Intersection Features.

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]
AN INVENTORY FOR INTERSECTION DESIGN
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ELEMENT:These essential physical elements can be described in four ways:A. B. C. D. Traffic point of view. Pedestrians point of view. Important road signs. Important road markings.
I.Traffic point of view.

a) Number of Legs. The number of legs should be kept minimum. If possible, some minor roads may be connected with each other before joining a major road. The alignment between the roads should be vertical or close to 90.
b) Area Assigned.
The area assigned for construction of an intersection should be reasonable large so that future modification. The use of corner plots in an intersection should be controlled or restricted so that they dont compromise the desired output of the intersection. In an intersection, the alignment of the structures at the corner plot should be diagonal (V-shaped) in order to provide adequate sight distance clear to ensure safety. Rights-of-way on abutting residential or commercial properties should be controlled.
c) Channelizing and divisional islands
It may be added to an intersection to help delineate the area in which vehicles can operate, and to separate conflicting movements. Islands can also provide for pedestrian refuge. Geometric layout like channelizing and staggering should be selected so that hazardous movements like cutting, diverging, merging, etc by drivers are eliminated. Multiple maneuvers should be converted to elemental maneuvers. Page 1
[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

The area of conflict should be eliminated by reducing excessive pavement areas. The approach and departure paths and the actual conflicting area should be clearly defined. If physical islands cant be constructed, ghost islands may be drawn. The drivers should be confronted with only one decision at a time. Preference should be given to the major movements.
d) Spacing of Intersections
The spacing of the intersections should be maintained basing on the roadway classification. A guideline is appended below: Number 1 2 3 4 5 Type of street Expressway Arterial streets Sub-arterial streets Collector streets Local streets Suggested minimum spacing 1000 meters 500 meters. 300 meters 150 meters Free access.
e) Pedestrian and NMV facilities

Adequate priority must be given on pedestrians and bicyclists.
f) Street Lighting
Sufficient street lighting should be provided. Proportioning of geometric elements should be done by maintaining a balance between the capacity of an approach and that of an exit. Additional spaces may be removed if required.
g) Geometric Proportioning
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h) Variation in Junction design

To promote in built safety, junctions at all residential areas should preferably be of T or Staggered type. To enhance capacity, junctions in commercial areas should be of grid iron pattern. Roundabouts are more preferable instead of traffic signals for multi-leg intersections. Existing roundabouts should be removed when they are controlled by traffic signals.
i) Provisions for Right/Left Turning

Exclusive right turning and U turn lanes should be provided. Not all the vehicles should be allowed to reach the intersection. The left turning vehicles should be channelized to a predetermined lane so that directional conflict is minimized. Construction of such channels requires corner widening at the intersection in the form of a three centered compound curve (ratios of the radii R1:R2:R3 = 2.5:1:5.5).
j) Layout of the intersection The layout should follow the natural vehicle paths. Smoothness, in contrast to abrupt and sharp corners, should guide minor streams into stopping or slowing down positions.
k) Traffic control devices

Assign right of way to both motorized and non-motorized traffic and include traffic signals. Pavement markings, STOP signs, YIELD signs, pedestrian signal heads and other devices should be placed sufficiently.
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l) Nose treatment
Nose is found at the beginning of a channel or island. If the noses are not treated well, these road features may be deleterious and act as a major cause of accidents. There are some means of nose treatment like markings around the nose, tigers tail, retro reflective colors, mild longitudinal slope with marking etc.
m) Box junctions
They are normally used on large busy junctions such as traffic light controlled cross roads, T-Junctions and even roundabouts. These have crisscross yellow lines painted on the road. A driver should control his speed on approach to box junctions, slow down and stop before the box junction. He should not to enter a box junction unless his exit road is clear. He should move off, after looking carefully to ensure it is safe.
Method of Using a Box Junction

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury] Page 4
How to use a Box Junction

