TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

INTRODUCTION

A key component of the built environment is the transport system that serves
the land uses contained within the urban fabric, whether they be residential,
commercial, educational or other.

The road hierarchy has been used as a tool to assist in planning the interface
between land use and the road system, and the appropriate linkage of roadways
in the road system.

Roadways serve a variety of functions, including

1. provision of direct access to properties, pedestrian and bicycle paths, bus
routes and catering for through traffic that is not related to immediate land
uses.
2. Many roads serve more than one function and to varying degrees, but it is
clear that the mixing of incompatible functions can lead to problems.
 INTRODUCTION

A road hierarchy is a means of defining each roadway in terms of its function

such that appropriate objectives for that roadway can be set and appropriate
design criteria can be implemented.

These objectives and design criteria are aimed at
1. achieving an efficient road system whereby conflicts between the roadway
and the adjacent land use are minimised.
2. appropriate level of interaction between the roadway and land use is
permitted.

The road hierarchy can then form the basis of ongoing planning and system
management aimed at reducing the mixing of incompatible functions.
 HIERARCHY OF URBAN ROADS

The street hierarchy is an urban design technique for laying out road networks
that exclude automobile through-traffic from developed areas.

It establishes importance of each road type in the network topology i.e. connectivity
of the nodes to each other.

Street hierarchy restricts or eliminates direct connections between certain types of
links, for example residential streets and arterial roads.

Allows connections between similar order streets, e.g. arterial to arterial or between
street types that are separated by one level in the hierarchy, e.g. arterial to highway
and collector to arterial.

Roads are classified into two broad categories i.e. Urban Roads and Non-urban
roads. In India, urban roads are further classified as:
1. EXPRESSWAYS
2. ARTERIAL ROADS
3. SUB-ARTERIAL ROADS
4. COLLECTOR STREETS AND
5. LOCAL STREETS
 ROAD HIERARCHY OBJECTIVES

The key objective of a road hierarchy is to ensure the orderly grouping of

roadways in a framework around which state and local governments can plan
and implement various construction, maintenance, and management schemes
and projects.

It should also assist local and state governments with the adoption of
appropriate standards for roadway construction.

A well formed road hierarchy will reduce overall impact of traffic by:-
1. concentrating longer distance flow onto routes in less sensitive locations;

2. ensuring land uses and activities that are incompatible with traffic flow are
restricted from routes where traffic movement should predominate;
3. preserving areas where through traffic is discouraged;

4. ensuring activities most closely related to frontage development, including

social interaction and parking, can be given more space within precincts
where environmental and access functions should predominate.
 OBJECTIVES OF ROAD HIERARCHY

The road hierarchy principles will assist planning agencies with:-

1. orderly planning of heavy vehicle and dangerous goods routes;
2. planning and provision of public transport routes;
3. planning and provision of pedestrian and bicycle routes;
4. identifying the effects of development decisions in and on surrounding
areas and roadways within the hierarchy;
5. development design that facilitates urban design principles such as
accessibility, connectivity, efficiency, amenity and safety;
6. assigning control over access onto traffic carrying roads to ensure safe and
efficient operation for traffic;
7. identifying treatments such as barriers, buffers and landscaping to preserve
amenity for adjacent land uses.
CLASSIFICATION

OF

MAJOR ROADS
TYPOLOGY FEATURES EXAMPLES

National 1. Completely access controlled, tolled highways. • Mumbai

Expressways 2. Designed for high speed road travel. Pune
Expresswa
y
National 1. Partially access controlled and tolled upgraded • Golden
Express national highways. Quadrilate
Highways 2. Designed for high speed road travel. ral
between
Chennai-
Bangalore
National 1. Primary long-distance roadways. NH8 Delhi to
Highways 2. Most of the National Highway are two-lane (one Gurgaon
in each direction) and undivided.
3. Maintained by the GOI.
4. Constitute 2% of the total road network of India,
but carry 40% of the total traffic.
5. Highways which have heavy traffic intensity.
6. Connect different State capitals, Major Ports,
large industrial areas and tourist centers .
TYPOLOGY FEATURES

State Express Highways 1. State highways that have been upgraded to dual
carriageways with improved road geometry and road
safety features.
2. Tolled and partially access controlled state highways.

State Highways 1. Highways which link district headquarters, important

towns and the National Highways in the State and
neighboring States.

