Abstract
Free-flow speed is a parameter that is being used extensively for capacity and level-of- service analysis of various types of highway facilities. As part of an ongoing effort to revise Taiwan Area Highway Capacity Manual, this study collects and analyzes free-flow speed data at the midpoints of seventy-six multilane rural and suburban highway segments in Taiwan. The objectives of this study are to develop models for estimating average free-low speed and for identifying the distribution of individual free-flow speeds. The most important variables that govern free-flow speed are vehicle type, speed limit, and the spacing between signalized intersections. The resulting models facilitate both manual analysis and computer simulation of rural and suburban highways.
