35.1. Overview

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define capacity in your own words.

   Hint

   Think about what capacity means in terms of numbers.

2. 2.

   What does Level of Service (LOS) indicate?

   Hint

   Consider how a driver feels while on the road.

3. 3.

   What does capacity refer to in transportation?

   • Maximum speed of vehicles
   • Maximum traffic volume a facility can sustain
   • Quality of driver experience

   Hint

   Think about what traffic flow means in numbers.

4. 4.

   True or False: Level of Service is a quantitative measure of traffic.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Remember the perspective from which LOS is evaluated.

5. 5.

   Given a two-lane highway with a stated capacity of 1200 vehicles per hour and operating at a Level of Service D during peak hours, analyze the situation. What can be inferred regarding traffic flow and possible causes of congestion?

   Hint

   Consider how many vehicles are usually on the road compared to what it can handle.

6. 6.

   A city is faced with tackling high congestion at an intersection that operates at LOS E. What measures could be introduced to improve capacity without modifying the road design?

   Hint

   Think about timing signals versus building more roads.