Estimating Intersection Approach Delay Using 1985 and 1994 Highway Capacity Manual Procedures

The current methods for determining average stopped delay at signalized intersections were studied. Field measurements of average stopped delay were obtained and compared with values computed using both the 1985 and 1994 editions of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). The 1994 HCM uses an equation to predict the progression adjustment factor (PF), a new technique for determining the left-turn adjustment factor for saturation flow rates, and a new set of equations for determining the uniform delay parameter for left-turn lane groups with primary and secondary phasing. Overall, the 1994 HCM produces better estimates of intersection stopped delay than the 1985 HCM.