MODULE-5

Traffic Management
Traffic system Management
Traffic system Management (TSM) is a package of short term measures to make the most
productive and cost-effective use of existing transportation facilities, services and modes.
TSM strategies are generally used to maximize the efficiency of operations of the existing
roadway system rather than increasing capacity.
 To identify improvements to existing facilities of an operational nature.
 To improve traffic flow and safety through better management and operation of
existing transportation facilities.
Examples of TSM strategies include intersection improvements, street circulation changes,
traffic signal improvements, signage, safety improvements and traffic/parking
enforcement.
Intersection improvements, such as turning lanes, pavement striping, bus turnouts, and
channelization of traffic helps to reduce traffic backups when the front cars are making turns.

Street circulation changes focuses on changing and/or restricting the direction of travel or
separating two-way traffic on roadways. Changing the designation of roadways from two-way
travel to one-way, or vice versa, is a typical application of this technique. The advantages of
this technique include: reduced conflicts at intersections; reduced delay resulting in faster travel
times; availability of more travel lanes at intersections; simplified intersection operations and
fewer vehicular conflicts with crossing pedestrians at intersections.

Traffic signal improvements include upgrading existing traffic signal and installation of
detection equipment (such as red light camera), improved signal timing and phasing, traffic
signal system coordination, and pedestrian signals. The advantages of signal upgrades include
improved operations and safety. In addition, signal coordination further reduces motorist delay
and allows control over desired vehicle travel speed. This may reduce rear-end accidents at
some locations.

The three main types of signage typically used on roadways are the regulatory, warning, and
guide signs. Regulatory signs indicate traffic laws or regulations. Warning signs indicate an
existing or potentially hazardous condition. Guide signs inform motorists of routes and
destinations. The appropriate use of signs can reduce driver confusion thereby improving traffic
operations. Variable message signs such as the Emas alert motorists of changing conditions,
accidents or traffic slowdown ahead. This allowed motorist to plan his routes and make
necessary changes to avoid the congestion due to the accidents or other events.
Safety Improvements measures that can be implemented to improve safety for motorists,
pedestrians, and bicyclists includes, use of reflectors in line marking, installing adequate
streetlights, safe pedestrian crosswalks, turn prohibitions and enforcement of safe travel speeds.
These improvements can potentially reduce collisions and conflicts among motorist and other
road users.
The enforcement of traffic and parking regulations is important to maintain safe and desired
levels of traffic flow and parking. Restrictions imposed on road-side parking help to widen the
lanes for motorist, especially on narrow driveways where space is already limited and during
peak hours where heavy traffic is encountered.

Traffic Demand Management

To manage the travel demand component of the transportation system. The main aim is to
reduce or maintain the level of vehicular traffic occurring during peak periods and to reduce
the use of single occupant automobiles.
Some of the Techniques commonly adopted are
1. Car pooling and other ride-sharing programmes
2. Peripheral parking schemes
3. Institutional buses to serve areas of trip origins to common work place.
4. Staggering of office hours and flexible time of work
Note: Staggering-
(a system of working in which the employees of an organization do not all arrive and leave at
the same time, but have large periods of overlap)
5. Internal shuttle service in the CBD
Note: The City Shuttle Service (CSS) was an initiative introduced on 16 May 1975 by the
Singapore government, as part of a park & ride scheme aimed at reducing traffic congestion in
the city. It was originally hoped that car owners would park at designated car parks and transfer
to CSS bus services to enter the central business district (CBD).
6. Parking restraints
7. Road pricing
8. Entry fee
9. Priority for public buses in traffic
10. Restrictions on entry of trucks during day-time.

TDM programs are typically aimed at employees and are generally administered by the
employer (by a transportation coordinator) and overseen by a public agency.
• Examples of TDM strategies include Vanpool/Carpool Programs,
• Certificate of entitlement (COE) and road tax system is implemented to raise the cost
of owning a private car, thereby making subsidized public transportation or
employment shuttles an attractive alternative to single-occupant employment trips.