Major District Roads 1. Highways that connect production and marketing centers
.
2. These centers in turn are connected with the National
Highways and State Highways.

Other District Roads 1. The Other District Roads connect Agricultural production
centre's and marketing centre's with Taluk headquarters
and other important roads nearby.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIERARCHY AND
LANDUSES

One of the key aims of the hierarchy is to optimise accessibility, connectivity,

amenity and safety for all road users including motor vehicles, bicycles
pedestrians, and public transport patrons.

To do so, the relationship between hierarchy and the land uses it serves needs
to be considered.

The road hierarchy philosophy begins with consideration of the local area
needs in what is termed a “specific area” or “environment cell”.

A specific area is a part of the urban fabric that is contained within a “block”
bordered by traffic carrying roads or other physical boundaries
1. Arterial roads carry through traffic external to the specific area, and sub
arterial roads carry through traffic between multiple specific areas and the
arterial roads.
 1. Collector streets are located within the specific area, providing indirect and
direct access for land uses within the specific area to the road network.
A. These streets should carry no traffic external to the specific area.
B. The environmental cells within the specific area are bounded by the
collector streets, and contain local streets with low speed environments
and pedestrian priority.
C. Their function is to provide direct property access.

Within environmental cells, considerations of amenity and environment
dominate.
 FOUR LEVEL ROAD HIERARCHY FRAMEWORK

Four level road hierarchy framework are:

Level 1. Purpose relates to the primary objective of the element, whether

to carry through traffic or provide direct property access;
Level 2. Function relates to the relationship between the roadway and
the land use it serves (i.e. how the roadway serves the land use);
Level 3. Management relates to the emplacement of policies to achieve
the envisaged function based upon the attributes of the element
and of the adjacent land uses; and
Level 4. Design relates to specification of the form of the element in
order to achieve its functional objectives.

PURPOSE

In general terms, traffic volume on a roadway is proportional to the number of
properties served.

Figure identifies the relationships between the importance of the access
function, and the traffic carrying function, and the number of properties
served.

The greater number of properties served, the greater need there is for a
roadway to serve a traffic carrying purpose.

In level 1 of the hierarchy we are able to define the basic purposes as follow:-
1. roads – to carry through traffic, serving a longer distance purpose;
2. streets – to provide access to properties and local areas.
 CLASSIFICATION OF URBAN ROADS

Figure 1: Speed vs accessibility

 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Information on traffic characteristics is vital in selecting the appropriate

geometric features of a roadway. Necessary traffic data includes Traffic
Volume, Traffic Speed, and percentage of trucks or other large vehicles.

Traffic Volume

Traffic volume is an important basis for determining what improvements, if
any, are required on a highway or street facility.

Traffic volumes may be expressed in terms of average daily traffic or
design hourly volumes.

These volumes may be used to calculate the service flow rate,
which is typically used for evaluations of geometric design
alternatives.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Average Daily Traffic.

1. Average daily traffic (ADT) represents the total traffic for a year divided by
365, or the average traffic volume per day.
2. AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC — The total traffic volume during a given
time period (more than a day and less than a year) divided by the number of
days in that time period.
3. Due to seasonal, weekly, daily, or hourly variations, ADT is generally
undesirable as a basis for design, particularly for high-volume facilities.
4. ADT should only be used as a design basis for low and moderate volume
facilities, where more than two lanes unquestionably are not justified.

Design Hourly Volume.

1. The design hourly volume (DHV) is usually the 30th highest hourly volume
for the design year, commonly 20 years from the time of construction
completion.
2. For situations involving high seasonal fluctuations in ADT, some
adjustment of DHV may be appropriate.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Design Hourly Volume.

3. For two-lane rural highways, the DHV is the total traffic in both directions of
travel.
4. On highways with more than two lanes (or on two-lane roads where important
intersections are encountered or where additional lanes are to be provided
later), knowledge of the directional distribution of traffic during the design
hour (DDHV) is essential for design.
5. DHV and DDHV may be determined by the application of conversion factors
to ADT.

DIRECTIONAL DESIGN HOUR VOLUME —

1. The traffic volume expected to use a highway segment during the 30th highest
hour of the design year in the peak direction.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Computation of DHV and DDHV.

1. The percent of ADT occurring in the design hour (K) may be used to convert
ADT to DHV as follows:
A. DHV = (ADT)(K)
2. The percentage of the design hourly volume that is in the predominant
direction of travel (D) and K are both considered in converting ADT to DDHV
as shown in the following equation:
A. DDHV = (ADT)(K)(D)

DESIGN HOUR — The 30th highest hour of the design year.

