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Cross Section Elements
• Slope, Shoulder, Median, Curbs
• Lane width
• Parking lane
• Diversity of freeway cross-sections
Dr. Rizwan Memon 2
Two lane rural highway cross-section design
features and terms
Dr. Rizwan
Source: Flexibility in highway design,Memon
FHWA 3
The element includes in two lane rural highway:
- right-of way
- Roadside
- Traveled Way A and B
- Right and Left Shoulders for both traveled ways
- Median
- Traffic Lanes
- Fence
- Side Slope (fill)
- Side Slope (cut)
- Curbed Section
- Drainage Channel
Dr. Rizwan Memon 4
Urban highway cross-section design features and terms
The element includes:
- right-of way
- Border
- Roadway
- Sidewalk, residential
- Traffic lanes
- Traveled way
- Sidewalk, commercial
- Median
- Parking lane
- Left-turn lane
- Curb offset
Dr. Rizwan Memon 5
Considerations for Design of Cross-Section
◼ Volume and composition (percent trucks, buses, and
recreational vehicles) of the vehicular traffic
◼ likelihood of bicyclists and pedestrians using the route
◼ Climatic conditions (storage space for plowed snow,
amount of rain)
◼ Presence of natural or human-made obstructions
adjacent to the roadway (rock cliffs, etc)
◼ Type and intensity of development along the facility
◼ Safety of the users (speed of traffic)
Dr. Rizwan Memon 6
Typical cross-section
- Normal crown
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 7
Typical cross-section
- superelevation
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 8
Slopes
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 9
Shoulders
Functions of shoulders:
• accommodation of stopped vehicles (disabled vehicles,
bus stops)
• emergency use
• lateral support for the pavement
• space for roadside facilities
• space for bicycles and pedestrians
• driving comfort (freedom from strain)
• improvement in sight distance
• improvement in capacity
Dr. Rizwan Memon 10
Shoulder:
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 11
Shoulder can be surfaced by using:
lawn, gravel, crushed rock, mineral or chemical additives, bituminous
treatment, asphalt or concrete pavements.
Functions of shoulders on low-type vs. high-type roads
Width of shoulders
Low-type roads -- minimum 0.6 m, recommended 1.8-2.4 m,
Shoulder usable by bicycles -- minimum 1.2 m,
High-type roads -- minimum 3.0 m, recommended 3.6 m.
Clearance to roadside elements (barriers, walls, signs, etc.)
High-type roads -- 0.6 m to the edge of the usable shoulder,
Low-type roads -- minimum 1.2 m to the edge of the traveled way.
Dr. Rizwan Memon 12
Dr. Rizwan Memon 13
Medians
Medians are used on arterials with four or more lanes.
Function of medians
◼ separate opposing traffic
◼ recovery area for out-of-control vehicles
◼ stopping area
◼ storage of left-turning and U-turning vehicles
◼ minimize headlight glare
◼ provision for future lanes
Dr. Rizwan Memon 14
Medians
Types of medians
◼ depressed - on freeways with slope 1:6 (1:4), drainage inlets,
safety grates
◼ raised - relatively narrow on arterial streets
◼ flush - crowned or slightly depressed on all types of urban
arterials
◼ convenient to convert into two-way left-turn lanes (3.0-4.8 m wide)
Width of medians ranges from 1.2 to 24 m.
Full separation of traveled ways is achieved when the median is at least
12 m wide.
Dr. Rizwan Memon 15
Road Side Barriers:
Dr. Rizwan Memon 16
Median Barriers:
Dr. Rizwan Memon 17
Dr. Rizwan Memon 18
Median:
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 19
Curbs
Functions of curbs
• drainage control
• roadway edge delineation
• right-of-way reduction
• delineation of pedestrian walkways
• reduction in maintenance operation
Types of curbs:
Vertical curbs -- discourage vehicles from leaving the roadway, not
desirable on high-speed highways, desirable on urban roads, and
along long walls, tunnels to protect safety walks.
Sloping curbs -- vehicle can cross them readily when required, used
at median edges, to outline channelizing islands, at the outer edge
of the shoulder. Dr. Rizwan Memon 20
Vertical Curb
Sloping Curbs
Exhibit 4-6
Dr. Rizwan Memon 21
Lane Widths
• Lane width strongly influences traffic safety and comfort
• Lane width range is 2.7-3.6 m with the 3.6 m lane
predominant on high-type highways
• Two-lane two-way highways with the 3.6 lane provide safe
clearance between large commercial vehicles
Circumstances that justify narrower lanes
• Urban areas with land restrictions -- 3.3 m
• Low speed facilities -- 3.0 m
• Auxiliary lanes at intersections -- 3.0 m
• Low-volume roads in rural and residential areas -- 2.7 m
• Continuous two-way left-turn lanes -- 3.0-4.8 m
Dr. Rizwan Memon 22
On-Street Parking
◼ Curb-parking should be prohibited on freeways and
major arterials
◼ Recommended on minor arterials, collectors and
local roads located in developed areas
◼ Parallel parking preferred over angle parking
(performance of through lanes and safety)
Dr. Rizwan Memon 23
On-Street Parking Design Rules
Arterials
◼ Minimum width of parking lane is 2.4 m (recommended width is 3.0-
3.6),
◼ Minimum width of parking lane with adjacent bicycle route is 3.0-
3.6 m.
Urban collectors
◼ Minimum width of parking lane is 2.4 m (recommended width is 3.0-
3.6),
◼ Minimum width of parking lane with adjacent bicycle route is 3.0-
3.6 m,
◼ In residential areas, 10.8 m two-lane two-way traveled ways are
sufficient (2.1 m parking lanes and 3.3 m through lanes).
Dr. Rizwan Memon 24
Local streets
◼ In residential areas
7.8 m traveled ways
are sufficient for two-
way traffic.
◼ Parking lanes should
end 6.0 m in advance
of the intersections.
Dr. Rizwan Memon 25
Parking lane:
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 26
Frontage Roads
• control access to the
arterial
• serve adjoining property
• maintain circulation of
traffic when the arterial
is blocked
• separate local traffic
from the through traffic
• collects local traffic
Dr. Rizwan Memon 27
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 28
Frontage road
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 29
Cross-section with retaining wall
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 30
Depressed freeway
Dr. Rizwan Memon 31
Source: Green Book
Elevated freeway-with ramp
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 32
Elevated freeway on embankment
Dr. RizwanSource:
Memon Green Book 33
Urban Design - New Construction
See http://www.dot.state.ia.us/local_systems
Dr. Rizwan Memon 34
Rural Design - New Construction
Dr. Rizwan Memon 35
