Traffic Analysis of Srinagar City

The present study in Srinagar city is to ascertain Volume to Capacity (V/C) ratio as Roadway Congestion Index (RCI) for 22 road links and determining their Level of Service (LOS). The results indicate that conventional evaluation practice by V/C are biased that does not take into account the flow of non-motorised vehicles (pedestrians) in determining LOS on the urban roads which accounts for 22% of total number of trips and have no access to footpath in study area. Moreover V/C does not take into account both space and time parameters simultaneously in determining LOS. Without taking speed into consideration while estimating LOS on urban roads turn out to be a “naive approach”. LOS defined in IRC 106:1994 in urban road scenario is faulty in many ways after achieving LOS F in speed flow-curve as it emphasizes that below a vehicle speed of 20 kmph (i.e. 33% FFS in present study) as per speed-volume curve, LOS approaches F irrespective of flow. The unacceptable LOS ranges has been compared with HCM method to give difference in LOS ranges with two methods. The study also found IRC 106:1994 and HCM method is not applicable in urban road scenario in calculating LOS. The study recommended that code needs a revision in speed parameter, pedestrian flow in defining LOS on urban roads.