DESIGN HOUR FACTOR
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Directional Distribution (D).

1. The percentage of total, two-way peak hour traffic that occurs in the
peak direction.
2. D30 — The proportion of traffic in the 30th highest hour of the design year
travelling in the peak direction.
3. D100 — The proportion of traffic in the 100th highest hour of the design
year travelling in the peak direction. D100 is often used in calculating the
level of service for a roadway.
4. D200 — The proportion of traffic in the 200th highest hour of the design
year traveling in the peak direction.
5. DF — Directional distribution factor for ESALD equation. Use 1.0 if one-
way traffic is counted or 0.5 for two-way.

Traffic tends to be more equally divided by direction near the centre of an
urban area or on loop facilities.

For other facilities, D factors of 60 to 70 percent frequently occur.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

K Factors.
1. The proportion of Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) occurring in an hour.
2. Proportion of 24-hour volume occurring during the design hour for a given
location or area.
3. K is the percentage of ADT representing the 30th highest hourly volume in the
design year.
4. For typical main rural highways, K-factors generally range from 12 to 18
percent. For urban facilities, K- factors are typically somewhat lower, ranging
from 8 to 12 percent.
5. K30 — The proportion of Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) occurring during
the 30th highest hour of the design year. Commonly known as the Design Hour
Factor.
6. K100 — The proportion of Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) occurring
during the 100th highest hour of the design year. Commonly known as the
Planning Analysis Hour Factor.
7. K200 — The proportion of Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) occurring
during the 200th highest hour of the design year.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Projected Traffic Volumes.

1. Projected traffic volumes are provided by the Transportation Planning and

Programming Division upon request and serve as a basis for design of
proposed improvements.
2. For high-volume facilities, a tabulation showing traffic converted to DHV or
DDHV will be provided by that Division if specifically requested. Generally,
however, projected traffic volume is expressed as ADT with K and D factors
provided.

NOTE: If the directional ADT is known for only one direction, total ADT may
be computed by multiplying the directional ADT by two for most cases.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Service Flow Rate.

1. A facility should be designed to provide sufficient capacity to accommodate
the design traffic volumes (ADT, DHV, DDHV).
2. The necessary capacity of a roadway is initially based on a set of “ideal
conditions.” These conditions are then adjusted for the “actual conditions”
that are predicted to exist on the roadway section.
3. This adjusted capacity is termed service flow rate (SF) and is defined as a
measure of the maximum flow rate under prevailing conditions. Adjusting
for prevailing conditions involves adjusting for variations in the following
factors:
A. lane width
B. lateral clearances
C. free-flow speed
D. terrain
E. distribution of vehicle type.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Service Flow Rate.

1. Facilities are classified into two categories of flow: uninterrupted and
interrupted.
2. Uninterrupted-flow facilities have no fixed elements, such as traffic signals,
that are external to the traffic stream and might interrupt the traffic flow.
3. Traffic flow conditions result from the interactions among vehicles in the
traffic stream and between vehicles and the geometric and environmental
characteristics of the roadway.
4. Interrupted-flow facilities have controlled and uncontrolled access points
that can interrupt the traffic flow.
5. These access points include traffic signals, stop signs, yield signs, and other
types of control that stop traffic periodically (or slow it significantly),
irrespective of the amount of traffic.

The service flow rates generally are based on a 15-min period. Typically, the
hourly service flow rate is defined as four times the peak 15-min volume.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

Traffic Speed

Traffic speed is influenced by volume, capacity, design, weather, traffic control
devices, posted speed limit, and individual driver preference.

For design purposes, the following definitions apply:
1. Low-speed is 45 mph [70 km/h] and below .

2. High-speed is 50 mph [80 km/h] and above .

Design Speed.
1. Design speed is defined as the highest continuous speed at which individual
vehicles can travel with safety . This speed is defined as that speed which is
greater than the speed of 85% of drivers.
2. Design speed is a selected speed used to determine the various geometric
design features of the roadway.
3. It is important to design facilities with all elements in balance, consistent
with an appropriate design speed.
4. Design elements such as sight distance, vertical and horizontal alignment,
lane and shoulder widths, roadside clearances, super elevation, etc., are
influenced by design speed.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

4. Selection of design speed for a given roadway is influenced by the character of

terrain, economic considerations, extent of roadside development (i.e., urban or
rural), and highway type.
5. For example, the design speed chosen would usually be less for rough terrain, or
for an urban facility with frequent points of access, as opposed to a rural highway
on level terrain.
6. Choice should be influenced by the expectations of drivers, which are closely
related to traffic volume conditions, potential traffic conflicts, and topographic
features.

