Transportation Engineering: An Overview

Introduction to Transportation Engineering

• The primary objective for transportation engineering is the safe and efficient transport of people and goods.
• The fundamental purpose is to design, develop, and manage transportation systems for secure movement.

Sectoral Development

• It plays a role in agriculture, commerce/industry, tourism, education, environment, institutional aspects, and culture.

Transportation Planning

• This includes strategic assessment and forecasting of transportation needs.
• Analyzing population growth, economic trends, and travel patterns and developing long-term plans and policies are key.

Traffic Engineering

• Focuses on study and management of traffic flow, congestion, and safety.
• Involves analyzing traffic patterns, designing traffic signals, signage, and implementing management strategies.

Highway Engineering

• Deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of roadways and highways.
• Considers geometric design, pavement design, drainage systems, and safety features.

Public Transportation

• Involves planning and design of accessible transportation options.
• Manages bus routes, light rail systems, and subway networks.

Transportation Modelling and Simulation

• This process uses advanced computer modelling techniques.
• It allows analysis and prediction of system behavior, evaluation of scenarios, and assessment of proposed changes

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

• Integrates technology and communication systems.
• ITS improves safety, efficiency, and user experience through intelligent traffic management systems and connected vehicle technologies.

Sustainable Transportation

• Focuses on alternative modes like cycling and walking.
• Involves eco-friendly vehicle technologies and renewable energy integration.

Transportation Safety

• Is dedicated to enhancing safety on roadways.
• Consists of analyzing crash data, designing safer roadways, and implementing traffic calming measures.

Transportation Economics and Policy

• Incorporates economic analysis and policy development for cost-effectiveness and viability.
• Evaluates economic benefits, conducts feasibility studies, and develops supportive policies.

Importance in Urban Development and Mobility

• Transportation allows efficient movement in urban areas and contributes to accessibility, urban planning, environmental sustainability, safety, and economic benefits.

Regional and Local Development Plans

• Include Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) that guide decisions about physical development.
• They also include sectoral studies in demography, socio-economics, and land use.

Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)

• The CDP is a medium to short-term action plan implementing projects identified in CLUP.
• CDP covers sectors such as social, economic, physical, environmental, and institutional.

Roles in Transportation Systems

• Transportation systems requires design, planning, and managing infrastructure, traffic analysis, modelling, ITS, public transit, road safety, environmental considerations, and stakeholder engagement.

Transportation Challenges in the Philippines

• Metro Manila is known as a highly congested city.
• There's inadequate public transportation infrastructure, leading to increased private vehicle use.
• Safety concerns arise from poorly designed roads and lacking traffic regulations.

Land Motor Vehicles in the Philippines

• The National Capital Region has a high vehicle volume.
• The number of registered vehicles constitutes a large percentage nationwide.
• Public utility buses only make up a small percentage of traffic along EDSA.

Train Systems in the Philippines

• The Philippines operate several train lines dating from 1892 to 2003.
• The MRT system had frequent problems, leading to daily breakdowns.

Traffic Congestion: Impact

• Traffic congestion leads to increased travel time and reduced productivity.
• It negatively affects the quality of life for commuters, also increasing pollutants.

Inadequate Public Transportation: Impact

• The use of private vehicles intensifies traffic congestion and limits access to services.

Road Safety and Design: Impact

• Poor road design leads to a higher risk of accidents and fatalities.

Significance of Transportation Engineering Specialization

• This specialization addresses transportation challenges.
• Transportation engineering contributes to sustainable systems, urban planning, improved safety, economic growth, and technological adaptation.

Career Opportunities

• Civil Engineer Traffic Modeller (specializing in TrEngg)
• Traffic Engineer
• Transport/Urban Planner
• Highway Engineer
• Project Manager

Required Skills and Knowledge

• Technical knowledge
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Computer skills and modelling tools
• Knowledge of traffic operations and management
• Transport planning and land use
• Safety and road design
• Communication and collaboration
• Project management
• Knowledge in sustainable transportation practices
• Professional ethics and standards
• Continuous learning

Organizations

• Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE)
• Road Engineers Association of the Philippines (REAP)
• National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS)

Software Applications

• PTV
• Synchro 9
• Cube
• Emme 4
• QGIS
• Strada

Transportation Engineering Defined

• This applies scientific principles to planning, design, analysis, operation, and management of transportation systems for moving people and goods safely and efficiently.

Related Disciplines

• There are five branches of Civil Engineering closely related to TrEngg.

Key Modes of Transportation

• Highways
• Roads
• Other vehicular facilities
• Pedestrians

Elements of Highway Engineering

• Railways (safest and fastest)
• Ports, harbors, canals, and other maritime facilities
• Terminals, runways, and navigation aids
• Pipelines, pumping stations, and storage facilities

Transportation and Society

• Transportation leads to direct costs of capital and operations.
• There are indirect costs of environmental effects, congestion, property damage, injuries, and death.

