What is the peak hour factor based on recorded traffic counts of 300, 400, 500, and 300 vehicles?

To calculate the peak hour factor (PHF), the formula used involves determining the ratio of the number of vehicles counted during the peak 15-minute period to the average volume over the entire peak hour. The formula is:

PHF = (Total Volume in Peak Hour) / (4 * Maximum 15-minute Count)

In this case, the recorded traffic counts are 300, 400, 500, and 300 vehicles. The peak hour volume would be the sum of these counts:

Total Volume = 300 + 400 + 500 + 300 = 1500 vehicles.

Next, the maximum 15-minute count is identified from the recorded data, which in this case is 500 vehicles.

Now, we can substitute these values into the PHF formula:

PHF = 1500 / (4 * 500) = 1500 / 2000 = 0.75.

The correct value of 0.75 reflects that during peak periods, traffic can vary, and this factor helps in understanding the concentration of traffic in short time frames relative to the overall peak hour. It is a valuable representation of the traffic flow efficiency during peak periods, indicating how well the flow aligns with the peak hour volume. Such