Posted Speed.
1. Posted speed refers to the maximum speed limit posted on a section of highway.
2. Posted speed should be based primarily upon the 85th percentile speed when
adequate speed samples can be secured.
3. Speed zoning guidelines permit consideration of other factors such as roadside
development, road and shoulder surface characteristics, public input, and
pedestrian and bicycle activity.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

CAPACITY

Is the maximum number of vehicles which have a reasonable expectation of
passing over a section of a lane or a roadway during a given time period under
prevailing roadway and traffic conditions.
OR
The maximum rate of flow at which persons or vehicles can be reasonably
expected to traverse a point or uniform segment of a lane or roadway during a
specified time period under prevailing roadway, traffic and control conditions;
usually expressed as vehicles per hour or persons per hour.

Capacity encompasses the relationship between highway characteristics and

conditions, traffic composition and flow patterns, and the relative degree of
congestion at various traffic volumes throughout the range from light volumes
to those equalling the capacity of the facility as defined above.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

CAPACITY

Highway capacity information serves three general purposes:
1. For transportation planning studies to assess the adequacy or sufficiency of
existing highway networks to current traffic demand, and to estimate when,
in time, projected traffic demand, may exceed the capacity of the existing
highway network or may cause undesirable congestion on the highway
system.
2. For identifying and analyzing bottleneck locations (both existing and
potential), and for the evaluation of traffic operational improvement
projects on the highway network.
3. For highway design purposes.
 TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS

CAPACITY

Another important concept in understanding the capacity of roadway is the
Level of Service.

The level of service concept places various traffic flow conditions into 6 levels of
service. These levels of service, designated A through F, from best to worst,
cover the entire range of traffic operations that may occur.

The factors that may be considered in evaluating level of service include the
following:
1. Speed and travel time.

2. Traffic interruptions or restrictions.

3. Freedom to manoeuvre.

4. Safety.

5. Driving comfort and convenience.

6. Economy

In practical approach to identifying the level of service, travel time and the ratio
of demand volume to capacity are commonly used
CLASSIFICATION OF URBAN ROADS
 ROAD CLASSIFICATION

Roads classification criteria

Apart from the classification given by the different plans, roads were also classified
based on some other criteria. They are given in detail below.
1. Based on usage

A. This classification is based on whether the roads can be used during different
seasons of the year.
B. All-weather roads: Those roads which are negotiable during all weathers,
except at major river crossings where interruption of traffic is permissible up
to a certain extent are called all weather roads.
C. Fair-weather roads: Roads which are negotiable only during fair weather
are called fair weather roads.
2. Based on carriage way

A. This classification is based on the type of the carriage way or the road
pavement.
B. Paved roads with hard surface : If they are provided with a hard
pavement course such roads are called paved roads.(eg: stones, Water bound
macadam (WBM), Bituminous macadam (BM), concrete roads)
C. Unpaved roads: Roads which are not provided with a hard course of at
least a WBM layer they are called unpaved roads. Thus earth and gravel roads
come under this category.
 ROAD CLASSIFICATION

The roads can be classified in many ways.

The classification based on speed and accessibility is the most generic one.

As the accessibility of road increases, the speed reduces. Accordingly, the roads can
be classified as follows in the order of increased accessibility and reduced speeds.

Freeways:

1. Freeways are access-controlled divided highways.

2. Most freeways are four lanes, two lanes each direction, but many freeways
widen to incorporate more lanes as they enter urban areas.
3. Access is controlled through the use of interchanges, and the type of
interchange depends upon the kind of intersecting road way (rural roads,
another freeway etc.)

Expressways:

1. They are superior type of highways and are designed for high speeds (120
km/hr), high traffic volume and safety.
2. They are generally provided with grade separations at intersections.
3. Parking, loading and unloading of goods and pedestrian traffic is not allowed
on expressways.
 ROAD CLASSIFICATION

Highways:
1. They represent the superior type of roads in the country.
2. A long-distance, medium speed vehicular corridor that traverses open
country.
3. A highway should be relatively free of intersections, driveways and adjacent
buildings; otherwise it becomes a strip, which interferes with traffic flow.
4. Highways are of two types - rural highways and urban highways.
5. Rural highways are those passing through rural areas (villages) and urban
highways are those passing through large cities and towns, ie. urban areas.