Career Opportunities

• Transportation planning and design
• Transportation construction, operations, and management
• Transportation infrastructure maintenance

Process

• Planning
• Design
• Construction
• Operations
• Maintenance

The Philippine Transport System

• Road, water, air, and rail transport
• It's a key sector in the Philippine economy.
• Water transport is important due to the country's archipelagic nature.

Road Transport in the Philippines

• This handles the majority of passenger and cargo traffic.
• Often unsafe, unhealthy, and uncomfortable.
• Public utility vehicles make up a significant portion of demand and road space.
• PUVs contribute to air pollution.
• They are more likely to be involved in accidents.

Effects of Inefficient Transport

• Economic losses
• Distress and discomfort when commuting

Previous Transport System

• There was no government-led planning.
• Systems were mostly operator-initiated routes.
• Franchises were issued based on Route Measured Capacity (RMC).

Outcome of Previous System

• There was widespread competition among modes, lacking a hierarchy.
• Low capacity vehicles were in high demand areas.
• There was an oversupply of public transport.

Current Transport System

• There is on-street competition.
• Accidents, chaos, and traffic violations are frequent.

Results of Filipino Transport

• There are low incomes and exhausted drivers,
• They are prone to accidents and bad behavior.

Department of Transportation (DOTr)

• This is the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity in the executive branch
• It is on the promotion, development, and regulation of a dependable and coordinated network of transportation.
• This promotes services that are fast, safe, efficient, and reliable.

Functions of DOTr

• Policy formulation
• Infrastructure development
• Industry/services regulation
• International cooperation

Sectoral Agency

• Provides institutional knowledge and specialized expertise.
• DOTr leads, facilitates, or supports security and resilience programs in the all-hazards environment.

Road Transport Agencies

• LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE (LTO) promotes safety and comfort of traveling.
• The LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD (LTFRB) simplifies land transportation.

Maritime Transport Agency

• PHILIPPINE COST GUARD (PCG) enforces laws in Philippine waters and safeguards the environment.

Attached Agencies

• Possess a larger measure of independence from the department.
• OFFICE FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY (OTS) secures transportation, including air, sea, and land.

Civil Aviation Agencies

• CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (CAAP) creates policies.
• MANILA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY (MIAA) and other airport authorities manage airport operations.

Other Transport Agencies

• TOLL REGULATORY BOARD (TRB) regulates toll fees.
• OFFICE OF TRANSPORT COOPERATIVES (OTC) oversees transport cooperatives.
• The PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RAILWAYS (PNR) provides nationwide railway transport.
• The LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (LRTA) oversees construction and operation of LRT.

Maritime Transport Agencies

• PHILIPPINE PORTS AUTHORITY (PPA)
• MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA)
• CEBU PORTS AUTHORITY (CPA)
• PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY (PMMA)

Project Management Office

• The METRO RAIL TRANSIT (MRT) is known as the Blue Line (EDSA MRT) and has 13 stations.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

• Plans infrastructure and designs construction of national roads, bridges, and flood control systems.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)

• The premier socioeconomic planning body.
• NEDA is responsible for review, evaluation, and monitoring of infrastructure projects.

AmBisyon Natin 2040

• It is a collective long-term vision and aspirations of Filipino people.

Other Agencies of PH Transportation

• DILG, DTI, DOF, DBM, DENR, Legislative Branch (Congress and Senate).

Traffic Management

• road/environment
• human/driver
• vehicle (elements)
• traffic engineering tools/devices
• intelligent transportation systems (ITS) (types)

Effective Traffic Regulation

• Regulation is rational and is developed progressively
• Regulation alone are often not enough

Functional Groups of Control Devices

• Regulatory devices enforce requirements for road users.
• Warning devices inform about possible hazards.
• Guiding devices inform about route, destination, and other pertinent information.

International Standard Traffic Signs

• Warning signs
• Priority signs
• Prohibition signs
• Obligatory signs
• Other prescription signs
• Information signs
• Direction signs
• Additional information signs

Road Network

• This is created through several road infrastructures for the mobility of people and goods, the role in urban planning and growing the economy.

Types of Road Projects

• Diversion road
• Bypass road
• Missing link
• New access road

Classification of National Roads

• Primary roads connect major cities.
• Secondary roads connect cities to primary roads.
• Tertiary roads provide local function.
• Some roads are under construction with limited assessment.
• Expressways are controlled-access highways with advanced designs.

