The levels and thresholds in the procedural guide are all linked to the "peak hour": 100 trips, 500 trips and 2,500 trips. So identifying the peak hour accurately is not a technical detail; it sets your study's level, scope and cost. A wrong peak estimate may mean a study at a lower level than required, which is rejected, or a higher level, so you pay more than needed. This guide explains what the guide says about the peak, the difference between the network peak and the project peak, practical examples by project type, and how the peak is established.
What the Guide Says
The project's impact on the road network is analysed in the morning and evening peak periods, and peak hours are set from the automatic count results on the surrounding streets, taking into account weekend peak hours for commercial and entertainment sites. Manual counts are carried out in the morning, evening and afternoon peaks.
Network Peak and Project Peak
- Network peak: the hour when traffic on the surrounding roads is at its highest.
- Project peak: the hour when the project generates the most trips.
In a residential project they may coincide in the morning, but in a mall or restaurant the project peak may be in the evening or at the weekend. Good analysis tests both cases, because the worst situation may be when the project peak overlaps the network peak.
Practical Examples
| Project type | Usually expected peak |
|---|---|
| Residential and office | Morning and evening on working days |
| Schools | Start and end of the school day |
| Commercial and malls | Evening and weekend |
| Entertainment | Evening, weekend and events |
| Restaurants and drive-throughs | Meal times and evening |
| Warehouses and factories | Shift changes and shipping times |
For schools specifically: Road safety around schools, and for drive-throughs: Drive-through and fuel station design.
How Does the Peak Affect the Study Level?
The trips generated in the peak hour are what is compared with the level thresholds in the guide. So calculating generated trips with the approved methodology and identifying the right peak are the first step before any quotation. Read: When do you need a traffic study? and Traffic data collection methods.
Common Mistakes
- Relying on the morning peak only for a commercial project.
- Omitting the weekend peak for entertainment sites.
- Setting the peak by estimate without automatic count results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is only the morning peak used?
No; the guide analyses morning and evening, and adds the weekend peak for commercial and entertainment sites.
How is the peak established?
From the automatic count results on the surrounding streets. Read: Traffic counts.
Does the peak change in Ramadan?
Yes, which is why counts during Ramadan are not used to set the normal peak.
Does a mixed-use project have one peak?
Trips are calculated for each use, and the overlap between them is analysed across periods.
Does the peak affect parking design?
Yes; the operational capacity of parking and access points is tested at the peak. Read: Parking requirements by activity.
How Abak Engineering Consultancy Helps
Abak is an accredited engineering office that calculates your project's generated trips and identifies its peak accurately from count results, setting the right study level from the start and preparing the study through to approval. See our traffic impact study service, or contact us.
Regulatory information is based on the Balady platform and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, and procedures may be updated by the competent authority. Last reviewed: October 2026.