Arterials:
1. It is a general term denoting a street primarily meant for through traffic
usually on a continuous route.
2. They are generally divided highways with fully or partially controlled access.
3. Parking, loading and unloading activities are usually restricted and
regulated.
4. Pedestrians are allowed to cross only at intersections/designated pedestrian
crossings.
 ROAD CLASSIFICATION

Local streets :
1. A local street is the one which is primarily intended for access to residence,
business or abutting property.
2. It does not normally carry large volume of traffic and also it allows unrestricted
parking and pedestrian movements.
3. Provide access to property.
4. Less than 2,500 vehicles per day.
5. Low traffic speed.
6. No bus routes.
7. Sidewalks on at least one side of road.
8. Low priority for winter maintenance

Collector streets:
1. These are streets intended for collecting and distributing traffic to and from local
streets and also for providing access to arterial streets.
2. Normally full access is provided on these streets . There are few parking
restrictions except during peak hours.
TYPOLOGY FEATURES

1. High speed signal-free arterial roads which are either

Expressway
completely elevated or has grade separated intersections.

Arterial Roads 1. Extensions of National Highways into the city centre.

These corridors usually carry the bulk of commuting
traffic to and from the city and from one end to the other,
like ring roads.
Primary Collector or 1. Road corridors that carries a huge volume of traffic
Sub-arterial Roads between arterial roads and has a high density of public
bus transport services.

Secondary Collector 1. Collector roads that carry lower volume of traffic and has
Roads a lower public bus transport service.

Main Roads and feeder 1. Main roads that collects local traffic from residential
roads areas onto bigger roads.
2. These roads also acts as shortcuts and is used by non local
traffic.
3. There is no regular bus services on these roads.
TYPOLOGY RIGHT OF WAY NUMBER OF LANES

One on either side of the central

61 metres on the periphery of median. To start with, and two
Expressway
the town. Otherwise 49m. on either side later on, as
needed.
Arterial Roads 25m to 30m Two lanes to start with and four
later on as needed.

Primary Collector 18m to 25m Two lanes to start with and more
or Sub-arterial when required.
Roads

Secondary 14m to 18m Two lanes plus two parking lanes.

Collector Roads

Main Roads and 9m to 14m . Two lanes

feeder roads

Cul –de – sac 8m to 9m Two lanes.

TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS/ INTERCHANGES
 TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS

Intersection is an area shared by two or more roads. This area is designated for
the vehicles to turn to different directions to reach their desired destinations.

Traffic intersections are complex locations on any highway.

Drivers have to make split second decision at an intersection by considering his

route, intersection geometry, speed and direction of other vehicles etc.

Overall traffic flow depends on the performance of the intersections. It also

affects the capacity of the road.

Conflicts at an intersection are different for different types of intersection.

Therefore, both from the accident perspective and the capacity perspective, the
study of intersections is very important for the traffic engineers especially in the
case of urban scenario.
 TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS

Auxiliary lanes at intersections serve a wide range of purposes including space for
deceleration and acceleration, bus stops, increased capacity through an intersection, and
storage for turning vehicles.

The capacity of a signalized intersection may be increased by adding an auxiliary lane
to accommodate through traffic.

MAJOR STREET: Intersecting
street with greater volume, larger
cross-section, higher functional
class.

MINOR STREET: Intersecting

street with less traffic volume,
smaller cross-section.
 TRAFFIC INTERSECTION CONTROLS

The essence of the intersection control is to resolve the conflicts at the

intersection for the safe and efficient movement of both vehicular traffic and
pedestrians.

Two methods of intersection controls are there:
1. Time Sharing: At the same instance of time, traffic moving in one
direction is allowed to move while the other moving in different direction
is stopped. For e.g.: this achieved with the help of traffic signals.
2. Space Sharing: Space sharing intersections where vehicles weave,
merge and separate e.g.. Traffic circles

The type of intersection control to be adopted depends on the traffic volume,
road geometry, cost involved, importance of the road etc.

