This document outlines the course content for a Traffic Engineering course. The course is 32 credit hours taught in English. It covers fundamentals of traffic flow, highway capacity analysis, and traffic control at signalized intersections. Students complete assignments on each topic and are provided supporting videos. The final grade is based on exam, homework, and group presentation scores. Reference textbooks include Traffic Engineering by Roger Roess and Principles of Highway Engineering and Traffic Analysis by Fred Mannering. The course also covers topics such as traffic stream characteristics, traffic planning, and traffic control.

1. Traffic Engineering
1

2. Course Outline
 Total credit hours = 32
 Teaching approach = English
 Course Characteristics ---
Professional required course
 Final score --- Based on final exam (70%),
homework and groups presentation (20%) and
attendance (10%)
2

3. Course Outline
 Three topics for assignment
 Fundamentals of Traffic Flow and Queuing
Theory
 Highway capacity and level-of-Service Analysis
 Traffic Control and Analysis at Signalized
Intersections
 Note --- Supporting videos are provided for each
topic .
3

4. Reference textbook：
 Traffic Engineering Third Edition
 by Roger P.Roess, Elena S.Prassas, William R.McShane
 China Machine Press,2008.1(2013.1 republishing)
 Traffic Engineering by WU fang
 China Communications Press,2014.8
Principles of Highway Engineering and Traffic
Analysis, Fifth Edition, by Fred L. Mannering, Scott S.
Washburn
 John Wiley&Sons (March,2012)
Course Outline
4

5. Content plan
1 Introduction
2 Basic components of traffic
3 Traffic stream characteristics
4 Highway capacity analysis
5 Traffic planning
6 Traffic control
5

6. Traffic Engineering originated from U.S. in 1930s,
one of branches of transportation engineering. Traffic
Engineering only researches traffic on road. It is a
subject developing with evolution of the traffic and
human society.
 Definition
 Background of traffic engineering
 development
 Objects/scope/ knowledge layout
 of traffic engineering
 Some basic concepts in traffic engineering
 Main elements in traffic engineering
Chapter 1 Introduction
6

7. 1.1 Traffic and human society development
1.1.1 Traffic definition
1 definition
transportation communication
1）man or goods transfer
2）language, character, symbol, image transfer
 human thought and consciousness
 running water, rain,wind(?)
7

8. 2 traffic sort
(economics: supply & demand)
 origin traffic demand (travelling for
oneself)
eg. schooling, visit, tour, see a doctor...can’t replace by
others
 derive traffic demand(caused by other activity)
eg. business, work ...
1.1.1 Traffic definition
8

9. 3 traffic element
1）demand：man &goods conveying（people first,
People-oriented, public transport priority ）
2）supply：transit communication。
1.1.1 Traffic definition
9

10. 4 the role of traffic
 The economic role : to become rich first road → brings
motorization degree, to shorten transit time, lower rates, promote
regional exchanges, expand the market, reduce the production cost,
promote the urbanization, expand employment, promote regional
specialization
 The social function：break the distance barrier, forming
social integration, promote social formation and exchange, the Silk
Road launched to promote the China and West Asia and Europe's
economic, cultural exchange.
 Other: make people save travel time and the effective use of
time, but also can be used to transport facilities, disaster relief and
social welfare.
1.1.1 Traffic definition
10

11. 5 the basic function of urban traffic
Traffic is one of the main components of the city;
 Traffic is the lifeblood of the city, there is no
traffic and no city.
 1）the need for passenger flow, logistics base;
 2）not only is the movement of the means of transport
→ social, economic, military, etc..
1.1.1 Traffic definition
11

12. 1.1.2 Human social development and traffic
 1 Originally there is no way ,more people
walking became a road;
 2 the ancient times of transportation: walking is
the first step in human civilization;
 3 the use of the ship, horse and carriage, the
chair ;
 4 the emergence and use of trains, cars, planes,
rockets, etc..
12

13. 1.1.3 Traffic and city
 After World War II, urbanization trend has become the world's
universal laws of development → urban population growth accelerating,
mega cities increasing, urban agglomeration in large numbers springing
up (main city + satellite city /old town +new town / combined city /
clusters of cities group), city outskirts growing on, urban functions have
become increasingly integrated →under such a situation, traffic for cities
is becoming more and more important.
 1 the basic necessities of life, traffic has become a worldwide problem;
 2 the city is made up of construction, traffic and ecological environment (not
just greening);
 3 the construction is the solidified art, the traffic is dynamic landscape of
connected the static construction;
 4 traffic facilities construction land accounts for 40% to 10% of urban land;
 5 the traffic facilities investment becomes the main body of the city construction
investment;
 6 the traffic demand is not rigid, and it has the compressibility.
13

