Study on Effect of Mixed Traffic in Highways

Heterogeneous traffic composed of both motorized and non-motorized vehicles are a common feature of Indian roads. In India there are no separate lane of non-motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles, therefore the theoretical models fail to analyze the situation completely. This research mainly analyzes the impact of non-motorized vehicles on overall performance of traffic parameters. The use of non-motorized transportation such as cycling and walking is not only to reduce carbon but also healthy lifestyle and a physical activity. Non-Motorized Transportation includes all forms of travel that do not rely on an engine or motor for movement. This includes walking and bicycle, and using small-wheeled transport and wheelchair. These modes of transport can provide both recreation and transportation. For example, some people will choose to walk or bicycle rather than drive because they enjoy the activity. The importance of non-motorized transport can be summarized as In traffic engineering, speed is considered to be crucial part as it is directly or indirectly related with the geometric speed, traffic operations, congestion and capacity. If traffic is heterogeneous or mixed traffic, speed is affected as there is dependence of the variation and proportion of non-motorized vehicles like cycles, tricycles, cycle rickshaws, bullock carts and hand driven carts. ‘Non-Motorized Vehicles’ is refereed to different types of pedal powered vehicles used on the road. In developing countries like India, we generally can find heterogeneous or mixed traffic i.e. a traffic flow constituting of different types of vehicles like cart, cycle, rickshaw, car, bus etc. In Indian cities the share of non-motorized traffic at peak hours is almost more than 50 per cent. This share is even higher in medium-sized and small-sized cities. Different cities have different patterns of NMT use. Every public transport mode of transport involves access trips by NMT at each end. The flow of mixed or heterogeneous traffic is quite complicated. This mixed flow of vehicles leads to many problems like conflicts at intersections when number of non-motorized vehicle increases, when number of non-motorized vehicles increases it affects the speed and flow of other vehicles. It significantly lowers or reduces the capacity also leads to various safety problems.