ASSESSMENT OF AL-FARIS AL-ARABEE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IN BAGHDAD PROVINCE USING COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Traffic congestion is a major problem around the world including the capital Baghdad, because of there is a wide range of vital centers (commercial, governmental, educational) in Alkarkh side of Baghdad city. The aim of the current study includes analyzing, evaluating and improving the operation for Al-Faris Al-Arabee intersection in the area of the study. The main results of the analysis denoted that Al-Faris Al-Arabee intersection operates under F level of service, where the average control delay during the morning and evening peak hours were 393.3 and 626.0 sec/veh, respectively. The through movements of Damascus Street (Major Direction) are the heaviest volumes of traffic in Al-Faris Al-Arabee intersection. Due to the abovementioned reasons, there is an importance for enhancing the efficiency of Al-Faris Al-Arabee intersection via using flyover to serve the through movements in Damascus Street and the construction of an underpass at Al-Mansour street will result in releasing traffic volume in Al-Faris Al-Arabee intersection about 50 %. Post adopting the suggested geometrical design, it is going to operate at LOS B and LOS D in the design year (2039). The suggested road-way (i.e. underpass) needed a number of lanes which equals 3 lanes while number of lanes of the flyover equals two lanes for every side of the main approach of the intersection