Reconnaissance Survey

• Collects details of networks, infrastructure, and facilities.
• It also describes road physical characteristics, regulations, and control devices

Data Collection

• Collect data from the road and bridge information application (RBIA).
• Observation involves field visits and manual observation.

Roadway Condition

• This refers to physical attributes like geometry, number of lanes, and alignment.

Control Condition

• The control condition includes the types and design of control devices and regulations.

Traffic Condition

• This covers the distribution of vehicle types, amount of traffic, and driver characteristics.

Traffic and Transportation Surveys

• This collects and analyses measurable factual data about traffic.
• It provides basis for planning and designing facilities and determining traffic control devices.

Types of Survey

• Manual Classified Volume Count (MCVC) is common but expensive
• Assigning persons to record traffic as it passes
• Vehicles get classified with movement recorded separately

Manual Volume Counts

• Volume Studies: Obtain accurate info about number and movement of vehicles and/or pedestrians within area or selected points in area
• Obtain counts about midblock & intersections using manual counters & tallying for 12,16,24 hours

Types of Volume

• Annual traffic
• Annual travel
• Capacity deficiencies
• Hourly traffic
• Annual average daily traffic (measures present demand)
• Short-term count (estimates max flow rate)

Vehicle Classifications

• Vehicles are classified by type: motortricycle, motorcycle, passenger car, utility, bus, truck, and trailer.

Origin-Destination Survey (OD Survey)

• The OD Surveys obtain traffic flow pattern information within a project area.
• This helps quantify potential divertible traffic expected to use a proposed road project.

OD Survey Process

• Establish trip patterns and determine probable traffic diversion.
• Roadside interviews by locally trained surveyors with random sampling.
• Trip Desire Lines illustrate flows of people or goods on a map.

License Plate Survey (LPS)

• In the License Plate Surveys register license plates as vehicles pass highway stations.

Travel Time and Delay Survey (TTDS)

• TTDS provides info on average speed and time to travel a route.
• It surveys the causes of delay in traffic and the delay survey data are used for future service comparison.

Causes of Delay

• Loading and unloading
• Traffic control systems
• Pedestrian crossing
• Maneuvering vehicles
• Other vehicles blocking
• Road construction/maintenance

Sea Passenger/Cargo Transport Survey

• Determines trips of river vessels.
• To obtain river traffic data, traffic count and OD surveys are conducted at river sections according to vessel classifications.

Vessel Classifications

• Ocean vessels
• Ships and shelf-propelled barge
• Oil tankers
• Tow barge
• Push barge
• Passenger ship
• Non-motorized boat

Traffic Count Survey

• Uses hourly traffic volume by vessel type.

OD Interview Survey

• Random sample for 14 hours.
• Info obtained: trip OD, seating capacity/occupancy for passenger ship, loading capacity/load factor/cargo type for cargo vessel.

Pedestrian Count

• A method to measure pedestrian traffic volume and direction.
• Primary generators indicate trip origin.
• Secondary indicate destination.

Uses of Pedestrian Counts

• Mobility
• safety
• pleasure

Boarding and Alighting Survey

• Passenger and driver interviews at major interchanges, projecting demand forecast and direct survey interviews by mode.

Traffic Data Analysis

• Flow rate (Q) is volume/time
• Speed (S) is length/time
• Density (k) is volume/length
• Q=Sk

AADT - Annual Average Daily Traffic

• = [(∑ V × HEF) × DF] × SF
• Average 24-hour volume over a full year at a highway location.

Hourly Expansion Factor (HEF)

• 24Σn=1 Vn / Vh × t

Daily Factor

• DFd =∑7n=1 Vn / Vd × 7

Seasonal Factor

• SFm=ΣVi/Vmxm

Passenger Car Unit (PCU)

• Also the passenger car equivalent factor (PCEF) is for traffic analysis

Basic Hourly Car Capacity

• Dependent on carriageway width.

Urban Classification

• Municipal jurisdictions must have at least 1000 population per sq.km.
• Population sizes are at least 500 sq.km
• Must not be dominated by farming or fishing

Level of Service (LOS)

• A qualitative measure of traffic stream conditions and road user perceptions.
• VCR < 0.20 - free flowing traffic
  • VCR is increasingly congested for smaller values, until stop and go at = More than 1.00

Diversion Rates

• Normal traffic
  • baseline traffic rate can increase annually
• Diverted traffic
  • can be derived through OD survey
• Generated traffic
  • decreased travel costs
• Induced traffic
  • attributed to economic development
• Traffic zones are manageable chunks for modelling purposes. -Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) -deals with traffic origins and destinations
• OD matrices. The most common way to define traffic demand.

Remaining Traffic

Remaining Traffic = Existing Traffic – Diverted Traffic