Sub-problem 5b: Future Analysis of 10-Mile Segment of U.S. 95 With Direct Recognition of the Hamlet

How can the estimated performance characteristics of the section of U.S. 95 that is within the hamlet be incorporated into an overall assessment of the 10-mile segment? As described on the previous page, we will use two different HCM procedures to assess the entire section of U.S. 95.  We’re going to use the two-lane rural highway methodology to analyze the 4.5-mile segments north and south of the hamlet. We’re going to see what the delays are to the main street through vehicles for the section of U.S. 95 that passes through the hamlet, add those delays together, and compute an overall travel time through the hamlet. We’re then going to combine this time with the times we get for the 4.5-mile highway segments north and south of the hamlet. From the combined travel time we can compute an average travel speed.

For a two-lane highway analysis, level of service is based on the percent time spent following (PTSF) other vehicles. Because our proposed methodology is inconsistent with the procedures outlined in Chapter 20 of the HCM, we won't be able to calculate an overall PTSF for the 10-mile section of U.S. 95. This means we won't be able to translate our analysis into an overall LOS estimate for the entire section of U.S. 95. Also, as we noted earlier, this section of U.S. 95 does not function as a two-lane highway. Even so, the capacity of the hamlet section of U.S. 95 should be consistent with the estimates provided in Chapters 17 and 20 of the HCM (i.e., about 1,700 vehicles per hour for a single direction or 3,200 vehicles per hour for both directions). Therefore, a v/c ratio may be reasonably estimated for each section.