Traffic Studies

The UDOT Traffic & Safety Division manages UDOT’s Traffic Studies Program. Through this program, UDOT Regions are able to request various types of traffic studies including signal warrant, left-turn, pedestrian, speed, speed management, ball-bank, corridor, and traffic count studies. Studies are requested by UDOT Region traffic staff and a traffic study report is completed and returned within 1 - 2 weeks. All UDOT traffic studies are managed and tracked using Workflow Manager. Using this online tool, studies can be easily requested, searched, recorded, and referenced.

Process

Traffic studies are completed by a pool of consultants that are pre-qualified to complete these types of studies. When a UDOT Region submits a traffic study request, the pool of consultants each submit a date by which the study will be completed. The consultant with the earliest completion date is awarded the right to complete the study. In this way traffic studies are completed quickly and cost-effectively. Each study undergoes an independent third party consultant review to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Reports

Each traffic study report includes the essential analysis and findings that are specific to the study type. For example, a traffic signal warrant study will evaluate the signal warrants included in the Utah Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (UMUTCD). Each of these studies also includes a crash history summary, with an emphasis on specific crash types (ex. crashes that could be mitigated by a signal). The crash history often influences decisions on whether to try and further reduce crashes at the study location. Information provided in the reports allow Region staff the ability to quickly understand whether a new signal is warranted, if left-turn phasing or dual left-turn lanes are needed, if the speed limit is appropriate, and whether there is a pattern of crashes, etc.

For those with access, additional information is provided in the UDOT Traffic Study Program Guidance Documents.