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Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

21 March 2005
 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

The Interim Standards for Roads and Highways defined in this document
have been developed by the Consultative Group–Transportation Sector under
the guidance of the Ministry of Public Works. These are the official interim
standards of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. These standards should be
used for all new road designs and construction projects in Afghanistan.

Table of Contents
21 March 2005

I. Purpose and Background

II. Implementation of the Interim Road and Highway Standards in
Afghanistan
III. Afghanistan’s Road and Highway Classifications
IV Basic Road and Highway Design Standards
V. Minor Roads
VI. Major Roads
VII. Expressways-Type I
VIII. Expressways-Type II
IX. General Technical Standards
X. Axle Weight Design Standards
XI. Road and Highway Signage Standards
XII. Pavement Marking Standards
Appendix A - Cross sections of the four technical definitions of roads and
highways

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

I. Purpose and Background

Purpose: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan through the Ministry of Public
Works is responsible for all the planning, construction, and maintenance of all roads and
highways in Afghanistan. This document defines road classifications in Afghanistan and
details the interim standards for road and highway construction in Afghanistan. The
standards detailed within this document are the base standards set by the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan for road and highway construction. In the future, the Ministry of
Public Works (MPW) will publish a more detailed set of codes and regulations in the
form of a highway manual. The basic standards defined in this document form the
foundation for the future, more detailed standards.

References:

1. Securing Afghanistan’s Future, Accomplishments and the Strategic Path

Forward, Transportation Annex, Technical Annex dated January 2004.

2. The Islamic State of Afghanistan – Terms of Reference for the Establishment

of Comprehensive Set of National Regulations Codes and Standards (NRCS) for the
Nations of Afghanistan.

3. Review of Vehicle Dimensions, Permissible Axle Loads and Gross Vehicle

Weights in the ESCAP Region, from the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian
Highway Network, 11-12 November 2002, Bangkok.

4. Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network, United Nations

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

5. The United Nations Convention on Road Signs and Signals, done at Vienna
on 8 November 1968 and amended on 30 November 1995,
(E/CONF.56/17/Rev.1/Amend.1).

Background: The standards detailed in this document were developed by the

Consultative Group–Transportation Sector, under the mandate of the “Terms of
Reference for the Establishment of a NRCS”, (reference #2) with guidance and input
from the Ministry of Public Works and donor nations and organizations. Authority to
accept, reject and modify the group’s recommendation was maintained by the Ministry
of Public Works. The Consultative Group–Transportation Sector is composed of
engineers from a wide range of donor nations, nongovernmental organizations, and
coalition military organizations.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

II. Implementation of the Interim Road and Highway Standards in

Afghanistan

The standards specified in this document focus on carriage way (lane) and
shoulder widths, basic axle weight design, design speeds, signage, and pavement
markings. These standards should be incorporated into the design and construction of
all new roads and highways in Afghanistan.

Ongoing Construction: Currently, there are many road and highway construction
projects in progress, in advanced states of design and/or under contract for constructing
in Afghanistan. Where feasible, plans that are not in compliance with the interim
standards should be modified to meet these standards. The Ministry of Public Works
realizes this will not be economically feasible or practical in some cases.

Economic and Safety Considerations: In some cases donor nations and

organization may desire to deviate from the specifications and standards required by
the interim standards for economic or other reasons. These cases must be addressed
individually with the Ministry of Public Works.

Any request coordinated through the Ministry of Public Works for deviation(s) from
the standards should consider the following items.

- All roads, above the classification of “Minor Roads” must be at least two (2) lanes
(carriage ways) wide with a standardized width of 3.50 meters for each lane (7.0 meter
wide roadway). This minimum standard should not be waived or modified. Decreasing
this standard introduces significant risk and decreases road safety to unacceptable
conditions.

- The shoulder widths specified in the standards are generally wider than typically
found in Afghanistan. The shoulder width standards were set intentionally to improve
both road safety and to improve the structural foundation of the road’s surface.

- All drainage structures (e.g. culverts) and other incorporated structures must be
the full width of the road and it shoulders.

