Fall Semester 2015

CEE 463/CEE 663 – TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

(Fall 2015)

Instructor: Zong Z. Tian Office: SEM 221

Telephone: 775-784-1232 Email: zongt@unr.edu
Office Hours: By appointment or whenever I am in the office

Time and Day: Tuesdays and Thursdays: 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm Location: SEM 231C

Text (Not required): Roess, R., Prassas, E. and McShane, W., "Traffic Engineering," 4th Edition, 2011,
Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-613573-0

Additional
References 1. Highway Capacity Manual 2010, Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., 2011
(Optional) 2. Trip Generation Manual, 7th Edition, Institute of Transportation Engineers
3. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2009.

Goal: The content of the course is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills for conducting
studies in the area of traffic enginnering operations.

Course Objectives:

 Familiarize the students with the basic principles of traffic engineering operations (a)
 Familiarize the students with the standard traffic engineering software used by traffic engineering
professionals to analyze the operations of traffic facilities, including intersections and arterials (b,c,e)
 Provide the students with the opportunity of working in a team environment for completing an actual
project (d)
 * Provide the students with practical experience of working on a traffic impact study project
 * Provide the students with general knowledge of various traffic engineering topics for more advanced
traffic engineering courses

* Required for graduate students who are enrolled in CEE 663 level.

What You Will Learn:

 Understand the analytical procedures for capacity and level of service calculations at signalized and
unsignalized intersections
 Understand the basic principles of traffic signal timing and coordinating
 Learn at least two popular traffic engineering software, SYNCHRO and TRAFFIX
 Have the knowledge and skills for seeking employment in traffic engineering firms or public transportation
agencies
 * Familiarize microscopic simulation models and their applications in traffic engineering
 * Master the principles and procedures for conducting traffic impact studies

* Required for graduate students who are enrolled in CEE 663 level.

Prerequisite: CEE 362 or instructor permission

Exams, Homeworks and Projects:

There will be two exams, the midterm and final exams. There will be a number of homework assignments, covering
each major topics of the course. You will be working with other members in a team of about 4 students on a traffic
impact study project. The project is designed to provide you with practical experiences and apply the necessary
traffic analysis tools.

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Graduate students who are enrolled in CEE 663 level will have higher requirements and standards in grading the
assignments. Graduate students are required to apply simulation analysis in the final project assignment. In
addition, graduate students will need to complete an additional homework assignment involving signal system
optimization and coordination. Graduate students will also have additional problems to work during the midterm
and final exams.

Course Grading:
Percent Breakdown by Items

Midterm Exam 25% (20%)

Final Exam 25% (30%)
Quizzes 10% (5%)
Homework 15% (15%)
Project 20% (25%)
Attendance 5% (5%)

* Numbers in ( ) are for graduate students who are enrolled at CEE 643 level.

Grade Scale

A 90-100
B 80-90
C 70-80
D 60-70
F <60

Assignment Due Dates:

All homework are due the week after they were assigned at the beginning of class, unless otherwise stated. Late
assignments will be accepted with a penalty as shown below

Days Late Penalty

1 10%
2 50%
>2 No Credit
*Extenuating circumastances will be considered according to university regulations

Make-Up Exams:

Make-up exams will be given according to university regulations regarding excused absences. However, events with
schedules that are within your control do not quality as an excused absence.

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Course Schedule:

Table 1 shows the planned schedule and topic areas for the lectures. Table 2 shows the schedule for the project.

Table 1
Course Schedules – CEE 463/CEE 663: Traffic Engineering

Week Date Topic Reading

1 8/25 Introduction to Traffic Engineering 1
8/27 Topic 2 - Intersection Control and Signal 1,5,8,9
Warrants
2 9/1 Topic 3 - Signal Timing Terminologies (1)
9/3 Topic 3 - Signal Timing Terminologies (2) 18
3 9/8 Topic 4 - Actuated Signal Control and
9/10 Operations
Topic 5 - Analysis of Signalized Intersections (1)
4 9/15 Topic 1 - Traffic Fundamentals (1) 20
9/17 Topic 1 - Traffic Fundamentals (2) 21, Handout
5 9/22 Topic 5 - Analysis of Signalized Intersections (2)
9/24 Topic 5 - Analysis of Signalized Intersections (3)
6 9/29 Topic 5 - Analysis of Signalized Intersections (4)
10/1 Open
7 10/6 Midterm Review
10/8 Midterm Exam
8 10/13 Topic 6 - Traffic Impact Analysis (1) Handout
10/15 Topic 6 - Traffic Impact Analysis (2)
9 10/20 Topic 6 - Traffic Impact Analysis (3)
10/22 Topic 6 - Traffic Impact Analysis (4) Handout
10 10/27 Topic 7 - Unsignalized Intersections – TWSC (1) 23, Handout
10/29 Topic 7 - Unsignalized Intersections – TWSC (2)
11 11/3 Topic 7 - Unsignalized Intersections – AWSC
11/5 Topic 7 - Unsignalized Intersections -
Roundabout
12 11/10 Topic 8 - Signal Timing and Coordination (1) 24, Handout
11/12 Topic 8 - Signal Timing and Coordination (2)
13 11/17 Topic 9 - Traffic Simulation Handout
11/19 Project
14 11/24 Thanksgiving Holiday
11/26
15 12/1 Project
12/3 Project Presentation
16 12/8 Final Review
12/10 Final Exam (5:00~7:00 p.m.)
*Note: The course schedule is subject to change depending on students’ performance

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Table 2
Project Schedule – CEE 463/CEE 643: Traffic Engineering

Week Assignment Deliverable

1 Initial project team formation
2 Finalize project teams Report on team and
members
3 Field data collection: volume, delay, geometry Report describing data
collection results
4 No project related assignments
5 Field data collection: signal timing Report describing data
collection results
6 Conduct signalized intersection analysis Report on LOS for
signalized intersections
7 No project related assignments
8 No project related assignments
9 Analysis of unsignalized intersections
Results of existing operations Class presentation
10
11 Trip generation, distribution, and develop
TRAFFIX model
12
Final analysis with site development
13 Prepare project report and presentation
14 No project related assignments
15 Project presentation and final report due Class presentation
16 Final week
*Note: The course schedule is subject to change depending on students’ performance

If you have a disability for which you will need accommodations, please contact me or Mary Zabel at the Disability
Resource Center (Thompson Student Services – 107), as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate
accommodations.