In recent years, more use of security and traffic safety checkpoints on Iraqi highways were made. Add to this, the huge increase in the numbers of vehicles using these highways (with increased numbers of heavy goods vehicles). This situation could lead to traffic congestion, higher delays and higher operational costs to motorists and also could lead to an increase in the rate of traffic accidents. This study tries to investigate the traffic operations at the approaches to the highway checkpoint sites in the Southern of Iraq (in Basrah Governorate) and focuses on some of the parameters that affecting both safety and capacity. For the purpose of this study, field data have been collected by using camcorders from two highway sites, each site has three lanes with a checkpoint. Both sites were at highway 31 near the interchange between highway 6 and highway 31. Several traffic parameters were observed such as traffic flow, average speed, lane utilization, speed differential, traffic congestion and queuing. The observations revealed that for both sites the traffic flow condition was free to moderate, ranging from 750 to 1750 (pcu/hr), with an average speed ranging from 70 to 120 (km/hr). Lane utilization behavior has also been observed for both sites and the results suggest that there is similarity between both sites with lower traffic flow in the nearside lane in comparison with the other lanes (i.e. middle lane and offside lane). For both sites, the lane utilization for the nearside lanes was around 10% – 20%, whereas, the lane utilization for the middle lane and offside lane were around 40% – 50%. Traffic congestion and queuing have been observed as well and the results suggest that there are some differences in queuing length between two sites. In addition, an increased number of speed differentials amongst motorists and late merging with accepting smaller gaps behavior have been observed for both sites. Other site observation is represented by a very lack implementation of traffic management measures (such as traffic schemes and signage) at the checkpoint sites.

近年来，在伊拉克高速公路上更多地使用了安全和交通安全检查站。除此之外，使用这些高速公路的车辆数量大幅增加（重型货车数量增加）。这种情况可能导致交通拥堵、延误时间延长和驾驶者的运营成本增加，还可能导致交通事故率增加。本研究试图调查伊拉克南部（巴士拉省）高速公路检查站入口处的交通运营情况，并重点关注影响安全和通行能力的一些参数。出于本研究的目的，使用摄像机从两个高速公路站点收集了现场数据，每个站点都有三个带检查站的车道。两个站点都位于 6 号高速公路和 31 号高速公路之间的交汇处附近的 31 号高速公路上。观察到了几个交通参数，如交通流量、平均速度、车道利用率、速度差、交通拥堵和排队。观察结果显示，两个站点的交通流量状况自由至中等，范围为 750 至 1750 (pcu/hr)，平均速度范围为 70 至 120 (km/hr)。还观察到两个站点的车道利用行为，结果表明，与其他车道（即中间车道和越侧车道）相比，近侧车道的交通流量较低的两个站点之间存在相似性。对于这两个站点，近边车道的车道利用率约为 10% - 20%，而中间车道和越边车道的车道利用率约为 40% - 50%。还观察到交通拥堵和排队，结果表明两个站点之间的排队长度存在一些差异。此外，在两个站点都观察到驾驶者之间的速度差异数量增加以及接受较小间隙行为的延迟合并。其他现场观察表现为在检查站站点非常缺乏交通管理措施（例如交通计划和标志）的实施。