International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 05 Issue: 11 | Nov 2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 © 2018, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 7.211 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 1471 STUDY OF EXISTING HIGHWAYS AND THEIR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS Amanpreet Kaur 1 , Er. Neeraj Kumar 2 1 M.Tech Scholar, Civil Engineering Department, SRMIET, Bhurewala, Ambala 2 Head Civil Engineering Department, SRMIET, Bhurewala, Ambala ----------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract - In India, condition of traffic due to various kind of vehicles maneuvering with different lane behavior and driver behavior resulting in supremely heterogeneous nature due to their static and dynamic features. Currently the traffic on the road rises rapidly and traffic volume overdoes normal limit. Study of several features of highway traffic is essentially required for preparation, design and maneuver of roadway facilities. For the improved vehicular road traffic it needs better roadway structure with greater capacity. An intension of this work is to analyze capacity for urban roads in heterogeneous condition. For the capacity estimation it is relatively tough to estimate traffic volume on the road. The problem of measuring flow may addressed by using Dynamic PCU values. Road traffic in India is termed to be highly heterogeneous which comprises of different types of vehicles like buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws, bikes, scooters, cycles etc. comprising of wide range of static and dynamic characteristics. Due to the high variations in its dimensions at its physical levels and speeds, it is tedious to make these vehicles to follow traffic lanes and the vehicles generally occupy any convenient lateral position on the road depending on the road space that is available for a given instance of time. Hence, expressing traffic volume as number of vehicles for a specified section of road or traffic lanes per unit time those are available terms to be inappropriate for vehicles related to different types with its static and dynamic characteristics comprising in traffic, which generally varies for large extent. Capacity of roads plays a vital role in assuming better network characteristics and in providing good performance of roads. Capacity values play an important role for further modifications of roads. Various geometric measures like carriage way width, sidewalks, service roads, verge, medians, and road reserve and traffic patterns related to different roads. Passenger car equivalent (PCE) and Passenger car Unit (PCU) are typically used for road capacity analysis with heterogeneous traffic conditions. Capacity analysis is fundamental to the planning, design and operation of roads, and provides, among other things, the basis for determining the carriageway width to be provided at any point on a road network with respect to the volume and composition of traffic. Due to this circumstance, will occur problem such as accident, traffic speed reduction etc. The population of Haryana is growing day by day. The intensity of the traffic and pedestrians crossing has increased significantly and there is no increase in the road width. For a variety of reasons such as increase population, industrial, commercial and auto ownership growth, increasing traffic demand can exceed the carrying capacity of the road. Key Words: Road, National Highway, Highway Capacity, Passenger Car Unit (PCU), Road traffic, Traffic volume, Heterogeneous. 1. INTRODUCTION Highway capacity is the maximum hourly rate at which persons or vehicles can be reasonably expected to traverse a point or a uniform segment of a lane or roadway during a given time period under prevailing roadway, traffic and control conditions. For the effective and quick vehicular traffic service it needs better highway infrastructure with greater capacity. Highway circumstances comprise of geometric parameters such as lane width of road, shoulder condition and width, pavement condition, horizontal and vertical geometric condition. For the capacity estimation it is relatively tough to estimate traffic volume on the road. Estimation of road capacity generally depends on other major factor corresponding to traffic volumes termed with Passenger Car Units (PCU), which directly effects the capacity estimations. Two-lane roads represent the majority of the highway system in India. The analysis of traffic performance on two- lane roads is critical for their planning, design, maintenance, rehabilitation and operation. Performance evaluation is typically carried out with the capacity analysis for various highway facilities. The National Highway No. 72 passes through Ambala - Nahan - Paonta Sahib - Dehradun – Haridwarwhich is one of the most important National Highway of India. The present study is conducted on the selected stretch of NH-72 between Ambala City and Naraingarh which is an undivided 2-lane highway of 45Kms in length. At the location of 2 major bridges, the road has been widened to 4 lane divided carriageway but the rest of the highway is 2-Lane undivided road with paved shoulders and faces the problems like mixed traffic, traffic congestion, speed reduction, road condition and chances of accidents due to insufficient road widths & absence of traffic control devices/road safety & road side furniture at the desired locations. For the study purpose, the road inventory data and traffic volume survey has been carried out. The maximum Passenger Car Unit/day of three days traffic volume survey is approximately 25000. As per IRC: 64-1990 “Guideline for