1. F is for fantastic
New Directions in Transportation LOS
Jim Charlier Charlier Associates, Inc.

2. This Morning
Jim Charlier, Charlier Associates
Introduction to LOS
Ronald Milam, Fehr & Peers
State of the Practice
Mark Jackson, City of Fort Collins
Implementation Experience
Discussion, Q & A

3. Introduction: The Issue
What is LOS?
Why do we do things this way?
How is it working?

4. What is LOS?
Road supply performance measure
Measurement:
Volume / capacity (V/C)
Average delay
Current and forecast

5. Traditional Definition
A= Free flow
B=Reasonably free flow
C=Stable flow
D=Approaching unstable flow
E=Unstable flow
F=Forced or breakdown flow

7. Measured For:
Links (segments of roads)
Intersections
Averaged along corridors
Average across a cordon line
Averaged in districts

8. (Traffic) LOS Used For:
Sizing of Roads & Streets
Corridor studies
Roadway design
Right of way
Traffic Impact Studies
Entitlement of development
Sub –area planning
Growth Management Systems
Concurrency/adequate public facilities

9. Introduction: The Issue
What is LOS?
Why do we do things this way?
How is it working?

10. From no roads…

17. Major Phases in 1893 New
U.S. History
Frontier Millennium
Closes
Expansion
Exploration, Initial Settlement of Cities & ???
Suburbs
300
millions
200
100
population
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

18. Our Learned Approach
Build it quick, build it cheap
Faster, straighter, wider = better
Don’t worry about land uses
Just get ‘er done
Role of LOS
How big should the “pipes” be?
What has the highest priority?

19. Supply Side Focus

20. “Oops”

21. Introduction: The Issue
What is LOS?
Why do we do things this way?
How is it working?

22. Not Very Well
Congestion alleviation = sprawl
We need networks, not corridors
Streets are more than “facilities”
Streets should be multimodal

23. Have you ever noticed...?
Predict Growth
Forecast Traffic
Widen Streets

24. Induced Traffic

25. Types of Induced Traffic
Changes in travel route ………………… Immediate
Changes in mode of travel ……………. < 6 months
Changes in time of travel ……………. < 6 months
Changes in amount of travel ..…….. < 6 months
Changes in origins & destinations…… < 10 years

26. % of new capacity consumed
by induced traffic…
100% Long Term:
five to 10 years
80%
60% Short Term:
less than five years
40%
20%

27. Are we responding to traffic growth…
…or are we causing it?
“Project & Provide”

28. Effects of “Project & Provide”
High rates of driving
High risk of accidents
Lower rates of walking
High of air pollution, esp. ozone
High levels of GHG emissions
No reduction in congestion delay

29. Road Building Has Not Reduced
Delay

30. What we’ve learned about
“congestion alleviation”
1. Congestion Alleviation = Sprawl
2. Sprawl = More Traffic
3. Traffic Forecasting ≠ Planning

31. Not Very Well
Congestion alleviation = sprawl
We need networks, not corridors
Streets are more than “facilities”
Streets should be multimodal

32. Networks not Corridors

33. Poor Connectivity
Means:
“You can’t get there
from here . . .”
(without driving on an
arterial)

34. Lakewood, CO

36. Aurora

37. Focusing on Corridors
Redmond, WA

38. Facility-Centered
Approach
Redmond, WA

39. Not Very Well
Congestion alleviation = sprawl
We need networks, not corridors
Streets are more than “facilities”
Streets should be multimodal

40. St. Louis Region

41. Newbury, Boston

42. Neighborhood
Abutting Abutting
Property Property
Street

43. Neighborhood
Street Abutting Property

46. Lakewood, CO

47. Boulder

48. Portland

49. You can’t design a street like this…
Oahu

50. …and expect this to result.
Boulder

51. Anywhere, USA

52. Berkeley, CA

53. Not Very Well
Congestion alleviation = sprawl
We need networks, not corridors
Streets are more than “facilities”
Streets should be multimodal

54. Multimodal Streets?

55. Multimodal Streets

56. This Morning
Jim Charlier, Charlier Associates
Introduction to LOS
Ronald Milam, Fehr & Peers
State of the Practice
Mark Jackson, City of Fort Collins
Implementation Experience
Discussion, Q & A