4.5.10 Freeways: Percent Breakdowns

Percent breakdowns is expressed as a percentage. Per FHWA’s Traffic Analysis Toolbox Volume VI, breakdown is defined as “a density of vehicles per lane greater than the density at capacity flow rate.” Percent breakdown can be computed both geographically, as a percent of directional freeway miles, and temporally, as a percent of analysis period. A higher percent breakdown indicates more congested freeway operations.