Sight Distance

Highway Engineering I
Omer Khider 4. Sight distance

Content
Sight distance
Passing (overtaking) Sight

Stopping Sight distance distance
2
Sight distance
• Sight distance is the length of highway visible to a driver. A safe

sight distance is the distance needed by a driver on an arterial, or
a driver exiting a driveway or street, to verify that the road is clear
and avoid conflicts with other vehicles.
• Sight lines must be kept free of objects which might interfere with
the ability of drivers to see other vehicles. Features such as hills,
curves in the road, vegetation, other landscaping, signs, and
buildings can reduce sight distance.
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Sight distance
Stopping sight
distance
Applicable on all highways
Sight
distance
Passing sight
distance
Applicable only on two-lane highways
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STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE
• Stopping sight distance is defined as the distance needed

for drivers to see an object on the roadway ahead and
bring their vehicles to safe stop before colliding with the
object.
• The sight distance at every point along a roadway should
be at least that needed for a below-average driver or
vehicle to stop.
Factors affecting stopping sight distance
• Design speed
• Reaction time
• Co-efficient of longitudinal friction
• Longitudinal slope
• The efficiency of the brakes
Stopping sight distance
Distance traveled during

perception/reaction
time
Stopping sight
distance
Distance required to
physically brake vehicle
SSD = PRD + BD BD = braking distance (ft or m) PRD=Perception distance (ft or m)

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Perception/Reaction
• drivers (Johansson and Ruma): drivers expected to use brakes

• MEDIAN: 0.66 SEC
• 90TH PERCENTILE: >= 1.5 SEC
• Unexpected, response time increased by ~ 1 sec

• Some drivers took over 3.5 seconds to respond even under
simple test condition
• AASHTO recommends 2.5 seconds
• Actual stopping distances are also affected by road conditions,

the mass of the car, the incline of the road, and numerous other
factors .
• SSD = PRD + BD
SSD= Stopping sight distance (ft or m)
PRD= distance traveled during the driver’s )Perception –Reaction) time
BD= distance needed to stop the vehicle from the instant the brake is applied
• SSD = 1.47V.t + V2/[30(a/32.2+G)]

SSD: stopping sight distance (ft)
V: vehicle speed (mph)
t: Perception time, use 2.5sec if not given
a: deceleration rate (ft/s2); g=32.2 fps2
G: grade
• SSD = (0.28) V.t + V2/[(254)(f+0.01G)]

SSD: stopping sight distance (m)
V: vehicle speed (kph)
f: friction factor (note: f = a/g in appropriate units)
friction factor ( f = a/g in appropriate units)
Source: A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (The Green Book). Washington, DC. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2001 4th Ed.
Source: A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (The Green Book). Washington, DC. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2001 4 th Ed.
• Example
Determine the safe stopping sight distance at (i) level and (ii) upgrade 3%, while traveling at
speed of 60 kmph. Assuming perception and brake reaction time is 2.5 sec. and coefficient of
friction equal to 0.375
Solution:
SSD = (0.28) V.t + V2/[(254)(f+0.01G)]
SSD: stopping sight distance (m)
V: vehicle speed (kph)= 60
f: friction factor = .375
G= 3
I. At level
SSD= 0.28*60*2.5+(60)2/254(0.375+0)= 79.79 m
II. At grade= 3
SSD= 0.28*60*2.5+(60)2/254(0.375+0.01*3)= 76.99 m
PASSING (OVERTAKING) SIGHT DISTANCE
Passing sight distance considerations are limited to 2-lane, 2-

way highways. On these facilities, vehicles may overtake
slower moving vehicles, and the passing maneuver must be
accomplished on a lane used by opposing traffic.
The minimum passing sight distance for 2-lane highways is

determined from the sum of four distances (see the figure bellow)
PASSING (OVERTAKING) SIGHT DISTANCE
PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE
• PSD = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
d1 = 0.28(V-M)*T
d2 = 2S + 0.28(V-M)t , S = 0.2(V-M)+6 , t = (2.73*S/a)½
d3 = 0.28*V*t
d4 = (2/3) d2
Where
V = average speed of passing vehicle (kmph)
M = difference between speeds of passing and passed vehicle(kmph) taken as
16 (from 16 to 30)
T = Perception time, use 2.5sec if not given
t= time passing vehicle occupies the left lane (sec)
a = acceleration (kmph/s)
PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE
Example:
Design speed of Two-lane rural roadway is 100Km/hr ,speed of vehicle
(A)IS 110Km/hr and speed of vehicle(B) IS 90Km/hr calculate PSD
required? Assume T=4.5 sec
Solution:
PSD = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
d1 = 0.28(V-M)*T = 0.28 (110-20)*4.5=113.4 m
d2 = 2S + 0.28(V-M)t , S = 0.2(V-M)+6 , t = (2.73*S/a)½
S= 0.2(110-20)+6=24, t= (2.73*24/3.5)½ =4.32 (a taken 3.5)
d2= 2*24+0.28(110-20)4.32=108.9 m
d3= 0.28*V*t= 0.28*110*4.32=133.02 m
d4 = (2/3) d2 =0.67*108.9=72.96 m
PSD= 113.4+108.9+133.02+72.96=428 m

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Highway Engineering I

Omer Khider 4. Sight distance

Passing (overtaking) Sight

• Sight distance is the length of highway visible to a driver. A safe

• Stopping sight distance is defined as the distance needed

Distance traveled during

SSD = PRD + BD BD = braking distance (ft or m) PRD=Perception distance (ft or m)

• drivers (Johansson and Ruma): drivers expected to use brakes

• Unexpected, response time increased by ~ 1 sec

• Actual stopping distances are also affected by road conditions,

• SSD = 1.47V.t + V2/[30(a/32.2+G)]

• SSD = (0.28) V.t + V2/[(254)(f+0.01G)]

Passing sight distance considerations are limited to 2-lane, 2-

The minimum passing sight distance for 2-lane highways is

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