PHOTO: ZAHOOR AHMAD/EXPRESS
In fair category, the degree of saturation does not exceed 90% and the road has bumper-to-bumper traffic on it. Majority of them have fallen into the failure category where traffic congestion exceeded 100%.
A main artery Mall Road has a degree of saturation of over 150% and a few roads like Allama Iqbal Road cross even 220% degree of saturation. It implies that traffic congestion on the roads is beyond its capacity.
The roads are divided into six categories for their level of service descriptions ie excellent (A), very good (B), good (C), fair (D), poor (E) and failure (F).
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In an excellent category, no vehicle waited longer than one red light and no approach phase was fully utilised. Moreover, the delay does not exceed 10 seconds.
In very good category, drivers begin to feel somewhat restricted within groups of vehicles and the delays are longer than 10 seconds and less than 15 seconds. In a good category, the drivers occasionally have to wait through more than one red light and back-ups may develop behind turning vehicles. The delays cross 15 seconds but do not exceed 25 seconds.
In the fair category, delays might be substantial during portions of the rush hours but enough lower volume periods occur to permit clearing of developing lines, preventing excessive back-ups. In the category, the delays are longer than 25 seconds but do not exceed 35 seconds.
In the poor category, there are long queues of waiting vehicles and there are several signal cycles. Besides, the delays are at least 35 seconds but do not exceed 50 seconds.
In Failure, tremendous delays with continuously increasing queue lengths are formed as back-ups from nearby locations or on cross streets restricted or prevented movement of vehicles out of intersection approaches. The delays in the category exceeded 50 seconds.
The Punjab Safe City Authority Lahore (PSCA) using its latest technology has conducted at least 10 intersections including Davis Road, Governor House, Avari Hotel, Regal Chowk, GPO, Bashir Sons, Tollinton Market, PMG Chowk and Garhi Shahu on Allama Iqbal Road.
Out of these 10 intersections, only one- Governor House fell into good C category as the average delay was 29 seconds and degree of congestion was 90%.
Davis Road intersection on Mall Road fell into Fair Category (D) as there were 49 second delays and the traffic congestion was 88%. Avari Hotel intersection also fell into Fair (D) category as there was 36 seconds delay and 100 % degree of saturation.
Regal Chowk intersection on Mall Road fell into Failure (F) category as there were 535 second delays and 150% degree of saturation.
Highcourt Chowk intersection on Mall Road also fell into Failure (F) category as there was 431 seconds delay and 150% degree of saturation. The GPO Chowk intersection on Mall Road also fell into Failure (F) category as there were 267 seconds delays with 120% degree of saturation.
Bashir Sons intersection on Mall Road also fell in F category as there were 192 delays and 120% of traffic congestion. Tollinton Market (Anarkali Chowk) intersection on Mall Road also fell into the Failure (F) category as there were 88seconds delays and 102% degree of saturation.
PMG Chowk fell into Fair (D) category as there were 35 seconds delays and 85% degree of saturation.
The tenth intersection, Garhi Shahu on Allama Iqbal Road, also fell into the Failure (F) category as there were 647 seconds delays and 220% degree of saturations.
‘Poor road engineering behind traffic congestion, accidents’
The authority has pointed out that existing infrastructure could accommodate the traffic of the near future. However, there was a need for long term policy changing decisions such as the limitation on private vehicle ownership and improved public transport. It has also recommended considering two-wheeler impact to avoid traffic congestion and delays at intersection.
It has also warned otherwise land acquisition and other major infrastructural changes will turn out to be the only solution.
A senior traffic officer told The Express Tribune that only poor enforcement, the job of City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL), is usually considered to be the reason behind the congestion. However, the survey quelled the notion that however the effective the enforcement becomes, traffic flow could not be attained at such an over-saturated level of traffic on the roads.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2020.
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