PRELIMINARY ROAD DESIGN

REPORT TEMPLATE
Subdivision Approval Process

About this template

This document outlines the information and level of detail required in a Preliminary Road Design
Report when prepared by the Applicant for submission to the City during the Design Studies
stage. This document describes the necessary steps for submitting a Preliminary Road Design
Report and outlines the required structure and necessary design considerations.

Purpose of the Preliminary Road Design Report

The purpose of a Preliminary Road Design Report is to resolve key road design issues within arterial
and primary collector right-of-ways prior to the submission of detailed servicing drawings. The
need to complete a Preliminary Road Design Report, if applicable to a development application, is
identified and included as a condition of Draft Plan Approval. Potential triggers of a Preliminary
Road Design Report can include the requirement for external roadworks or connections to arterials
and primary collectors. Issues surrounding road layouts internal to a subdivision, such as turning
circles, sightlines and right-of-way treatment features, should have already been flagged in the
Initial Proposal Report and discussed prior to draft plan approval.

Mandatory Road Design Consultation

Prior to beginning preparation of a Preliminary Road Design Report the Applicant must meet with
City Staff to discuss the road design. This consultation with the Transportation Division is
mandatory and will be arranged through the File Manager. Preliminary Road Design Reports will
not be accepted if this meeting has not taken place.
The road design consultation meeting provides applicants with a valuable opportunity to discuss
and share information about the direction of the design prior to undertaking their report. The City
provides available background information and previous design work, and discusses design scope,
parameters, opportunities and constraints. The Applicant should bring available base information
to the meeting to support discussion. This pre-design consultation assists the Applicant in decision-
making and potentially save considerable time and effort for both the Applicant and the City.

Typical Preliminary Road Design Report Considerations

Every Preliminary Road Design Report contains pre-design information such as grades, elevations,
alignments and cross-sections for the proposed ultimate road profile. In addition, every road design
incorporates a unique blend of design considerations that must be dealt with to ensure the proposed
profile is appropriate, safe and constructible. The following sections describe some potential design
considerations typical to Preliminary Road Design Reports. This is by no means an exhaustive list
and additional design considerations may be identified at the mandatory Transportation
consultation meeting.

Consultation Draft Approval Design Studies Servicing Drawings Final Approval

Current as of February 28, 2008

 PRELIMINARY ROAD DESIGN REPORT TEMPLATE

Preparing a Preliminary Road Design Report

There are 3 main components of a Preliminary Road Design Report: Cover Letter, Plan & Profile
Drawings, and Cross-section Drawings. The drawings illustrate all considerations affecting the
design with rationale outlined in the covering letter report. Typical considerations to include in each
of the three components of a Preliminary Road Design Report are listed below.
1. Cover Letter: provides qualifying information to support the proposed ultimate road profile
illustrated in the design report drawings. It should note the date of the meeting and summarize
the main points of discussion. The cover letter should also provide discussion of any large scale
implications of the proposed ultimate profile, for example; cost considerations, construction
staging, integration with other services, utilities or pathway systems, poor soil conditions, etc.
2. Plan & Profile Drawings: these baseline drawings should illustrate the following elements:
Existing Centreline Road Profile
Proposed Centreline Road Profile include sightlines and basic road geometrics. For further
design information refer to standards outlined in the Transportation section of the Design
Specifications and Requirements Manual.
Elevations, Slopes and Chainages
3. Cross-section Drawings: these baseline drawings clearly illustrate the following base
elements:
Existing and Proposed Road Cross-sections any proposed alignment shifts should be
clearly identified and referenced in the cover report.
Elevations, Slopes and Chainages
Additional Design Considerations: Each road project is unique and there may be additional
design elements to consider besides those listed here. The intent is not to complete detailed design
of these elements but address integration, safety and constructability. The following are examples of
design considerations that should be clearly illustrated on the baseline Plan & Profile and Cross-
section drawings when applicable.
Driveways Include locations, grades and material.
Underground Infrastructure existing and proposed sewers, watermains, utilities etc.
Surface Features Include hydro poles, hydrants, bell pedestals, etc.
Potential Roadside Hazards for example; curbs on highways, hydro poles close to road, etc.
Drainage clearly illustrate existing ditches, drainage elevations, overland flow routes and
direction of flows.
Right-of-way Limits existing and proposed
Interim Conditions Indicate any interim conditions required and explain the implications
in the covering report.
Construction Staging Limits if ultimate profile to be constructed in phases.
Plus number of lanes, bike lanes, curbs, sidewalks, medians/islands.

Submitting Preliminary Road Design Reports

All Preliminary Road Design Reports must be submitted to the City in both paper and electronic
formats as part of a complete Design Studies Package. Two paper copies are required with road
design drawings prepared on standard A1 size sheets. Electronic copies are submitted in .pdf
format on a CD-ROM together with any other reports required for inclusion in the Design Studies
Packages as conditions of Draft Plan Approval.

Resources
Design Specifications and Requirements Manual

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