Getting Started

Printable Overview, Introduction, and Getting Started

As we begin this case study, we will consider several issues, including the scope of the analysis that we will undertake, the stakeholders and the issues that are important to them, the goal of the case study, the performance measures that we will use to support this decision-making process, the analyses that we will perform to generate our performance measures, the tools that we will use, the data that is required, and some of the technical issues with respect to the Highway Capacity Manual that are included in each problem. Click here to see what kinds of problems will be considered as part of this case study.

Scope of the Analysis
Our major focus is the intersection of U.S. 95 with Styner Avenue and Lauder Avenue. But we will see as our discussion proceeds that it is important to consider not just this intersection but some of the surrounding highway system as well. For now, we'll define the segment of most interest to us as the U.S. 95 corridor from State Highway 8 on the north to Palouse River Drive on the south.

We will also consider travel patterns that normally occur during a typical weekday, while the University of Idaho is in session. Traffic volumes vary throughout this typical weekday, with peak periods occurring during the morning and afternoon, with a secondary peak during the midday. There are also mini-peak periods during class change times, but these variations are not significant enough to consider for our analysis here. We'll see later in the analysis, however, that there are other time periods, such as during special university events, that traffic volumes increase significantly and have a bearing on the results that we need to consider.

While many people are concerned about the operation of the intersection today, it is also important to consider how the intersection is likely to operate in the future. The investment in signal controllers and related equipment is sizable, and its feasibility must be justified by looking at both conditions present today and those likely to exist in the future. For this reason, we will also consider future traffic volume projections for the U.S. 95 corridor.