EVALUATION OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES UNDERTAKEN AT SELECTED SIGNALISED INTERSECTIONS - A CASE STUDY.

Traffic signals have come to be recognised as an inevitable part of the traffic management system in urban areas. As the volume of road traffic increases, more and more traffic signals are installed, particularly at road intersections. But, unfortunately, no systematic collection of traffic data is attempted and this has resulted in lack of adequate information on the traffic volume and composition and their correlation to the traffic and land use pattern at different locations in these urban areas. Signal design for individual intersections are usually made, based only on a study of the pattern of traffic movement at that location for a few hours on a chosen day. Invariably, the design of a particular intersection does not take into account the traffic environment in the area, which has a vital bearing in the generation and distribution, of traffic. The result is that most of the signals become obsolete within a short time, resulting in increased delay and consequent economic loss to the community.