Category: Transportation engineering

The category talks about the various topics on transportation engineering. Traffic sign v/s signal- There is often a misconception that traffic signals and signs are the same. But the truth is that both are traffic control devices, but different. Traffic signs are placards provided to guide you in the journey whereas signals are placed only at the main intersections to manage the traffic. For example, imagine a junction where heavy traffic is found usually in the north-south direction. If there is no much traffic in the east-west direction, traffic signals are not required at the junction. Yeah, simple logic. Growing traffic density and insufficient expansion of available road space have resulted in congestion and related delays during peak hours in urban roads around the world. It results in increased travel time, which reduces the performance of the transport network. This problem is more serious in urban roads with frequent intersections, which are the main points of conflict for traffic movements. Traffic signals at the main intersections can curb the situation. The design of signals will be such that it shows a green light where there are less traffic and red where there is more traffic. It also considers the pedestrians who may cross the road in between and allots minimum of 10 to 15 seconds for that. Another interesting fact it considers is that the overall waiting time should not exceed 120 seconds at normal situations, which is the average tolerance level of humans.