1

INTERSECTION DESIGN

Take your own route, not the route everyone is using or taking. Create your own way;
there is always traffic on the common route.
Israelmore Ayivor

13 December 2021 Transportation Engineering

 Agenda (Session 1)
2

TYPES OF AT-GRADE GENERAL CONCEPTS TYPES OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES

INTERSECTIONS OF TRAFFIC CONTROL INTERSECTION FOR AT-GRADE
CONTROL INTERSECTIONS
 Background
3

Principles of Intersection Safety

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B8gmCpMXMw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3x96LWig_XwwtnEtO8RWyZcPuJgx9RXIIbds5b7YwL0rVW_R7RjSH7-CQ
 Intro..
4

» What is an intersection?
» Why do we have intersections?
» Why it is a complicated area for
drivers?
» Why do they represent hazardous
areas?
» ..
» …

https://www.autoaccident.com/
 Intersection Types
5

» At Grade Intersection Intersect at same level

» Grade Separation Levels are not connected

What is the difference?
» Interchange Levels are connected
 Interchange
6

» Interchange design is beyond

the scope of this course
» BUT you need to know theses
common types.
 At Grade Intersections
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T or three-leg

Four-leg or cross
intersections

Multileg intersections

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/
 T Intersections
8

Simple

Channelized

Divisional Islands

Example:

Lawrence (T and 4-leg)

 4-Leg Intersections
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» Design & turning movements

relationships
 Multileg Intersections
10

» 5 or more approaches.
» This type of intersection should
be avoided? Why? How?

» When realigning roads:

• Realign diagonal roads to the
minor road
• Provide enough distance
between the intersections
 Source: MassDOT

Traffic Circles
11

A traffic circle is a circular intersection that provides a circular

traffic pattern with a significant reduction in the crossing conflict points.
» Rotaries

» large diameters > 300 ft, speeds > 30 mi/h,

» Neighborhood traffic circles

» diameters smaller than rotaries, lower speeds. used at local streets, as a means of traffic calming
and/or as an aesthetic device.
» Roundabouts
» Yield control at each approach
» Separation of conflicting traffic movements by pavement markings or raised islands
» Travel speeds less than 30 mi/h
» Parking not usually allowed within the circulating roadway.
 Traffic Circles
12

Source: MassDOT
 Traffic Circles
13

Source: MassDOT
 Roundabouts
14

» Mini roundabouts
» Urban compact roundabouts
» Urban single-lane roundabouts
» Urban double-lane roundabouts
» Rural single-lane roundabouts
» Rural double-lane roundabouts
 DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS
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» To reduce the severity of potential conflicts between:

» Vehicles, pedestrians, and facilities while facilitating the
convenience, ease, and comfort of people traversing the
intersection.
» Provide ease/control of access consistent with the function of
intersecting roadways
 Alignment of At-Grade Intersections
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At-grade intersections = 90o or ~90o > acute-angle. Why?

» Less road area for turning

» Lower exposure time for crossing

» Less visibility limitations

 Profile of At-Grade Intersections
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» Avoid large changes in

grade
» Grade < 3%. Why?
» What if it is unavoidable?

http://toolkit.irap.org/
 Curves at At-Grade Intersections
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Turning speed
Angle of turn
(15 mph or less)

Design vehicle Traffic volume

 Curves at At-Grade Intersections
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Types of curve design (Turning Speed =< 15 mph):

» Simple curve

» Simple curve with taper

» Three-centered compound curve

 Curves at At-Grade Intersections
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Minimum edge-of pavement

designs for different angles of
turn and design vehicles

Check Garber (Page 281- 284)

 Channelization of At-Grade Intersections
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Channelization: the separation of conflicting traffic movements into

definite paths of travel by traffic islands or pavement markings to
facilitate the safe and orderly movements of both vehicles and
pedestrians.
Traffic Island is a defined area between traffic lanes that is used to
regulate the movement of vehicles or to serve as a pedestrian refuge

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/
 Why Channelization?
22

1. Direct the paths of vehicles.

2. Control the merging, diverging, or crossing angle of
vehicles.
3. Decrease vehicle wander and the area of conflict.
4. Provide a clear indication of the proper path for
movements.
5. Give priority to the predominant movements.
6. Provide pedestrian refuge.
7. Provide separate storage lanes for turning vehicles.
8. Provide space for traffic control devices.
9. Control prohibited turns.
10. Separate different traffic movements at signalized
intersections.
11. Restrict the speeds of vehicles.