Vanpool/Carpool Programs
Vanpools and/or bus are typically used to shuttle employees to and from work. The purpose of
these techniques is to reduce the number of single occupant automobiles and thereby reducing
the number of cars on major travel routes. Vanpools can pick-up employees at designated areas
such as Mass rapid transit (MRT) stations or Bus interchange. Carpools can either be formal
or informal and the vehicle may be provided either by the employer or employee.
Carpool matching services are often provided to commuters at park-and-ride lots, and transit
stations. Park and Ride is the system where subsidise parking is offered for those transferring
to trains for work.
Conclusion of TSM ad TDM

The main difference between TSM and TDM is that while TSM strategies focus on imposing
(to some extend) physical changes to the infrastructure, TDM targets driver behaviour, mode
choice and employers to lower the traffic demands on the roads during the peak travel times.
That is to say that while drivers have to conform to TSM measures, they have the choice of
choosing whether or not they want to follow TDM measures. To an extent, the success of TDM
measures is more dependent on individual motorist compared to success of TSM measures
which rely more on the measures they implemented.
The similarity between TSM and TDM is that these two policies serve the same aim of reducing
traffic congestion, without utilising more lands to build more lanes and roads. Both these
policies look at ways to maximise the efficiency of the existing infrastructure without the need
for addition of new and costly system. Both TSM and TDM look into ways of providing a safer
and more efficient transportation system for the public.

Intelligent Transport System

ITS is an emerging transportation system which is comprised of an advanced information and
telecommunications network for users, roads and vehicles. ITS is the integrated application of
advanced Technologies using electronics, computers, communications, and advanced sensors.
These applications provide travellers with important information while improving the safety
and efficiency of the transportation system.

Objectives
to improve traffic safety
to relieve traffic congestion
to improve transportation efficiency
to reduce air pollution
to increase the energy efficiency
To promote the development of related industries
Necessity of ITS
India is going through a period of drastic change in the transportation due to:
 Rapidly growing economy
 Insufficient and inadequate public transportation system
 Rising vehicle ownership levels
 Traffic congestion, insufficient road development growing number of vehicles
 Low speed increased accident rates, increased fuel consumption and increased
pollution
 Impossible to widen existing roads or to meet the demands of road users
 Make transportation system more efficient, secure, and safer through the use of
information, communications and control technologies.
Application of ITS
Generally, ITS is classified into five systems according to their functions as follows.

1. The Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)

ATMS detects traffic situations, transmits them to control center via communication network,
and then develops traffic control strategies by combing all kinds of traffic information.
Furthermore, ATMS makes use of facilities to carry out traffic control and transmits the
information to drivers and concerned departments, and implements traffic management
measures, such as ramp metering, signal control, speed control, incident management,
electronic toll collection and high occupancy vehicle control and so on.

2. Advanced Traveller Information System, (ATIS)

ATIS, with advanced communication t technology, makes road users can access real time
information in the car, at home, in the office or outdoors as the reference of choosing transportation
modes, travel trips and routes. The system mainly includes changeable message signs, Highway
Advisory Radio (HAR), GPS, the internet connection, telephone, fax, cable television, information
Kiosk and mobile etc.

3. Advanced Vehicle Control and Safety System, (AVCSS)

AVCSS applies advanced technologies in vehicles and roads, and helps drivers control vehicles in
order to reduce accidents and improve traffic safety. The AVCSS mainly includes anti-collision
warning and control, driving assistance, automatic lateral/longitudinal control, and the long-run
plans of automatic driving and automatic highway system.

4. Advanced Public Transportation System, (APTS)

APTS applies the technology of ATMS, ATIS and AVCSS in public transportation in order to
improve the quality of service, and increase efficiency and the number of people who take public
transportation. The system mainly includes automatic vehicle monitoring, VPS, computer
scheduling and E -tickets.

5. Commercial Vehicle Operation, (CVO)

CVO applies the technology of ATMS, ATIS and AVCSS in commercial vehicle operation such
as trucks, buses, taxes and ambulances in order to improve efficiency and safety. The system mainly
includes automatic vehicle monitoring, fleet management, computer scheduling and electronic
payment
According to the concept framework of future ITS development planned by U.S. DOT and ITS-
America, the relationship between ITS services was defined to ensure the compatibility and the
interchangeability. 7 functions and 30 users services provided to drivers are defined as follows

1. Travel and transportation management

• Driving information during travel
• Route guidance
• Travel service information
• Traffic control
• Incident management
• Emission monitoring and improvement
• Rail road level crossing