- The pavement marking standards specified in this document are not all-inclusive;
they are intended to standardize the most common markings and to serve as a base for
detailed, more encompassing, standards which will be developed in the future. These
standards should be applied to all future paved road projects. Because painting of
pavement marking is relatively easy to modify and likely to create little or no additional
associated cost, these standards should be applied to all ongoing projects where
feasible.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

III. Afghanistan’s Road and Highway Classifications

The functional definitions of roads and highways in Afghanistan are derived from
“Securing Afghanistan’s Future: Accomplishments and the Strategic Path Forward,
TRANSPORT ANNEX, Technical Annex, January 2004”.

On 26 December 2004, the Ministry of Public Works slightly modified these terms
specifically: the term “Super Corridor” was renamed “Regional Highway”. Additionally,
Type 1 and Type 2 Provincial Roads were consolidated to simply “Provincial Roads”.

Functional Definitions of Roads and Highways

1. Rural Roads: bring the hinterland in commercial contact with markets and
seats of power.

2. Provincial Roads: improve the administrative, trade and economic contacts

between district headquarters and respective provincial capitals and between important
district headquarters.

3. National Highways: promote trade and economic linkages and extends

Regional Highways to provincial capitals contributing to peace, security, stability,
economic growth and national integration.

4. Regional Highways: (formerly Super Corridors) are (planned) for two-lane

expansion to make four lanes, fostering regional trade and economic linkages between
Afghanistan the neighboring countries, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan. Regional Highways are (will be) 4 lanes dual 7-meter carriageway with
medians.

Roads are designed and built based on the technical definitions. The two most
important factors in planning and selecting what type of road to construct or to what
level to upgrade a current road are the projected average daily traffic (ADT) and the
economic resources available. There is often a relationship between the technical
definition of a road and its functional definition, but functional definitions are a tertiary
factor in determining requirements for road construction or a road upgrade project.

Technical Definitions of Roads and Highways

1. Non-Standard Roads: are small roads and trails that are not significant
enough to require engineering design or standardization. They typically have very low
average daily traffic (ADT) and have gravel or dirt surfaces. Non-Standard Roads are
not addressed in this publication.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

2. Minor Roads: are two lane gravel roads with a six (6) meter wide carriageway
and 1.5 meter wide shoulders, where possible. Minor Roads have low average daily
traffic of below 5,000 Passenger Car Units as Average Annual Daily Traffic (ADT)
volume. Their surfaces are compacted gravel or a similar material.

3. Major Roads: are two lane paved roads with a seven (7) meter wide
carriageway and 1.5 meter wide shoulders. Major Roads are designed for average
traffic volume up to 13,000 ADT.

4. Expressways-Type I: are four (4) lane paved roads with two lanes in each
direction, lanes are 3.5 meters wide and the total roadway width is 24 meters. Exterior
shoulders are three (3) meters wide and interior shoulders are two (2) meters wide
including median barrier. Expressways are designed for higher speeds and can
accommodate heavy traffic volume between 13,000 and 30,000 ADT.

5. Expressways-Type II: are four or more (4+) lanes, paved roads. They have
two or more lanes for each direction of traffic with a median separating the opposing
lanes of traffic; lanes are 3.5 meters wide. Divided highways have access control (e.g.
entrance and exit ramps) and are designed for higher speeds and can accommodate
traffic in excess of 30,000 ADT.

IV. Basic Road and Highway Design Standards

For standards codes and engineering practices not specified in this interim
standard, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will use design codes the guidelines
defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO).

AASHTO world wide web home page is

http://www.transportation.org/aashto/home.nsf/FrontPage

V. Minor Roads: are two lane gravel roads with a six (6) meter wide carriageway
and 1.5 meter wide shoulders, where possible. Minor Roads have low average daily
traffic of below 5,000 Passenger Car Units as Average Annual Daily Traffic (ADT)
volume. Their surfaces are compacted gravel or a similar material.