The control of an intersection can be exercised at different levels. They can
be either passive control, semi control, or active control.
 PASSIVE CONTROL

When the volume of traffic is less, no explicit control is required. Here the
road users are required to obey the basic rules of the road.

Passive control like traffic signs, road markings etc. are used to complement
the intersection control.

Some of the intersection control that are classified under passive control are
as follows:
1. No Control: If the traffic coming to an intersection is low, then by
applying the basic rules of the road like driver on the left side of the road
must yield and that through movements will have priority than turning
movements. The driver is expected to obey these basic rules of the road.
2. Traffic signs: With the help of warning signs, guide signs etc. it is able to
provide some level of control at an intersection. Give way control, two-way
stop control, and all-way stop control are some examples.
 PASSIVE CONTROL

A. GIVE WAY control requires the driver in the minor road to slow down
to a minimum speed and allow the vehicle on the major road to proceed.
B. Two Way Stop control requires the vehicle drivers on the minor streets
should see that the conflicts are avoided.
C. All-way Stop control used when it is difficult to differentiate between
the major and minor roads in an intersection. STOP sign is placed on all
the approaches to the intersection and the driver on all the approaches
are required to stop the vehicle.
3. Traffic signs plus marking: In addition to the traffic signs, road
markings also complement the traffic control at intersections. Some of the
examples include stop line marking, yield lines, arrow marking
 SEMI CONTROL

In semi control or partial control, the drivers are gently guided to

avoid conflicts. Channelization and traffic rotaries are two examples of
this.
1. Channelization:

A. The traffic is separated to flow through definite paths by raising

a portion of the road in the middle called as islands defined by
road markings.
B. The conflicts in traffic movements are reduced to a great extent
in such a case. In channelized intersections, the traffic is
directed to flow through different channels and this physical
separation is made possible with the help of some barriers in the
road like traffic islands, road markings etc.
 SEMI CONTROL

2. Traffic Rotaries:
A. It is a form of intersection control in which the traffic is made to flow
along one direction around a traffic island.
B. The essential principle of this control is to convert all the severe conflicts
like through and right turn conflicts into milder conflicts like merging,
weaving and diverging.
C. It is a form of `at-grade' intersection laid out for the movement of traffic
such that no through conflicts are there.
D. Free-left turn is permitted where as through traffic and right-turn traffic
is forced to move around the central island in a clock-wise direction in an
orderly manner.
 SEMI CONTROL

2. Traffic Rotaries:
E. Traffic operations at a rotary are three;
diverging, merging and weaving. All the
other conflicts are converted into these
three less severe conflicts.
1. Diverging
Diverging: It is a traffic operation when
the vehicles moving in one direction is
separated into different streams
according to their destinations.
2. Merging
Merging: Merging is the opposite of
diverging.
Merging is referred to as the process of joining the traffic coming
from different approaches and going to a common destination into a
single stream.
3. Weaving:: Weaving is the combined movement of both merging and
Weaving
diverging movements in the same direction.
 ACTIVE CONTROL

Active control implies that the road user will be forced to follow the path
suggested by the traffic control agencies.

Traffic signals and grade separated intersections come under this
classification.

1. Traffic Signals:
A. Control using traffic signal is based on time sharing approach.
B. At a given time, with the help of appropriate signals, certain traffic
movements are restricted where as certain other movements are
permitted to pass through the intersection.
C. When the vehicles traversing the intersection is very large, then the
control is done with the help of signals.
 ACTIVE CONTROL

2. Grade Separated Intersections:

A. The intersections are of two types. They are at-grade intersections and
grade-separated intersections.
B. In at-grade intersections, all roadways join or cross at the same vertical
level. Grade separated intersections allows the traffic to cross at different
vertical levels.
C. They are usually constructed on high speed facilities like expressways,
freeways etc.
D. These type of intersection increases the road capacity because vehicles
can flow with high speed and accident potential is also reduced due to
vertical separation of traffic.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

Intersections can be categorized into four major types:

1. Simple Intersections
2. Flared Intersections
3. Channelized Intersections
4. Roundabouts

SIMPLE INTERSECTIONS
1. Simple intersections maintain the street’s typical cross-section and number
of lanes throughout the intersection, on both the major and minor streets.
2. Simple intersections are best-suited to locations where auxiliary (turning)
lanes are not needed to achieve the desired level of-service, or are infeasible
due to nearby constraints.
3. Generally, simple intersections provide the minimum crossing distances for
pedestrians and are common in low-volume locations.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

FLARED INTERSECTIONS

Flared intersections expand the cross-section of the street (main, cross or both).