2. Travel demand management

• Demand management and operation
• Pre-trip information
• Carpool matching and pre-booking

3. Public transportation operation

• Public transportation management
• Public transportation information during travel
• Personalized public transportation
• The security of public transportation

4. Electronic payment
• Electronic payment service

5. Commercial vehicle operation

• The electronic customs clearance of commercial vehicle
• Automatic security roadside inspection
• Security monitoring in car
• Commercial vehicle management program
• The incident response of dangerous goods
• Cargo flexibility

6. Emergency management
• Emergency notification and personal security
• Emergency vehicle management

7. Advanced vehicle control and safety system

• Back-up collision prevention
• Side collision prevention
• Intersection collision prevention
• The vision improvement of traffic accident prevention
• Security preparation
• Collision prevention before accident
Advantages of ITS
 Improved safety for road users
 Better traffic flow operations
 Lower travel cost
 Better environment quality
 Increased business activity
 Greater user acceptance
 Better travel information
 Better planning information

Dis-advantages of ITS
 Difficult to use in mixed traffic
 Preliminary difficulties in understanding the traffic operations
 ITS equipment’s are of high cost
 The control system software’s could be hacked by cyber hackers if not properly
protected.
Traffic segregation
Traffic segregation techniques can be classified into two groups
1. Vehicle-vehicle segregation
2. Pedestrian –vehicle segregation
3. Time segregation
1. Vehicle-vehicle segregation
Segregation principles are being applied all over the world to separate the slow-moving traffic
from the fast one especially in the Central Business District. This can be achieved simply by
imposing certain legal restrictions. The lorry traffic wherever possible is confined to the outer
areas and restrictions imposed on their movements in the city limits during peak periods. On
major roads where sufficient width is available separate lanes are designed for fast and slow
vehicles by using painted lines or physical dividers. In some cases eve the minimum and
maximum speeds are also indicated.
The following requirements must be borne in mind
i. Central dividers are not desirable on carriageways width less than 18meters unless
otherwise found essential for safety reasons. In any case minimum carriageway
width of 7.5m on either side for facilitating 2+2 effective lanes, separated by a
divider of minimum width of 1.2m (i.e. total carriageway width of 16.2m) must be
available before considering the physical central dividers: otherwise continuous
double lines to be painted in the centre.
ii. The physical central dividers are not recommended on bridges and flyovers unless
the width of carriageway in each direction is 7.5meters.It must be ensured that the
effective carriageway width at the approaches is uniformly carried through the
 bridge/flyover. However continuous double lines should be painted to separate the
opposing traffic: yellow paint would be more visible.
Note: Carriageway: It is the portion of roadway adopted for movement of vehicles
iii. The central dividers should have adequate width so that it serves as refuges for
pedestrians to take shelter and can also accommodate other required road furniture
such as signal and or lightning posts.
iv. Where inadequate central verge is being provided, it is desirable to do landscaping
so that glare of headlights is considerably reduced at night. However while planting
trees or shrubs care must be taken such that trees do not obscure vision of drivers,
especially near the intersections, pedestrian crossings and median openings. It is
recommended that at least 15meters of the central verge from each end of opening
is kept entirely clear.
2. Pedestrian –vehicle segregation
These techniques can be classified into the following three categories
a.Longitudinal segregation
b.Lateral segregation
c.Spatial segregation
a)Longitudinal segregation
 This mainly includes construction of side-walks/footpaths. The specification are given
in IRC: 103:1988 “Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities”
 Raised footpaths are always preferable. However where not possible it is absolutely
essential to segregated footpath from the carriageway by using guard stones and
railings.
 Railings along footpath/central divides are particularly important near the intersections
so as to force pedestrians to cross only at the designated zebra markings.
b.Lateral segregation
Lateral segregation is mainly done to ensure safe crossing of pedestrians across the path. It
includes the following
i) Zebra crossing IRC: 35-1970 “Code of Practice for road Markings with paints” may be
referred for details
ii) Refuge island
iii) Railings along the central dividers
Such railings are provided on those roads where pedestrians tend to cross irregularly especially
in congested areas
IV) Pedestrians traffic signal (IRC: 93: Guidelines n Design and Installation of Rural Traffic
Signals” may be referred for details.
v)Foot-over bridges
vi) Pedestrian subways
vii)Sky-walks