Intersection Design

Objectives: facilitate the

safety, efficiency,
convenience, ease, and
comfort of vehicular,
cyclist, and pedestrian
movements at an
intersection.
Means: movement
channelization, approach
re-alignment, curb return
design, sight distance,
signal or stop control,

Design criteria: human

factors, traffic
characteristics, land use
and environment,
economic considerations

Definitions

Intersection: general area

where two or more highways
join or cross.
Intersection leg: a highway
radiating to/from an
intersection.
Intersection types: at-grade,
grade separations without
ramps, and interchanges.
At-grade intersection types: T
or three-leg intersections, fourleg or cross intersections,
multileg intersections.

Channelization: the provision

of facilities such as pavement
markings and traffic islands to
regulate and direct conflicting
traffic streams into specific
travel paths.

Conflicts at at-grade Intersections

Channelization

Exhibit A, next page is the most

common type of T intersection.
Paved width is maintained except for
the paved returns and where widening
is needed to accommodate design
vehicle.
Exhibit A design is suitable for 1)
junctions of minor or local roads and 2)
junctions of minor roads with more
important highways where the
intersection angle does not deviate
from perpendicular by more than 30
degrees.
Exhibit A design is very common in
rural areas in conjunction with two-lane
highways with light traffic.

As speed and turning movements

increase, an additional area of
surfacing or flaring may be provided.
Auxiliary left and right-turn lanes
increase capacity and create better
operational conditions for turning
vehicles as in the next three exhibits.

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Exhibit A (next page) displays a single

turning roadway realized by increasing
the return radius between the two
roadways.
Return radius in increased sufficiently to
permit a turning road, which is
separated from the normal traveled way
of the intersecting approaches by an
island.
Exhibit B shows a pair of turning
roadway.
Exhibit B design is suitable where
above minimum speed or turning paths
are to be provided.
Following two exhibits provide for the
flaring of the through highway to
accommodate left turns from the main
highway.

When separate turning roadways are

necessary, flaring is usually necessary
as well.
The first of the latter exhibits depicts a
divisional island on the intercepted
road.
Space for this island is created by
flaring the pavement edges of the
intercepted road and by using larger
than minimum pavement edge radii for
right turns.
The second shows a divisional island
with two right turning roadways on the
intercepted road. This configuration is
desirable where intermediate to heavy
traffic volumes are carried.

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Channelization

Realignment

Intersections should cross at or nearly

at right angle for safety and economy.
Roads intersecting at acute angles
need extensive turning roadways.
Truck drivers turning at acute angles
have blind areas on the right side of
the vehicle.
Acute angle intersections increase the
exposure of the crossing traffic to the
main street.
Realigning roads intersecting at an
acute angle in the manner shown on
the next page has proven beneficial.
Methods A and B, which create short
radii curves on the side road to
achieve right-angle intersections
should be avoided.

Such methods result in increased lane

encroachments.
Also, traffic control devices may be out
of the drivers line of sight resulting in
advanced signage.

Offset intersections are preferable

as displayed in methods C and D.

Method C forces a left turn onto the

major road by minor road vehicles and
is appropriate where minor road traffic
is light. (This methods introduces
added left turns on the main road.)
Method D is preferable as a right turn
on the main road is executed by minor
road vehicles.
Method E is desirable where a minor
road is located along a tangent to a
main road that curves.

Realignment

Realignment (to minor road)

Edge of pavement curves (Curb

return)
Given turning speeds of
15 mph or less, curves for
the pavement edge are
designed to conform to at
least the minimum turning
path of the design
vehicles.
When the turning speed
is expected to be greater
than 15 mph, the design
speed is also considered.

Curb return types:

Simple curve
Simple curve with taper
3-centered compound
curve

Curb return

Curb return

Curb return

Curb return

Curb return

Intersection Sight Distance

The provision of stopping sight distance at
all locations along highways, including
intersections, is fundamental to
intersection operation

Intersection Sight Distance

Definitions
Clear sight triangle: Specified areas along
intersection approach legs and their included
corners cleared of obstructions that might block a
drivers view of potentially conflicting vehicles.
Approach sight triangle: Clear sight triangle
that enables an approaching vehicle driver on
the minor road to view potentially conflicting
vehicles.
Departure sight triangle: Clear sight triangle
that enables a stopped vehicle on a minor road
to depart from the intersection.

Intersection Sight Distance

Sight Distance versus Control

Case A No Control

Sight Triangle Leg

Case B

Case B1

Case B1 Time Gap

Case B1 Sight Triangle Leg

Cases B2 and B3 Time Gap

Cases B2 and B3 Sight Triangle

Leg

Case C1

Case C1 Time Lag

Case C1 Sight Triangle Leg

Case C2 Time Gap

Case C2 Sight Triangle Leg

Intersection Sight Distance

Yield control Stop on minor

Intersection Sight Distance

Yield control

Intersection Sight Distance

Stop Control

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIa Crossing Maneuver)

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIa Crossing Maneuver)

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIb Left Turning Maneuver)

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIb Left Turning Maneuver)

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIb Left Turning Maneuver)

Intersection Sight Distance

Intersection Sight Distance Stop

Control (Case IIIc Right Turning Maneuver)

Layout of Concentric Curves

Same deflection
angles on all three
curves
Different chord
lengths

Earthwork
Definition: All excavations and fills (for
structures embankments, borrow,
overhaul, machine grading, subgrade
scarifying, rock fill, reconditioning
roadway) to prepare the subgrade
foundation for highway or runway
pavement or roadway ballast.
Measurement: Cubic Yard of Excavation,
square yard (shallow excavation)

Earthwork
Classification of Excavated Material
Common excavation
Loose rock
Solid rock

Shrinkage and Swell Factors

Excavated earth when placed in fills shrinks
by 10 40 % (becomes compacted and
occupies less volume)
Excavated rock swells (5 10 %)

Earthwork

Cross Section Area

Graphical or Planimeter Method
Coordinate Method

Cross Section Area

Cross Section Area

Cross Section Area

Earthwork Volume
Average End Area Formula

Prismoidal Formula

Mass Diagram
Definition: A continuous curve showing the
cumulative sum of yardage from the
original station to any subsequent station.

Earthwork

Earthwork