Peak-Hour: The single hour of the day that has the highest volume.
• This volume is not a constant value from day to day, season to season
The traffic volume within the peak hour is of greatest interest to traffic engineers in design or
operational analysis.
Note: - The peak-hour volume is generally a directional volume that is, a volume in which the directions
of flow are separated.
here are typically two peak hours in a day:
1. Morning Peak Hour: This occurs during the morning rush hour when people are
commuting to work or school. It usually takes place between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
2. Evening Peak Hour: This happens during the evening rush hour when people are
returning home from work or school. It typically occurs between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
Peak hour traffic is influenced by factors such as work schedules, school hours, and
other daily routines that lead to concentrated periods of high demand for
transportation. During these times, roads and public transportation systems may
experience congestion, and travel times can be significantly longer than during nonpeak hours.
City planners, transportation engineers, and policymakers often use peak hour traffic
data to design and manage transportation infrastructure effectively, including roadways,
public transit systems, and traffic signal timings. Understanding and addressing peak
hour traffic is crucial for optimizing the efficiency and safety of transportation systems in
urban areas.
"Directional Distribution" typically addresses the understanding and application of how traffic
volumes are distributed over different directions of a roadway or during different times of the day.
Takeaway: Intimate knowledge of the directional traffic volume and patterns is essential in the
design and planning of highways, particularly when accommodating peak hour demand on multilane rural highways. Traffic counts must be taken into consideration both for current states and for
future projections, ensuring efficient capacity for peak periods without overbuilding, thereby
optimizing safety, flow, and infrastructure investment.