Ελληνικά
  1. Home
  2. Courses
  3. Urban Road Networks

Urban Road Networks

Course Description:

Urban Road Networks is part of 8th semester courses. It is compulsory for the students at the Transportation Planning and Engineering cycle. Lectures include design principles of urban road networks and more specifically of junctions (at grade or not), traffic signals, road signs and parking design and management. The course also includes parking counts by the students. Based on these counts students analyse the parking characteristics and the design of a parking area and optimize the signalization at an individual junction. The course foresees four hours of theory and exercises every week. During the exercises practical examples of applications are developed and in general the overall understanding of the course is assisted. It should be noted that there is no clear distinction between theory and exercises, since the theory relies on exercises and exercises deal with questions about the theory. Students consist of one class.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Knowledge of basic traffic Engineering principles which are taught at the Traffic Flow course (7th Semester) are prerequisite

Course Units

# Title Description Hours
1 Introduction Definitions Urban transport systems Traffic control systems in urban networks Parking and traffic management 1Χ4=4
2 Traffic capacity and signalisation in urban road networks Introduction - signalisation conditions Definitions - basic signalization principles Saturation flow Two-phase signaling: calculation saturation flow Intermediate green time Calculation of critical lane groups Optimization of signalization of an isolated junction Signaling a T-type intersection with pedestrians Coordinated signalization of an artery Network signaling systems Unsigned intersections 5Χ4=20
3 Parking Introduction - Definitions Parking characteristics - Surveys Parking places characteristics Multilevel parking stations - Bus stations Construction - Operation Design and operation of parking stations Characteristics of parking on the road Parking economics 5Χ4=20
4 Road signs Road signs and work-zones Road markings 2Χ4=8

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Learn the main types of signalisation and parking management
  2. Realise the ability to improve traffic flow through traffic control and parking management
  3. Understand the value of design principles for the signalization of a road network and the existence of regulations for the design of parking spaces
  4. Develop signalizing and parking principles
  5. Estimate through design principles basic parking and signalized parameters

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods Lectures Solutions of exercises Parking counts and submission of 3 individual projects
Teaching media Presentations through Power Point slides Microsoft Excel calculations
Computer and software use Students solve simple exercises during the lesson, with the support of the Professor
Assignments (projects, reports) Students create groups of 3 members and carry out parking counts at predefined zones of Athens. Based on these counts, the first two projects concern the analysis of parking characteristics and the design of a parking area. The third project concerns the optimization of signalization at an individual junction. Each student submits the three projects individually and is undertaking an oral exam on all of them.

Student Assessment

  • Final written exam: 70%
  • Assignments (projects, reports): 30%
  • Problems - Applications: Bonus +1 grade

Textbooks - Bibliography

  1. Book "Traffic Engineering", J. Frantzeskakis, J. Golias, Μ. Pitsiava-Latinopoulou. Papasotiriou publications, 2008, Chapter 7 (Road signalisation) will be taught. The book is provided in the 7th Semester.
  2. Book "Parking", J. Frantzeskakis, Μ. Pitsiava-Latiopoulou, D. Tsamboulas, 2002.
  3. Booklet regarding road network signalisation (uploaded document in the respective course in mycourses platform)
  4. Booklet with exercise principles, J. Golias, D. Tsamboulas, E. Vlahogianni
  5. Booklet on parking legislation (uploaded document in the respective course in mycourses platform)

Lecture Time - Place:

  • Tuesday, 12:45 – 14:30,
    Rooms:
    • Αμφ. Σιδ/κής
  • Wednesday, 10:45 – 12:30,
    Rooms:
    • Αμφ. Σιδ/κής