HCS Release 2022

Highway Capacity Software

The reliable software tool that faithfully implements the methodologies from the Highway Capacity Manual.

Overview

The Highway Capacity Software (HCS) is a macroscopic traffic simulation software that can assess a wide range of surface streets and facilities. The macroscopic nature of the analysis provides little and easy-to-manage input and a real-time processing time. This enables HCS to be used as an early screening tool to full operational level analysis software. HCS 2022 uses the 7th edition of Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) as the backend computational engine to offer a highly peered reviewed methodology set as the basis of analysis.

All-in-One Toolset
Analyze almost every surface street

Analysis Scope
Planning, Design, and Operational Level analysis

Cost-Effective
Easy-to-Use and low amount of inputs

HCM 7.0 Ready

The HCS 2022 release incorporates the recently released 7th edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM2022) updates, including:

Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAV)
Can assess the impact of CAVs on surface streets and freeway facilities for planning level applications (e.g., 25 years planning period)

Pedestrian Analysis
Enhanced pedestrian analysis at unsignalized intersections

Two-Lane Highways Analysis
New method with wide application for analysis of two-lane highways

Model Confidently with the
All-in-one Highway Capacity Software

Evaluation of Capacity Impact of CAVs

HCS 2022 can assess the impact of CAVs on freeways and roundabouts. This enables analysts to measure the CAV’s impact for long-range planning level analysis. The only input will be the estimated percent CAVs penetration rate in the future years. This capability is backed by the new HCM methods for assessing CAV’s impact. New Service Volume Tables are also included in HCS 2022 to offer robust assistance to the evaluation of CAVs for future scenarios.

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New Methodology for Two-Lane Highways Analysis

An entirely new methodology to evaluate the Quality of Service on Two-Lane Highways is included in HCS 2022. The new features of the new two-lane highways are facility segmentation, new performance measures, sensitivity to horizontal curvature, effects of passing lanes, and analysis of Super 2 highways.

New and Improved Methods for Pedestrian Analysis

HCS 2022 includes the evaluation of pedestrian crossing safety treatments in Two-Way Stop Controlled (TWSC) intersections and their effects on Pedestrian LOS. It includes, for example: crosswalk markings, median refuges, flashing beacons or school crossing guards.

Technical Overview

New Features in HCS 2022 Release

General Features

Metric Unit Options for all Modules
Quickly switch between USC and Metric System for full compatibility with international projects

New User Interface
New menus, logos and design improvements for an enhanced user experience

Bug Fixes and Improvements
Several improvements based on our users’ feedback and suggestions

Freeways

New Performance Measures
Vehicles-Miles Traveled (VMT) and Vehicle-Hours of Delay (VHD) are now available in the formatted report for freeway analyses

Improved Facility Heatmaps
Enhanced reporting features to quickly visualize performance measures across time and space on freeway facilities

Managed Lanes – Cross-weaving analysis
New analysis feature: evaluate effects of cross-weaving flows between ramps and managed lane access points

Streets

Updated CSV import/export
Easily import and export CSV data files to facilitate modeling larger corridors

New Performance Measures
Vehicles-Miles Traveled (VMT) now available for freeway facilities and urban arterials. Emissions and crash prediction model for urban streets, sensitive to signal operations.

Enhanced import from other software
New Synchro-to-Streets file converter available

Roundabouts

Improved roundabout sketch
Accurate representation of bypass lanes included

Highway Safety Software

Improved user interface guidance for Freeway Ramp and ramp terminal analyses
Visual representation of required inputs included for a more intuitive input process