APPENDIX A: SYNCHRO BACKGROUND

SYNCHRO MODELLING SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION

The traffic analysis was completed using Synchro and SimTraffic traffic modelling software. Results were measured in delay, level of service (LOS), 95th percentile queue length and volume to capacity ratio. Synchro is based on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology. SimTraffic integrates established driver behaviours and characteristics to simulate actual conditions by randomly “seeding” or positioning vehicles travelling throughout the network. The simulation is run ten times (ten different random seedings of vehicle types, behaviours and arrivals) to obtain statistical significance of the results.

Levels of Service

Traffic operations are typically described in terms of levels of service, which rates the amount of delay per vehicle for each movement and the entire intersection. Levels of service range from LOS A (representing best operations) to LOS E/F (LOS E being poor operations and LOS F being unpredictable/disruptive operations). LOS E/F are generally unacceptable levels of service under normal everyday conditions. A LOS C or better is considered acceptable operations, while D is considered to be on the threshold between acceptable and unacceptable operations. Highway operations will typically need to operate at LOS C or better for through movements and LOS E or better for other traffic movements with lower order roads.

The hierarchy of criteria for grading an intersection or movement not only includes delay times, but also takes into account traffic control type (stop signs or traffic signal). For example, if a vehicle is delayed for 19 seconds at an unsignalized intersection, it is considered to have an average operation, and would therefore be graded as an LOS C. However, at a signalized intersection, a 19 second delay would be considered a good operation and therefore it would be given an LOS B. The table below indicates the range of delay for LOS for signalized and unsignalized intersections.

Table A1: LOS Criteria, by Intersection Traffic Control