Box junctions make it possible to keep the flow of traffic moving and therefore keep the junction clear, by preventing traffic from stopping in the path of crossing traffic. A driver has to enter the box junction if he wishes to turn right and his path is blocked by oncoming traffic. It is OK for him to wait on the yellow crisscross providing his exit road is clear. When the way is clear move away smartly and do not cause an obstruction. One MUST NOT enter the box until the exit road or lane is clear. Because there is a line of traffic already in the road on the right, there is no room to join this queue without blocking the flow of traffic shown by the yellow cars.
II.
Pedestrians point of view
a) Picket Rail Picket rails should be provided at all the corners of an intersection and in the vicinity of an intersection to control, regulate and streamline pedestrian movements who often have a tendency to violate existing traffic rules.
Figure: - Picket rail
b) Pedestrians Landing Treatment Likely pedestrians crossing locations should correspond to the placement of sidewalks along approaching streets and pedestrian curb cut ramps need to ensure accessibility to crossing locations. The landings of footpaths, pedestrian refuges should be flushed with the pavement surface. In busy intersections, if slanted landing is used for the handicaps, the texture of the landing is made different from the surface of the sidewalk.
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It will also facilitate other pedestrians moving without stumbling at the edges. Besides, the level/height of footpaths at driveways may be kept same to that of footpaths giving priority to the pedestrians. It will make walking easier and will also act as a speed hump (base size 6 to 14) across the drive way providing additional safety to the road users.
Figure: Landing treatment.
c) Bollard Treatment Bollards are used to prevent the potential of damage arising from vehicle derailment. Where the sidewalk and road are made at same level or the landing is used for pedestrian to reach crossing at road level, bollard treatment is warranted. Bollards also prevent entry of motorcycles and other motorized vehicles on to the footpath.
Figure: - Bollard
d) Impact Treatment/Shock Absorbing Bollards

Impact treatment is also associated with nose of an island or channel. There are mainly two types of treatment to minimize the severity of impact between the vehicle and the obstacle. These are termed as (i) collapsible treatment and (ii) energy absorbing treatment
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If the collapsible is used, the impact is lessened by the breakdown of the constituents of the collapsible. Energy is absorbed by the change of shape of the obstacle (e.g. signal post) in some cases.
Figure:-Shock absorbing Bollard e) Crossing Facilities

Zebra Crossing/ Ladder Crossing are a kind of priority controlled pedestrian crossing facility. At STOP controlled, YIELD controlled, and uncontrolled intersections, pedestrians ability to cross the street and the delay experienced is influenced by the yielding behavior of motor vehicles. Signalized pedestrian crossings may have separate signals for pedestrians. They may also be equipped with countdown timers. In Bangladesh, the situation prevailing all around the intersections and links may be termed as uncontrolled crossing. In UK, Zebra/ladder crossings are accompanied by a yellow flashing light so that vehicle drivers can understand the presence of a pedestrian crossing from a distance and control their vehicles accordingly.
Figure: - Crossing Facilities.
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f) Time Separated Pedestrian Crossing Facilities

These types of crossing facilities are provided when the volume of pedestrians is too high. These sorts of crossings are normally marked with dashed lines. In some developed countries where the number of pedestrians and vehicles are both too high, a separate type of signal having an All Red Period has been successfully used. This type of signaling allows diagonal crossing as well.
Figure: - Crossing facilities. g) Determination of Walking Speed
Under normal conditions, pedestrian walking speeds on sidewalks and crosswalks range from 2.5 feet per second to 6 feet per second. Elderly pedestrians and young children will generally be in the slower portion of this range. A walking speed of 3.5 to 4 feet per second for crosswalk signal timing is widely accepted as a guideline for walking speed in crosswalks.
Use should be limited to only those locations with traffic-actuated signals (i.e., where the signal does not cycle in the absence of minor street traffic). Where call buttons are used, a notification sign should be provided. Pedestrian call button actuation should provide a timely response, particularly at isolated signals (i.e., not in a progression sequence), at mid-block crossings, and during low-traffic periods (night, for example).
h) Call button (Pelican Crossing)
i)
Pedestrian Island/ Refuge Island
Pedestrian islands are mainly used to give temporary shelter to pedestrians from vehicular traffic and in some extent for placing sign post and signal post adjacent to the road. Raised islands should preferably be at least 8 m2 (80 sq. ft) in area. If an island has to be provided for stop signs, traffic signals and pedestrian crossings, it should be at least 6 m (20 [M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury] Page 8

ft) long with a minimum width of 1.2 m (4 ft) and preferably 1.8 m (6 ft) at the point where the signal pedestal is erected
The approach end of an island should be offset a minimum of 1 m (3 ft) from the edge of the adjacent traffic lane and should be preceded by appropriate pavement markings. Stopping sight distance measured from 1.15 m (3.75 ft) eye height to zero on the pavement should be provided at the approach end of all islands.
j) Roughness Treatment/Speed Reducer In order to promote pedestrian safety, sometimes speed of vehicles is compromised. Especially, before a pedestrian crossing or schools or some residential areas, some portion of the road is made rough textured so that drivers reduce speed to avoid inconvenience in riding.
Figure: Roughness Treatment
k) Raised Pedestrian Crossing/ Raised Intersection

