CAPACITY ANALYSIS AT URBAN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS UNDER MIXED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS: A CASE STUDY IN WARANGAL CITY

The performance of the road network depends on the capacity of the intersection in the area. Estimation of capacity becomes difficult under mixed traffic conditions where different types of vehicles share common space without following priority rule. Yield- controlled and stop sign-controlled intersections operate similarly to uncontrolled intersections in India due to lack of respect for priority rules and lane discipline. The current study estimated capacity using critical gaps based on the HCM methodology and examined the relationship between occupancy time and capacity. Aiming to develop a model to estimate capacity directly from occupancy time. Five three-legged uncontrolled intersections were selected and data were acquired through a video camera. The occupation time and gap data were extracted manually and the effect of various geometric and traffic parameters like median width, conflicting flow, proportion of heavy vehicles in the conflicting flow, and pedestrian flow on extracted occupation time using correlation and regression analysis was studied. The results of the study stated that with a 5% increase in conflicting flow occupation time was increased by 0.2 sec and with a 1% increase in heavy vehicles in conflicting flow, occupation time increased by 0.35 sec, and for a 5% increase in pedestrian volume the occupation time of minor approach is increased by 0.13 sec. Two-wheelers and Three-wheeler vehicles had the least critical gap and the highest was observed for heavy vehicles. Capacity was found to decrease with an increase in occupation time. A linear regression model was developed to estimate capacity using occupation time. This paper can provide a better understanding of the occupation time and its effect on movement capacity.