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Lec 1: Introduction to Traffic Eng. and Its Scope

Business and introduction Course objectives, outline, assignment, etc. Required text, optional text, references Introduction to traffic engineering (Ch. 1) Standard references for the traffic engineer Basic knowledge about the transportation system Ethical aspects Responsibility and liability in traffic engineering Highway legislation and history in the US (1.3 – reading

assignment)

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Business and Introduction Instructor’s background Students’ introduction CE562 Learning Suite website Printing in Room 234CB – You must have a signature

account Rules for using reference materials (please check the Text

page of the website for the location where they are available and check out duration)

No surfing the web or do something else with the computers during lectures – keyboard noise is distractive to other students.

TA , TA hours, and TA room

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The Structure of the Textbook

Introduction

The Intersection(Ch 18-30)

Traffic Components and Characteristics (Ch 2-6)

Introduction (Ch 1)

Traffic Studies and Programs

(Ch 7-12)Freeways and Rural Highways (Ch 13-17)

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Course schedule & midterm dates: Visit CE En 562 Learning Suite website.

Term paper and term project: Found in the Content section of the course website.

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1.1 Transportation Engineering (ITE)

“ Transportation Engineering is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation, and management of facilities for any mode of transportation in order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods” (p.1)

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Traffic Engineering (ITE)

“The phase of transportation engineering that deals with the planning, geometric design and traffic operations of roads, streets and highways, their networks, terminals, abutting lands, and relationships with other modes of transportation.” (P.1)

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Objectives of traffic engineering Safety is the primary objective – More than 40,000 people

die each year in traffic accidents (33,561 in year 2012) Speed (Higher speed means shorter travel time. Interstate

highways encourage long distance trips.) Comfort – Involves the physical characteristics of vehicles

and roadways Convenience – The ease of making trips and the ability of

transport systems to accommodate all travel needs Economy – Try to provide the best possible systems for

the money Environmental compatibility – Provide sustainable

transport systems

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Ethical Aspects – traffic engineers deal with the public as well as engineering topics

Be honest Avoid “cutting corners” Avoid tailoring the results

to please the client Avoid manipulating data Know what’s in the

analysis models and software

Engineers Code of Ethics (example)

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Responsibility & Liability

We deal with people and goods.

Safety is the utmost importance in this profession.

Tort liability – Public agencies may be sued for negligence

Provide for the public safety through positive programs, good practice, knowledge, and proper procedure.

Avoid liability problems

[Read the right column, page 2]

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1.4 Elements of traffic engineering

Traffic studies and characteristics Performance evaluation Facility design Traffic control Traffic operations Transportation systems management Integration of ITS technologies

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1.2 Transportation Systems and their Function

“Transportation systems are a major component of the U.S. economy and have an enormous impact on the shape of the society and the efficiency of the economy in general.”

(For year 2009 stats click the link.) http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population 12

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Figure 1.1 Public Highway Mileage and Annual Vehicle-Miles Traveled in the United States, 1920–2007 (Source: Highway Statistics 2007, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington DC, 2008, Table VMT 421.)

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1.2.1 The Nature of Transportation Demand

“This circular, self-reinforcing characteristics of traffic demand creates a central dilemma: building additional transportation capacity invariably leads to incrementally increased travel demands. (p.5, 1st paragraph)”

Intelligent transportation systems & Intermodal systems

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1.2.2 Concept of Mobility and Accessibility

Mobility

Access

Principal arterials

Minor arterials

Major collectors

Minor collectors

Local roads and streets

Mobility = the ability to travel to many different destinations

Accessibility = the ability to gain entry to a particular site or area

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1.2.4 Transportation Modes

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Intermodal system for freight(North Salt Lake UP Transfer Yard)

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Attention to intermodalism

Unimodal Bimodal Multimodal IntermodalFront of DB Station, Ulm, Germany

Tram-bus transfer, Cologne, Germany

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Intermodal transportation system in our area(SLC Intermodal Hub)

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Amenities of the Frontrunner

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1.3 Highway Legislation & History

Read the textbook section 1.3 and become acquainted with key legislative milestones in the US.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/

The National Highway System:

See ISTEA and TEA-21 in page 11. Then, SAFETEA-LU. And now MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century).

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The Interstate System

42,500 miles

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NHS

160,000 miles

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1.5 Modern Problems for the TE

Urban congestion Growth management Reconstruction of existing highway

facilities maintenance of traffic is a major issue

Security of transportation facilities since 9/11.

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1.6 Standard References for the Traffic Engineer

Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) and Model Traffic Ordinance

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD 2003, 2009) (on-line)

Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) AASHTO’s Green Book – A Policy on Geometric

Design of Highways and Streets Traffic Engineering Handbook Manual of Traffic Engineering Studies (on-line) Trip Generation by ITE