Analysis Of Road Traffic Flow on The Capitol-Lazatin Junction And Providing Appropriate Traffic Control Measures Using Deterministic Simulation Modelling

Abstract

Traffic congestion is generally a major problem in big and growing cities around the world. Pampanga, a developing province in the Philippines, has been struggling to keep its roads and highways free from congested traffic such as at the Capitol-Lazatin Junction located in the capital city of Pampanga, the City of San Fernando. This study aims to assess the road traffic flow on the Capitol-Lazatin Junction and provide appropriate traffic control measures in order to alleviate the traffic problem at the study area using a deterministic simulation modelling. Manual counting method was carried out in collecting primary data through closed-circuit television (CCTV) to execute traffic assessment of the intersection. All the collected data were then utilized using Synchro 8 to determine the intersection delay and level of service in accordance with the Highway Capacity Manual 2010.  The generated result for level of service came up as F or “Failure” on all the approaches, and the intersection itself. As such, it was deemed that the existing operating condition causes lengthy delays to motorists passing through it. Consequently, four proposed scenarios were tested to determine the appropriate solution to this problem. Repeated test track trials were carried out in controlled settings and adequate data for determining the appropriate traffic countermeasure was produced with the aid of Synchro 8. The results indicate that the Scenario 4 yields the optimum performance of the intersection in terms of level of service and intersection delay. However, it was revealed during the traffic survey that the heavy vehicles passing through the junction was only 1% in majority of the approaches. With that preface, Scenario 3 was deemed as the appropriate countermeasure as it befits the given condition of the study area. Also, to test the sustainability of the proposed solution, traffic projection was conducted. It was revealed that there is only 8.4 seconds deviation between the performance of this control type at the present condition and the potential future condition. This ascertained that making the intersection into a signalized junction with a fully-actuated control system is both efficient and sustainable.