Travel Time and Delay Studies
Travel time is one method to measure the congestion in the transportation system. It is essential for proper evaluation of the system because time is one of the most compelling and accurate yardsticks of the efficiency of street and highway service. Travel time is defined as the total time for a vehicle to complete a designated trip over a section of the road or from a specific origin to a specific destination. The studies conducted by NIRCC use the “average speed” method to obtain the travel time and delay data.
The following lists some of the uses that travel time data provide.
- Identification of problem locations on facilities by virtue of high travel times and delay.
- Measurement of arterial level of service.
- Input into transportation planning models.
- Evaluations of route improvements.
- Input to economic analysis of transportation alternatives.