14.  After World War II, urbanization trend has become the world's
universal laws of development → urban population growth accelerating,
mega cities increasing, urban agglomeration in large numbers springing
up (main city + satellite city /old town +new town / combined city /
clusters of cities group), city outskirts growing on, urban functions have
become increasingly integrated →under such a situation, traffic for cities
is becoming more and more important.
 1 traffic jams, low vehicle speed;
 2 car accident frequently;
 3 traffic congestion in rush hour ;
 4 parking difficulty;
 5 waste gas, noise, vibration hazard.
 Problem solving → traffic engineering!
1.1.3 Traffic and city
14

15. 1.2 Traffic problems and the main causes
1.2.1 Think about the traffic problem
1 basic traffic problems
Traffic accident
Traffic block
Traffic pollution
Special traffic Traffic convenience
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16. 1.2.1 Think about the traffic problem
2 the basic causes of traffic problems
The contradiction between traffic demand and traffic supply:
 Traffic demand: depends on the social development, social activities
and social overall deployment and management;
 Traffic supply: depends on the means of transport, traffic facilities and
traffic management
Conclusion: increase the traffic capacity, or decrease traffic demand to
improve the traffic situation.
1.2 Traffic problems and the main causes
Saturation
saturation>1,traffic block
16

17. 1.2.1 Think about the traffic problem
4 Transportation problem - world problem
Traffic congestion in
Guangzhou of China
Traffic jams in Washington
World's largest traffic jam-
Moscow big traffic jam
World's largest traffic jam- Moscow
big traffic jam
1.2 Traffic problems and the main causes
17

18. 1.2.2 The main causes of traffic problems
 1 Improper urban planning：use of land, the distribution of
population;
 2 Improper transportation planning: traffic facilities scale,
distribution, traffic system structure;
 3 Improper design of transport facilities : do not pay
attention to the traffic function of the design;
 4 Improper use of transportation facilities : urban
management and traffic management technology and means
lagged;
 5 Improper transportation policy: the improper decision-
making process and the construction and investment.
1.2 Traffic problems and the main causes
18

19. 1.2.3 traffic infrastructure planning, construction and
utilization
Infrastructure is the material basis of transportation.
 1 traffic planning — urban transportation infrastructure construction scale
and basic function
 2 traffic design — the function of the traffic facilities and the construction
position and form
 3 traffic management — the relationship between the construction of
facilities and the effective use
 Only the intercoordination of traffic planning, traffic design,
traffic management achieves the balance, in order to fully develop
the role of transport infrastructure and capacity, improve efficiency,
and provide good service for transportation.
The traffic problem is a war that won't win, improving the
traffic is large knowledge → traffic engineering.
1.2 Traffic problems and the main causes
19

20. 1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
1 Definition
ITE (1930s): deals with the planning, geometric design and traffic
operations of roads, study on the relationship between road network,
station, adjacent land and transport, in order to make people and goods
safe, effective and convenient moving.
ITE (1980s): branch of transportation engineering.
Australia (traffic engineering professor): the measurement science
of traffic and travel, study on the basic law of traffic flow and traffic
generation .
The former Soviet Union: research the law of the traffic process
and the influence of the traffic on the road structure and the artificial
structure.
20

21. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
1 Definition
Japan (Watanabe Shinzo, Sasaki ,etc. scholar): combining
safety, convenience and economy of passenger and freight
transport, discusses the overall land planning, geometric linear
design and operation management of highways and urban roads.
China (Beijing University of Technology, Professor Futian
Ren): a technology science of research on traffic laws and its
application. The purpose of this study is to explore how complete
the transportation task safely, fast, comfortably and economically.
The research content is mainly traffic planning, traffic facilities,
traffic operation and management; research object is drivers,
pedestrians, vehicles, road and traffic environment.
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
21

22. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
1 Definition
Traffic engineering is the study on the road traffic—the people
(drivers and pedestrians, etc.) as the main body ,traffic flow as the
center, road as the foundation —the three aspects unified in road traffic
system to research—comprehensive treatment the relationship between
among people, vehicles ,roads, traffic environment in time and space—
the research of road traffic (pedestrians, bicycles, cars and other traffic
flow) phenomenon, the mechanism and traffic problems, and exploring
their inherent regularity and the best fit, in order to achieve rapid, safe,
smooth, comfort, economy, environmental protection, convenient and
efficient target—explore the road traffic system planning, design and
management theory, method and technology.
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
22