Basic Geometric Definitions – The basic geometric standards for Minor Roads are
outlined in Table 1 below. Minor Roads in built-up areas (villages) have different right-
of-way sizes than in rural areas. Additionally, Minor Roads going through built-up areas
(villages) have sidewalk standards.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

Surface – Compacted, crushed gravel surfaces or a similar surface is required

on Minor Roads. They are generally not paved unless the average daily traffic (ADT) or
other determination justifies pavement. Minor Roads can be paved with hot mix asphalt
(HMA), cobblestone pavements, single or double bituminous surface treatment (SBST,
DBST) or other local pavements. The paving method depends on funds available and
other objectives such as employment, use of labor, use of local materials and capacity
building within the community.

Table 1: Minor Roads – Basic Geometric Standards

Surface Gravel or paved based on average daily traffic (ADT)
Design Speed (kilometer Flat Terrain Rolling Terrain Mountainous Terrain
per hour) 60 kph 50 kph 40 kph
Minimum Radii of
Horizontal curves (meters) 115 m 80 m 50 m
(Note 1) (200 m) (150 m) (100 m)
Maximum Vertical Grade 7% 8% 10%
(%) (Note 1) (5%) (6%) (7%)
Standard Remarks
Rural Area
Rural Area Right of Way 15 meters Allows for future expansion to a
(from centerline) (m) Major Road
Roadway Width (M) 9.0 meters
# of lanes 2
Lane width (m) 3.0 meters
Shoulder (total) (m) 1.5 meters (gravel)
Built-Up Area
Built Up Area Right of 9 meters (min) Includes – carriage way, shoulder
Way (from centerline) (m) and sidewalk (where possible)
Roadway Width (M) 11.0 meters
# of lanes 2
Lane width (m) 3.0 meters
Shoulder (total) (m) 2.5 meters All paved if road is paved
Curbs – Sidewalk 3.0 meters (minimum) Includes curb, green strip and
(in built up areas) sidewalk. Curb height is 15 cm
Notes: 1. Values in parentheses are recommended.
2. All structures to include culverts and other drainage structures will be
“full width design”. Headwalls will extend past the shoulder.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

VI. Major Roads: are two lane paved roads with a seven (7) meter wide
carriageway and 1.5 meter wide shoulders. Major Roads are designed for average
traffic volume up to 13,000 ADT.

Basis Geometric Definitions － The basic geometric standards for Major Roads are
outlined in Table 2 below. Major Roads in built-up areas have different right-of-way
sizes than in rural areas. Additionally, Major Roads going through built-up areas
(villages) have sidewalk standards.

Table 2: Major Roads － Basic Geometric Standards

Surface Major Roads have paved surfaces
Design Speed (kilometer Flat Terrain Rolling Terrain Mountainous Terrain
per hour) 100 kph 80 kph 50 kph
Minimum Radii of
Horizontal curves (meters) 350 m 210 m 80 m
(Note 1) (600 m) (350 m) (150 m)
Maximum Vertical Grade 5% 6% 8%
(%) (Note 1) (3%) (4%) (6%)
Standard Remarks
Rural Area
Rural Area Right of Way 15 meters (min) Allows for future expansion to an
(from centerline) (m) Expressway
Roadway Width (m) 13.0 meters
# of lanes 2
Lane width (m) 3.5 meters
Shoulder (total) (m) 3.0 meters
Paved Shoulder (m) 1.5 meters
Gravel Shoulder (m) 1.5meters
Built-Up Area
Built Up Area Right of 9.5 meters (min) Includes – carriage way, shoulder
Way (from centerline) (m) and sidewalk (where possible)
Roadway Width (m) 13.0 meters
# of lanes 2
Lane width (m) 3.5 meters
Shoulder (total) (m) 3.0 meters Shoulders completely paved if
funds permit
Curbs – Sidewalk 3.0 meters (minimum) Includes curb, green strip and
(in Built up Areas) sidewalk. Curb height is 15 cm
Notes: 1. Values in parentheses are recommended.
2. All structures to include culverts and other drainage structures will be
“full width design”. Headwalls will extend past the shoulder.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

VII. Expressways-Type I: are four (4) lane paved roads with two lanes in each
direction, lanes are 3.5 meters wide and the total roadway width is 24 meters. Exterior
shoulders are three (3) meters wide and interior shoulders are two (2) meters wide.
Expressways-Type I are designed for higher speeds and can accommodate heavy
traffic volume between 13,000 and 30,000 ADT.