Pedestrian crossings may be raised in the form of a speed hump (6 ft to 14 ft base size). Again if the accident rate of any intersection is too high, the entire intersection may be raised providing roughness treatment all over.
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Sometimes, in residential areas, the mid-section of the junction is kept rough to deter the drivers from speeding as people from the adjacent locality may come out to the street for merrymaking or other purpose.
l)
Staggered Pedestrian Crossing (at Grade)
Its considered to be the best type of crossing in terms of safety point of view. It can provide embedded safety against the tendency of pedestrians to rush and cross the streets even then its not safe at a particular moment.
Figure: Raised Pedestrian Crossings
Some Special Points Emphasized by AASHTO (2001)

As per AASHTO (2001), five basic elements should be considered in intersection design a. Human factors Driving habits Ability of drivers to make decisions Driver expectancy Decision and reaction time Conformance to natural paths of movement Pedestrian use and habits Bicycle traffic use and habits b. Traffic considerations Design and actual capacities Design-hour turning movements Size and operating characteristics of vehicles Variety of movements (diverging, merging, weaving and crossing) Vehicle speeds Transit involvement Crash experience Bicycle movements Pedestrian movements c. Physical elements Character and use of abutting property Vehicle alignments at the intersection Sight distance Angle of the intersection Conflict area [M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury] Page 10

Speed-change lanes Geometric design features Traffic control devices Lighting equipment Safety features Bicycle traffic Environmental factors Cross walks d. Economic factors Cost of improvements Effects of controlling or limiting rights-of-way on abutting residential or commercial properties where channelization restricts or prohibits vehicular movements Energy consumption e. Functional intersection area There are a number of design standards for urban intersections based on roadway features at intersection.
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III. IMPORTANT ROAD SIGNS
No Parking
No Stopping
Keep Left
Keep Right
Keep Left/Right
Pedestrian Crossing Ahead
Pedestrian Crossing Here
Round about
Crossing Ahead
Signal Ahead
.
Give Way/Yield No Overtaking Parking
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IV. IMPORTANT ROAD MARKINGS AT INTERSECTIONS
Direction Markings
Pedestrians Crossings
Pedestrian Crossing Area: No Stopping/ Parking
Ghost Island
Disabled Persons Parking
Bus Lane
Chevron Markings
No Stopping
No Parking
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References 1. Dr. Shamsul Hoque, CE 6502, Geometric Design of Highways, Class notes. 2. Dr.L.R.Kadiyali, Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning. 3. TRRL Guide Book. Intersection design. 4. AASHTO (2001).
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[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

AN INVENTORY FOR INTERSECTION DESIGN

I.Traffic point of view.

c) Channelizing and divisional islands

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

e) Pedestrian and NMV facilities

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

h) Variation in Junction design

i) Provisions for Right/Left Turning

k) Traffic control devices

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Method of Using a Box Junction

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

How to use a Box Junction

Pedestrians point of view

Figure: - Picket rail

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Figure: Landing treatment.

d) Impact Treatment/Shock Absorbing Bollards

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Figure:-Shock absorbing Bollard e) Crossing Facilities

Figure: - Crossing Facilities.

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

f) Time Separated Pedestrian Crossing Facilities

Figure: - Crossing facilities. g) Determination of Walking Speed

h) Call button (Pelican Crossing)

Pedestrian Island/ Refuge Island

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Figure: Roughness Treatment

k) Raised Pedestrian Crossing/ Raised Intersection

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Staggered Pedestrian Crossing (at Grade)

Figure: Raised Pedestrian Crossings

Some Special Points Emphasized by AASHTO (2001)

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Pedestrian Crossing Ahead

Pedestrian Crossing Here

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

Pedestrian Crossing Area: No Stopping/ Parking

Disabled Persons Parking

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

[Inventory of Intersection ] [CE 6502]

[M.M.A. Kader Chowdhury]

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