Lecture 1 - Introduction, Traffic Surveys and Data Flashcards
What is transport engineering?
It is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation and management of facilities for any mode of transport in order to provide safe, efficient, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods.
What is transport planning?
It involves evaluation, assessment and siting of transport facilities.
What is highway engineering?
It involves the design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads, bridges and tunnels to ensure safe and effective transport of people and goods.
Why is transport important?
- Economy activity
- Mobility
- Accessibility
Why is good transport planning required?
It makes good contribution towards sustainable design.
Why is it important to collect data?
- Current conditions, identification of problems, evidence
- Consideration of solutions, changes and alternatives
- Forecasting effects of development and infrastructure
- Assessment of impacts, costs, benefits
What are transport engineers interested in?
- Geographical information systems
- road safety
- travel demand
- traffic behaviour
- monitoring
- Scheme impacts
- Network characteristics
- Transportation Characteristics
What are the issues with collecting data?
- Scheme specific method
- Duration
- Sample sizes and area average
- quantity and quality of data
- quality control
- resources
What are the best times to survey traffic?
- monday to thursday
- months which dont include school holidays or extreme weather conditions
