significant length or frequent intervals
Use specific grade approach if grade less than 3% is
more than ½ mile or grade more than 3% is more than
¼ mile
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Driver Population Factor (fp)
Non-familiar users affect capacity
fp = 1, familiar users
1 > fp >=0.85, unfamiliar users
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Step 4: Determine
LOS
Demand Vs.
Supply
Source: HCM
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Calculate vp
Example: base volume is 2,500
veh/hour
PHF = 0.9, N = 2
v f=hv from previous,
2,500 vph fhv
= = pc/ph/pl
1878 0.87
p
Non-familiar users, fp = 0.85
0.9 x 2 x 0.87 x 0.85
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Calculate Density
Example: for previous
D = 1878 vph = 39.1 pc/mi/lane
48 mph
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LOS = E
Also, D = 39.1 pc/mi/ln, LOS E 39
40
Source: HCM
Design Decision
What can we change in a design to provide
an acceptable LOS?
Lateral clearance (only 0.4 mph)
Lane width
Number of lanes
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Lane Width (Example)
How much does increase in lane width affect free
flow speed?
Source: HCM, 2000
42
Recalculate Density
Example: for previous (but with wider lanes)
D = 1878 vph = 34.1 pc/mi/lane
55 mph
43
LOS = E
Now D = 34.1 pc/mi/ln, on border of LOS E 44
Recalculate vp, while adding a lane
Example: base volume is 2,500
veh/hour
PHF = 0.9, N = 3
v f=hv2,500
from previous, f=hv1252
vph = 0.87
pc/ph/pl
p
Non-familiar users, fp = 0.85
0.9 x 3 x 0.87 x 0.85
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Calculate Density
Example: for previous
D = 1252 vph = 26.1 pc/mi/lane
48 mph
46
Now D = 26.1 pc/mi/ln, LOS D (almost C) 47
Assignment 2
Assess the following traffic situation and suggest how
many lanes be added to attain Level-of-Service (LOS)-C:
2-lane facility with Free-Flow-Speed of 80 km/hour,
Base Volume of 2500 vehicles/hour, 0.92 Peak Hour
Factor, 12% proportion of Heavy Trucks on a Rolling
Terrain and a Driver Population Factor of 0.87.
Due Date: Monday 12-05-2025
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