Level of Service
Field(s):
Transportation Planning
Region of Focus:
North America
In urban planning and transportation engineering, Level of Service (LOS) is a qualitative metric used to measure the performance of transportation infrastructure (e.g., roads, intersections, transit) based on user experience and traffic conditions. LOS employs a scale from A (best) to F (worst), evaluating factors like speed, travel time, delay, and congestion.
Key Applications:
Roadway Analysis: Measures traffic flow efficiency (e.g., free-flowing vs. gridlock)
Intersection Evaluation: Assesses wait times and queue lengths
Transit Performance: Rates passenger comfort and crowding
Traditional LOS prioritizes vehicular throughput, often conflicting with:
Multimodal equity (penalizing pedestrian/bike improvements)
Urban vitality (dense, walkable areas inherently score poorly)
Climate goals (rewarding car-centric designs)
Last update:
April 16, 2025
Developed by:
The Urban Lexis Editorial Team
Contributor(s):
With support from:
ChatGPT (by OpenAI) and DeepSeek
We acknowledge the assistance of AI tools in helping draft content. Final edits, fact-checking, and curatorial decisions were made by the Urban Lexis Editorial Team to ensure quality and relevance for our planning community.