Basis Geometric Definitions － The basic geometric standards for the Expressways-
Type I are outlined in Table 3 below. The interim standards do not differentiate between
built-up areas and rural areas as they do for Major Roads and Minor Roads. When
Expressways are constructed or rebuilt through built-up areas, right-of-ways, sidewalks,
curbs and other associated standards must be developed individually as part of the
design process.

Table 3: Expressways-Type I – Basic Geometric Standards

Surface Paved
Design Speed (kilometer Flat Terrain Rolling Terrain Mountainous Terrain
per hour) 120 kph 100 kph 80 kph
Minimum Radii of
Horizontal curves (meters) 520 m 350 m 210 m
(Note 1) (1000 m) (600 m) (350 m)
Maximum Vertical Grade 4% 5% 6%
(%) (Note 1) (2%) (3%) (4%)
Standard Remarks
Right of Way (from 25 meters (min) Allows for future expansion to an
centerline) (m) Expressway-Type II
Roadway Width (m) 24.0 meters
# of lanes 4 (2 lanes in each direction)
Lane width (m) 3.5 meters
Outside Shoulder (total) 3.0 meters
Paved Shoulder (m) 1.5 meters Shoulder completely paved if
Gravel Shoulder (m) 1.5 meters funds permit
Inside Shoulder (total) (m) 2.0 meters 4 meter total inside shoulder, 2
Paved Shoulder (m) 2.0 meters meters each side with a median
barrier
Notes: 1. Values in parentheses are recommended.
2. All structures to include culverts and other drainage structures will be
“full width design”. Headwalls will extend past the shoulder.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

VIII. Expressways-Type II: are four or more (4+) lanes, paved roads. They have
two or more lanes for each direction of traffic with a median separating the opposing
lanes of traffic; lanes are 3.5 meters wide. Expressways-Type II have access control
(e.g. entrance and exit ramps) and are designed for higher speeds and can
accommodate traffic in excess of 30,000 ADT.

Basis Geometric Definitions － The basic geometric standards for Expressways-Type

II are outlined in Table 4 below.

Currently there are no Expressways-Type II in Afghanistan. The “ring road” and its
braches to neighboring countries will be expanded into Expressways-Type II when ADT
volume justifies it and funding is available.

Table 4: Expressways-Type II － Basic Geometric Standards

Surface Paved
Design Speed (kilometer Flat Terrain Rolling Terrain Mountainous Terrain
per hour) 120 kph 100 kph 80 kph
Minimum Radii of
Horizontal curves (meters) 520 m 350 m 210 m
(Note 1) (1000 m) (600 m) (350 m)
Maximum Vertical Grade 4% 5% 6%
(%) (Note 1) (2%) (3%) (4%)
Standard Remarks
Right of Way (from 50 meters (min) Allows for future expansion and
centerline) (m) safety
Roadway Width (m) 33.0 meters (min) 33.0 m assumes a 9.0 m median
# of lanes 4 or more 2 lanes in each direction
Lane width (m) 3.5 meters
Outside Shoulder (total) 3.0 meters
Paved Shoulder (m) 2.5 meters Shoulder completely paved if
Gravel Shoulder (m) 0.5 meters funds permit
Inside Shoulder (total) (m) 2.0 meters
Paved Shoulder (m) 1.5 meters Shoulder completely paved if
Gravel Shoulder (m) 0.5 meters funds permit
Median (meters) 9.0 Meters (minimum) Allows for expansion inward
Notes: 1. Values in parentheses are recommended.
2. Expressways-Type II have access control (ramps, exits, overpasses,
etc.)
3. All structures to include culverts and other drainage structures will be
“full width design”. Headwalls will extend past the shoulder.

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

IX. General Technical Standards

a. Terrain Classification Definitions: Several road design standards vary with the
terrain classification. Terrain types are defined in Table 5.