23. Goal of Traffic Engineering --- explore how to
provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient,
economical, and environmentally compatible movement
of people and goods.
 Safe --- public safety
 Rapid --- time value and customer service
 Comfortable/convenient --- level of service
 Economical --- social cost
 Environmental --- clean air and sustainability
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
23

24. Safety:The Primary Objective
 The principal goal of the traffic engineer remains
the provision of a safe system for highway traffic.
 26000 fatalities in Iran on 2007.
 40000 to 43000 in U.S
 Something like a civil war.
 The objective of safe travel is always number one and is never
finished for the traffic engineer.
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
24

25. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
1
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
25

26. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
2 traffic system
Elements of traffic system:
human/goods
vehicle
Facilities (means)
Environment
Rules
information
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
...
26

27. Mobility versus Accessibility
Highway Classification
Transportation Legislation
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
27

28. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
Mobility --- refers to the ability to travel to many
different destinations, while accessibility --- refers to
the ability to gain entry to a particular site or area
With an increase of mobility the ability to access
development decreases, and vise versa.
Mobility versus Accessibility
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
28

29. L a n d A c c e s s
M o b ilit y
F r e e w a y
A r t e r ia ls ( M a jo r R o a d )
C o lle c t o r s ( M in o r R o a d )
L ocals(T ertiary S treet)
P R O P O R T IO N O F S E R V IC E
F igu re 1.1 R elation sh ip of
fu n ction ally classified system in
service traffic m ob ility an d lan d 29

30. Graphic description between mobility and accessibility
30

31. 1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
Highway classification
Location -- urban and suburban (rural)
Criterion --- specification for roadway design
Each country has different way in determining
hierarchy of highways
The purpose of conducting classification for highway is
to clarify the functionality of each category of roadways
in providing services in terms of mobility and accessibility
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
31

32. China United States
Urban Rural Urban Rural
Freeway Freeway Freeway Interstate
Expressway 1st Class Highway
Major Street 2nd Class Highway Arterials Primary
Minor Street 3rd Class Highway Collector Secondary
Tertiary Street 4th Class Highway Local Street Tertiary
With increase of mobility the accessibility will decrease
Freeway has the highest mobility; whereas local street has the
highest accessibility
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
32

33. Freeways or expressways --- access-controlled,
multilane, divided highways devoted to high-speed, long-
distance travel with little or no access adjacent to land.
Arterials --- roadways serving primarily to move traffic
between principal traffic generators with partially access-
controlled (residential access is discouraged, but
commercial access is allowed), there are two categories:
major and minor.
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
33

34. Collectors --- roadways serving internal traffic
movements within an urban area and connecting it with
the arterial system, there are two categories: major and
minor
Local streets --- primarily providing access to the
development with low-speed
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
34

35. S. AFRICA GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
Primary
Function
Class
No
Likely Features Most Likely
Authorities
Generic
Description
1.
Long distance
between cities,
provinces or countries
National Freeways, trunk roads
2.
Relatively long
distance between
towns and cities
Provincial
Expressways, urban
motorways, primary
arteries
Vehicle
Priority
(mobility)
3.
Medium distance
between districts,
municipalities
Metropolitan
Arterial roads,
secondary arteries
4.
Short distance within
districts/suburbs
Local/Municipal Collector roads
Mixed
Traffic
(access) 5.
Very short distance
(500 m max)
Local/Municipal Local streets
Pedestrian
priority
6.
Suitable for walking,
mobility impaired
persons and cyclists
Local/Municipal
Footpaths/cycleways/
sidewalks, parking
lots, woonerwen
35

36. Transportation Legislation of USA
Federal-Aid Highway Act (1916 to 1983)
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA)
from 1991 to 1997
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)
from 1998 to 2004
SAFETEA-LU （Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users 2005 to 2011）
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
36

37. Technical terms
Traffic engineering --- automobile, engineering-oriented
Transportation engineering --- all modes, social, legal,
political-oriented,
Transport engineering --- British usage having same
meaning of transportation; used as a verb
Communication ---
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
37

38. 5E-featured discipline
Enforcement
Education
Engineering
Environment
Ecology
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
1.3.1 Basic concept of traffic engineering
3 A few basic definitions
38

39. 1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object
and content
 modern high technology edge discipline new
theorynew technology and new ideas
 i.e.: intelligent transportation system (ITS), green traffic
system, traffic behavior theory, traffic management system, traffic
demand management, modern modeling and calculation method,
intelligent control system theory, modern simulation technology,
the concept of sustainable development, etc.
 combined with actual development needs, systematically
proposed fundamental concepts in modern traffic engineering,
basic theory and methods, and relevant application technology.
1.3 Traffic engineering and its research content
39

