Overview
Traffic flow data is used in road network development concepts, road design, in considerations of funding allocation for repair and maintenance, capacity calculations and calculations of negative traffic impacts on the environment, etc.
The project aimed to describe the flow rates for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and their evaluation method. They engage in the determination of traffic flows during the day as well as hour (peak, 50th hour volume) in order to evaluate roads on the basis of short-term traffic surveys.
It would be necessary to conduct a year-long survey (365 days, 24 hours a day) in order to determine the most frequently used value of annual average daily traffic (AADT) flow. This is usually not possible, and therefore the survey is over a shorter time (several hours) and the value is estimated by calculation.
There is basic information on the options of traffic flow determination in traffic counts - either using the results of previous traffic surveys or conducting and evaluating a new traffic survey. The possibilities of using the data from automated traffic detectors, nationwide traffic counts and special purpose surveys are mentioned.
The project's core has focused on detailed instructions for executing and evaluating a new traffic flow survey. Attention has been focused on the traffic survey execution - the choice of appropriate time to conduct the survey with regard to required accuracy and the distinction between individual vehicle types.
Funding
Results
The project analysed present-day methods for calculation of all-day flow rates from short-term measurements, defined real needs of the users of these traffic engineering data and proposed the way of determining all-day traffic flow out of short-term measurements. The output is a clear definition of a way to determine all-day vehicle traffic flow on the basis of short-term measurements.
Technical Implications
The methodology for calculation of daily and hourly flow rate itself is based on traffic flow data, obtained by surveying of 243 sections of all categories of Czech roads. The methodology is based on the recomputation of the flow rate, detected during short-term traffic survey, with the coefficients describing daily, weekly and yearly variations of traffic flow.
Policy implications
The technical conditions are designated for traffic engineers, traffic infrastructure designers, road owners and managers, special construction authorities, employees of Czech Police, other participants in road constructions and other specialised workplaces.
The technical conditions comprise descriptions of determining the flow rates for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and their evaluation method.