In: Civil Engineering
[HCM for Basic Freeway Segments] A six-lane freeway (three lanes in each direction) operates at the maximum service flow rate (MSF) of LOS D conditions during the peak hour with an observed demand volume of 3500 veh/h (one direction). The free flow speed (FFS) of the freeway is estimated to be 65 mi/h. The freeway is on rolling terrain and the traffic stream consists of passenger cars and buses only. The PHF is 0.85 and the traffic is all commuters. If a new busway was open next to this freeway and all buses were removed from the freeway, the new demand volume is 2354.55 (veh/h) for this freeway segment. Assume that car traffic remains the same.
What would be the LOS under the new demand volume? Note that this new demand volume now consists of passenger cars only as the buses were removed from this traffic stream. Assume that the freeway operates under ideal conditions (no incidents, work zones, or weather events).