40. 1 modern traffic engineering research object
 roadways：network planning, geometric design, intersection,
environment;
 road users：the traffic characteristics of the driver,
pedestrian, passenger;
 traffic flow：theory, characteristics, investigation;
 traffic Management: traffic signs, traffic control, traffic
signal, automatic control, road lighting, traffic regulations, traffic
education, etc.;
 traffic safety：accident law, accident reconstruction, traffic safety
facilities, traffic safety regulations, traffic accident investigation and analysis;
 traffic pollution
 traffic energy saving
 new traffic system: (logistics)
1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object and content
40

41. 1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object and content
2 research purposes
 Improve road traffic（smooth）
 Increase transport speed（fast）
 Reduce traffic accidents（safety）
 Improve the comfort and convenience（comfort and convenience）
 Reduce traffic pollution（environmental protection）
 Save energy （energy）
3 related science
Human ---- Human body engineering
vehicle ---- Transportation Engineering, automotive engineering
Road ---- road engineering
Environment---- Environmental Engineering
41

42. 4 Characteristics of traffic engineering
systematicness
comprehensive
intersectionality
sociality
advancement
dynamics
1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object and content
42

43. systematicness comprehensive Intersectionality
Using
principle and
method of
systems
engineering,
knowledge to
solve the
traffic
problems
Engineering
Education
Enforcement
Energy
Environment
Traffic engineering
Electronic
Engineering
Communication
Engineering
Auto-Control
Automotive
Engineering
Computer science
4 Characteristics of traffic engineering
1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object and content
43

44. sociality advancement dynamics
Involved in
all aspects of
social life
To develop
economic,
traffic should
be advance;
want to be rich,
first build roads
Taken the traffic flow
dynamic, description of
the rules need dynamic
method; dynamic
characteristics of
planning and
construction
1.3.2 Modern traffic engineering research object and content
4 Characteristics of traffic engineering
44

45. 1.4 Development of traffic engineering
1.4.1 Formation of traffic engineering
 1885→the first three wheeled vehicle made by Karl Benz(German)
 1896→Otto invented the four stroke internal combustion gasoline
automobile
 1908→Henry Ford(American) used standardized and specialized production
vehicles.
 1921→United States certified the first registered Traffic Engineer
 1926→Harvard pioneered traffic engineering academy
 1930→the famous American ITE (Traffic Engineer Association) was
established.
 Basic reasons: the emergence of traffic problems → traffic accidents, traffic
jams, speed reduction, parking difficulties and environmental pollution, etc..
53

46. 1.4.2 Development of traffic engineering
 the 1920's——initial period
 the 1930's—— birth period
 the 1940's——forming period
 the 1950's——automobile period
 the 1960's——traffic channelling period
 the 1970's——multi member period
 the 1980's——system control period
 since the 1990's ——intelligent period
1.4 Development of traffic engineering
54

47. 1.4 Development of traffic engineering
1.4.2 Development of traffic engineering
55

48. 1.4.3 Development of traffic engineering in China
Open undergraduate program in 1980 at Beijing
University of Technology
Second place of freeways in terms of mileage
worldwide (second to USA)
About 60 colleges and universities to offer traffic
engineering course
High investments in highway and traffic engineering
studies
1.4 Development of traffic engineering
56

49. Traffic studies --- data collection and reduction
Performance evaluation --- set of criteria to measure the
quality of traffic performance
Facility design --- functional and geometric designs
Traffic control --- establishment of traffic regulation and
their communication to the driver through signs, markings,
and signals
Traffic operations --- traffic organization, transit
operation
TSM --- Transportation Systems Management
ITS --- Intelligent Transportation Systems
1.5 Main Elements in Traffic Engineering
57

50. The discipline is still quite young as compared to
other disciplines. Thus, there leave rooms for
improvement.
The coverage is so broad that it is difficult to
identify the boundary of the discipline.
The discipline is closely associated with the daily
life of the public (fishbowl effect)
1.6 Challenges Traffic Engineers Face
58

51. Change in notion from increasing capacity to meet
demand to managing the movement of vehicle and
people
Ever-increasing congestion
Safety and security of transportation facilities
Technologically sound solutions may not be socially
acceptable (staggering of work time; public transit)
1.6 Challenges Traffic Engineers Face
59

52. Congestion on Roadway of Beijing
60

53. Evacuation before hurricane
in Houston, USA, 2005
9.11 event in 2001, USA
61

54. Traffic paralysis due to snow
storm in southern China 2008
62