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/
 Channelized Int. Design Factors
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Availability of right of way

Terrain
Type of design vehicle
Expected vehicular and pedestrian volumes
Cross-sections of crossing roads
Approach speeds
Bus-stop requirements
Location and type of traffic-control device
 Principles in Design of a Channelized Int.
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Motorists should not be required to make more than one decision at a time.

Avoid sharp reverse curves and turning paths greater than 90°.

Merging and weaving areas should be as long as possible.

Crossing traffic streams that do not weave or merge should intersect at 90°.

Provide adequate sight distance.

Refuge areas for turning vehicles should not interfere with the movement of through vehicles.

Prohibited turns should be blocked wherever possible.

Decisions on the location of essential traffic control devices should be a component of the design process.
 General Characteristics of Traffic Islands
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1. Curbed
i. Mountable
ii. Barrier
2. Pavement markings
3. Pavement edges

https://www.rosehillhighways.com/

https://www.chescoplanning.org/
 Functions of Traffic Islands
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Channelized islands: control and direct traffic.

Divisional islands: divide opposing or same-directional traffic streams.

Refuge islands: provide refuge for pedestrians

 Channelized Islands
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Objective: eliminate confusion to motorists at intersections with different traffic

movements by guiding them into the correct lane for their intended movement.
How? by converting excess space at the intersection into islands in a manner that
leaves very little to the discretion of the motorist

The number of islands used for channelization at an intersection should be kept to a practical minimum. Why?
 Divisional Islands
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Objective: frequently used at

intersections of undivided
highways to alert drivers that
they are approaching an
intersection and to control
traffic at the intersection. They
also can be used effectively to
control left turns at skewed
intersections.
 Refuge Islands (Pedestrian Islands)
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Objective: used mainly at urban

intersections to serve as refuge areas for
wheelchairs and pedestrians crossing
wide intersections. They also may be
used for loading and unloading transit
passengers.
examples of islands that provide refuge as
well as function as channelized islands

http://www.longbeach.gov/
 Min. Pavement Widths of Turning Roadways
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What do we do when Turning speeds > 15 mi/h?

Increase the pavement widths of the turning roadways. How?

Three classifications of pavement widths are used:

• Case I: one-lane, one-way operation with no provision for passing a stalled

vehicle
• Case II: one-lane, one-way operation with provision for passing a stalled vehicle
• Case III: two-lane operation, either one-way or two-way
 Min. Pavement Widths
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The pavement width depends on:

» Widths of the front and rear overhangs
(FA and FB )
» Total clearance per vehicle (C)

» An extra width allowance due to

difficulty of driving on curves (Z)
» Track width (U) of the vehicle as it
moves around the curve.
 Min. Pavement Widths
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AASHTO suggests for total

clearance /vehicle
» 4 ft for Case I,

» 2 ft for the stopped vehicle + 2

ft for the passing vehicle in

Case II,
» 4 ft for Case III.
 Min. Pavement Widths
33

» Extra width allowance, Z:

𝑣𝑣
Z=
𝑅𝑅
» v design speed (mi/h)
» R radius of curve (ft)

» Track width, U:

U = 𝑢𝑢 + 𝑅𝑅 − 𝑅𝑅2 − � 𝐿𝐿2𝑖𝑖

» U = track width on curve (ft)

» u = track width on tangent (out-to-out of tires) (ft)
» R = radius of curve or turn (ft)
» Li = wheelbase of design vehicle between consecutive axles or (sets of tandem axles) and articulation points (ft)
 Min. Pavement Widths
34

Traffic Condition A: Passenger vehicles are predominant, but this traffic

condition also provides some consideration for the occasional SU truck

Traffic Condition B: Proportion of SU vehicles warrants this vehicle type to

be the design vehicle, but it allows for the accommodation of some tractor-
trailer combination trucks (5 to 10%)

