An Assessment of the Performance of Traffic Control Signals Installed at a Main Junction in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

The traffic at one of the major isolated signalised junctions in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria was evaluated. Traffic counts were undertaken from 7am to 7pm on the approaches to the junction over a period of one week. Peak periods of traffic appeared to be 7am-10am and 3pm-6pm respectively. The maximum flow rate for the traffic streams was calculated from the geometric characteristics of the junction and the direction of the streams. Owing to non-marking of the lanes, the degree of saturation on each approach to the junction was calculated from the aggregation of such for the traffic streams. The results show that one of the approaches to the junction was mainly congested throughout the day, and therefore the existing traffic control signals were ineffective for the traffic at the approach.

Keywords: traffic control signals, saturation, congestion, traffic stream, demand, capacity