09-12-2018 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Jessica Jagoe, Associate Planner September 4, 2018 Page 18 Existing Intersection Operations Traffic operations are evaluated at intersection locations during the AM and PM peak hours, because: 1. Intersections are pinch points where otherwise freely flowing traffic must stop to allow opposing traffic to flow and 2. The peak periods are the two times during the day where the highest concentrations of traffic use the street system. Thus, intersections are the locations and the peak periods are the times where congestion is most likely to occur and provide analysts an opportunity to review and evaluate the worst case conditions. Intersection operations are evaluated based on the average time vehicles are delayed while waiting for a traffic signal to turn green and permit movements across the intersection to occur. Intersection Level of Service (LOS) is rated A through F. LOS A indicates the best traffic operation, with vehicles experiencing minimal delays. LOS F indicates an intersection where average vehicle delay is unacceptably high, where demand exceeds capacity, and where there is a breakdown in the flow of traffic. The LOS D/E boundary for overall operations is often used as the indicator of congestion in an urban area. The chart below describes intersection LOS and the corresponding average vehicle delay (in seconds).