Table 5: Terrain Classification Definitions

Terrain Classification Cross Slope
Flat Terrain 0 – 10 %
Rolling Terrain 10-25 %
Mountainous Terrain 25-60%

b. Design Speed: Design speed is defined as the maximum speed at which a

vehicle can safely traverse a road based on its engineering design. Posted speeds are
generally lower than the road’s design speed. The manual, A Policy on Geometric
Design of Highways and Streets, 2004 Fifth Edition (AASHTO) states:

The selected design speed should fit the travel desires and habits of nearly all drivers
expected to use a particular facility. … It is desirable that the running speed of a large
proportion of drivers be lower than the design speed. Experience indicates that deviations
from this desired goal are most evident and problematic on sharper horizontal curves. In
particular, curves with low design speeds (relative to driver expectations) are frequently
overdriven and tend to have poor safety records.

c. Superelevation: Superelevation should not exceed 10% on all classifications of

roads and highways.

d. Pavement slope: Carriage ways should slope at 2-2.5%, Minor Roads may
have slightly greater slopes. Shoulder should slope from 3-6%.

e. Transition Curves: Transition curves should be applied to horizontal curves

with radii smaller than those listed in Table 6.

Table 6: Radii for which transition curves should be applied

Expressway- Expressway- Major Road Minor Road
Terrain Type II Type I
Level 2100 meters 2100 meters 1500 meters 500 meters
Rolling 1500 meters 1500 meters 900 meters 350 meters
Mountainous 900 meters 900 meters 500 meters 250 meters

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

X. Axle Weight Design Standards

1. Setting axle weight standards for pavement design and the subsequent enforcement
of axle weight standards is vital for the protection of Afghanistan’s roads. Overloaded
trucks, with axle weights exceeding the design strength of the road, cause premature
and rapid deterioration of road surfaces.

2. All paved roads will be designed and constructed for a 12-ton axle load. The 12-ton
standard is for a single axle.

3. The 12-ton single axle weight standard is consistent with Pakistan’s standard and
slightly higher than most other important economic partners in Central Asia.

4. A more robust and fully developed standard, based on engineering and

economic studies will be developed in the future.

XI. Road and Highway Signage Standards

Road and highway signage in Afghanistan will conform to the United Nations
Convention on Road Signs and Signals, done at Vienna on 8 November 1968 and
amended on 30 November 1995

These standards can be accessed on the World Wide Web at the following URL:

http://www.unece.org/trans/conventn/legalinst.html

XII. Pavement Marking Standards

1. The interim pavement marking standards are not all-inclusive; they are intended to
standardize the most common marking and to serve as a base for detailed, more
encompassing, standards which will be developed in the future.

2. All pavement markings are made with white, reflective paint, generally 10
centimeters wide; pedestrian crossing and stop bars are made with 30 centimeter wide
white lines.

3. The Basic Road and Highway Pavement Marking Standards are outlined in Table
7 (below).

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 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Ministry of Public Works
Interim Road and Highway Standards

Table 7: Basic Highways & Road Markings

Standard Marking Sketch Details

Shoulders Shoulders - Ten centimeters (10 cm) wide,

reflective solid white lines.

Centerlines1 -Ten centimeters (10 cm)

Centerlines 6.0 m wide, reflective, broken white lines 3.0
meters long with 6.0 meters between
3.0 m broken lines. When changing lanes is not
permitted they are solid.
Lane lines2 – 10 cm wide, 3.0 m long,
6.0 m
Lane Lines reflective, broken white lines. Spacing is
3.0 m
6.0 meters between broken lines. They
are solid where changing lanes is
prohibited.
Stop Bars (Stop Lines) – 30 cm wide,
Stop Bars reflective, solid white lines. They are
placed before intersection or other points
when specified.

Pedestrian Crossing Pedestrian Crossings – 30 cm wide, 30 cm

spacing, 2.5 meters long (minimum). Solid
2.5 m white, reflective lines across the width of
(min) the road.

1
Centerlines are broken where passing is permitted and solid where passing is not permitted
2
Lane lines are broken where lane changing is permitted and solid where lane changing is prohibited

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