6.28 A six-lane freeway (three lanes in each direction) in rolling terrain has 10-ft lanes and obstructions 4 ft from the right edge of the traveled pavement. There are five ramps within three miles upstream of the segment midpoint and four ramps within three miles downstream of the segment midpoint. A directional peak-hour volume of 2000 vehicles (primarily commuters) is observed, with 600 vehicles arriving in the highest 15-min flow rate period. The traffic stream contains 12% large trucks and buses and 6% recreational vehicles. What is the density of the traffic stream?

Assume Base free flow speed (BFFS) = 70 mph

Lane width = 10 ft

Reduction in speed corresponding to lane width, fLW = 6.6 mph

Lateral Clearance = 4 ft

Reduction in speed corresponding to lateral clearance, fLC = 0.8 mph

Interchanges/Ramps = 9/ 6 miles = 1.5 /mile

Reduction in speed corresponding to Interchanges/ramps, fID = 5 mph

No. of lanes = 3

Reduction in speed corresponding to number of lanes, fN = 3 mph

Free Flow Speed (FFS) = BFFS – fLW – fLC – fN – fID = 70 – 6.6 – 0.8 – 3 – 5 = 54.6 mph

Peak Flow, V = 2000 veh/hr

Peak 15-min flow = 600 veh

Peak-hour factor = 2000/ (4*600) = 0.83

Trucks and Buses = 12 %

RVs = 6 %

Rolling Terrain

fHV = 1/ (1 + 0.12 (2.5-1) + 0.06 (2.0-1)) = 1/1.24 = 0.806

fP = 1.0

Peak Flow Rate, Vp = V / (PHV*n*fHV*fP) = 2000/ (0.83*3*0.806*1.0) = 996.54 ~ 997 veh/hr/ln

Vp < (3400 – 30 FFS)

S = FFS

S = 54.6 mph

Density = Vp/S = (997) / (54.6) = 18.26 veh/mi/ln