The flaring is done to accommodate a left-turn lane, so that left turning bicycles
and motor vehicles are removed from the through-traffic stream to increase
capacity at high-volume locations, and safety on higher speed streets.

Intersections may be flared to accommodate an additional through lane as well.

Intersection approaches
can be flared slightly, not
enough for additional
approach lanes but simply
to ease the vehicle turning
movement approaching
or departing the
intersection.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

FLARED INTERSECTIONS

This type of flaring has benefits to bicycle and motor vehicular flow since higher
speed turning movements at the intersection are possible and encroachment by
larger turning vehicles into other vehicle paths is reduced.

However, adding flare to an intersection increases the pedestrian crossing
distance and time.

CHANNELIZED INTERSECTIONS

Channelized intersections use pavement markings or raised islands to designate
the intended vehicle paths.

The most frequent use is for right turns, particularly when accompanied by an
auxiliary right-turn lane.

At intersections located on a curve, divisional islands can help direct drivers to
and through the intersection.

At large intersections, short median islands can be used effectively for
pedestrian refuge.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

CHANNELIZED INTERSECTIONS

Channelized intersections are usually
large and, therefore, require long
pedestrian crosswalks.

Channelization islands can effectively
reduce the crosswalk distance in which
pedestrians are exposed to moving
motor vehicles.

The design of channelized intersections needs to ensure that the needs of
pedestrians are considered. Allowing wheelchair users the same safe harbour as
other pedestrians on channelization islands.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

ROUNDABOUTS

The roundabout is a channelized
intersection with one-way traffic
flow circulating around a central
island.

All traffic—through as well as
turning—enters this one-way flow.

Although usually circular in shape,
the central island of a roundabout
can be oval or irregularly shaped.

Roundabouts can be appropriate design alternative to both stop controlled and
signal-controlled intersections, as they have fewer conflict points than
traditional intersections.

At intersections of two-lane streets, roundabouts can usually function with a
single circulating lane, making it possible to fit them into most settings.
 TYPES OF INTERSECTIONS AND
CONFIGURATIONS

ROUNDABOUTS

Size – Single lane roundabouts have an outside diameter between 80 and 140
feet.

Speed – The small diameter of roundabouts limits circulating vehicle speeds
to 10 to 25 miles per hour.

Capacity – The slower circulating speeds at roundabouts allow entering
vehicles to accept smaller gaps in the circulating traffic flow, meaning more
gaps are available, increasing the volume of traffic processed.

Safety – The slower speeds at roundabouts not only reduce the severity of
crashes, but minimizes the total number of all crashes.

Roundabouts are also considered as traffic-calming devices in some locations
since all traffic is slowed to the design speed of the one-way circulating
roadway.
 GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECTIONS

Grade-separated intersections are provided to separate the traffc in the vertical

grade.

But the traffic need not be those pertaining to road only. When a railway line
crosses a road, then also grade separators are used.

Different types of grade-separators are flyovers and interchange.

Flyovers itself are subdivided into overpass and underpass.
1. When two roads cross at a point, if the road having major traffic is elevated
to a higher grade for further movement of traffic, then such structures are
called overpass.
2. If the major road is depressed to a lower level to cross another by means of
an under bridge or tunnel, it is called under-pass.

Interchange is a system where traffic between two or more roadways flows at
different levels in the grade separated junctions.

Common types of interchange include trumpet interchange, diamond
interchange , and cloverleaf interchange.
 GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECTIONS

TRUMPET INTERCHANGE:
1. Trumpet interchange is a popular form of
three leg interchange.
2. If one of the legs of the interchange meets a
highway at some angle but does not cross it,
then the interchange is called trumpet
interchange.

DIAMOND INTERCHANGE:
1. Diamond interchange is a form of four-leg
interchange found in the urban locations
where major and minor roads crosses.
2. The important feature of this interchange is
that it can be designed even if the major road
is relatively narrow.
 GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECTIONS

CLOVER LEAF INTERCHANGE:

1. It is also a four leg interchange and is
used when two highways of high
volume and speed intersect each other
with considerable turning movements.
2. The main advantage of cloverleaf
intersection is that it provides complete
separation of traffic, as well as high
speed at intersections can be achieved.
Disadvantage is that large area of land
is required.