Traffic Condition C: Proportion of tractor-semitrailer combination trucks WB-

12 or WB-15 (WB-40 or WB-50) vehicles in the traffic stream warrants
one of these vehicle types to be the design vehicle.
 Min. Pavement Widths
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 Example 7.1
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A ramp from an urban expressway with a design speed of 30 mi/h connects with a local
road forming a T intersection. An additional lane is provided on the local road to allow
vehicles on the ramp to turn right onto the local road without stopping. The turning
roadway has a mountable curb on one side and will provide for a one-lane, one-way
operation with provision for passing a stalled vehicle. Determine the width of the
turning roadway if the predominant vehicles on the ramp are single-unit trucks but
give some consideration to semitrailer vehicles. Use 0.08 for the superelevation.
 Example 7.1
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38 Break
Take 10-minutes break.
 Agenda (Session 2)
39

SIGHT DISTANCE AT SIGHT TRIANGLES INTERSECTION

INTERSECTIONS CONTROL
 Sight Distance at Intersections
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The high crash

potential at an
intersection can be
reduced by
providing sight
distances

https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/intersection-design-elements/visibility-sight-
distance/
 Types of Sight Triangles
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1. Approach sight triangles

2. Departure sight triangles
 At Grade Intersections
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Case A Intersections with No Control

Case B Stop Controlled Intersections from Minor

Case C Yield Controlled Intersections from Minor

Case D Signal Controlled Intersections

Case E All-way Stop Controlled Intersections

Case F Left Turns from Major Highway

 Case A: Intersections with No Control
43

» 2.5 sec to detect and recognize

a vehicle at intersections
» Drivers decrease speeds to 50
percent of their mid-block
speed
𝑑𝑑𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎
» =
𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎 −𝑏𝑏

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0KE5WvgJQU
 Case A: Intersections with No Control
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» Example: speed limit of 40 mi/h

intersects with a road with a speed
limit of 25 mi/h, the distances da and
db are 195 ft and 115 ft
» For approach grades greater than 3
percent, sight distances given in
Table 7.7a should be multiplied by
the appropriate values given in
Table 7.7b.
𝑑𝑑𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎
» =
𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑎 −𝑏𝑏
 Example 7.2
45

A tall building is located 45 ft from

the centerline of the right lane of a
local road (b) and 65 ft from the
centerline of the right lane of an
intersecting road (a). If the maximum
speed limit on the intersecting road is
35 mi/h, what should the speed limit
on the local road be such that the
minimum sight distance is provided
to allow the drivers of approaching
vehicles to avoid imminent collision
by adjusting their speeds? Approach
grades are 2%.
 Case B: Stop-Control Intersections on Minor Roads
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Case B1: Left Turn from Case B2: Right Turn from Case B3: Cross Maneuver
the Minor Roads the Minor Roads from the Minor Roads
 Case B1: Left Turn from the Minor Roads
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d =1.47v t
ISD major g

dISD : sight distance (length of the leg of sight

triangle) along the major road from the
intersection
Vmajor : design speed on the major highway
from the intersection (ft)
tg : time gap for the minor road vehicle to
enter the major road (sec)
 Example 7.4
48

A minor road intersects a major four-

lane divided road with a design speed of
65 mi/h and a median width of 6 ft. The
intersection is controlled with a stop
sign on the minor road. If the design
vehicle is a passenger car, determine the
minimum sight distance required on the
major road for the stopped vehicle to
turn left onto the major road if the
approach grade on the minor road is 4%.
 Case B2: Right Turn from the Minor Roads
49

» Similar to Case B1, but tg

decreased by 1 sec.
» Where the sight distance is not
available, reducing the speed
limit on the major road could
be considered

https://deldot.gov/Business/subdivisions/pdfs/Subdivision%20Training_Intersection%20Sight%20Distance_v2.pdf
 Case B3: Cross Maneuver from the Minor Roads
50

» Minimum requirements
determined for right and left turns
as presented for Cases B1 and B2.
Check if:
» only a crossing maneuver is
allowed at the intersection,
» crossing maneuver involve an
equivalent width of more than six
lanes, or
» vehicle mix of the crossing traffic
includes a substantial number of
heavy vehicles and the existence
of steep grades.

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/design/documents/chp0400-a11y.pdf
Next Week

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