Intersection Sight Distance

Note: Some photos are taken from internet for illustrative and educational purposes only
Dr. Surender Singh Email: [email protected] Phone: 044-2257-4313 (O)
 Intersections
➢ What is an intersection?

• An intersection is an area where two or more roads join or cross. Therefore,

the chances of collisions are always there; hence, the intersections shall be
designed to allow different maneuvers for the vehicles travelling on different
roads.

➢ Can you draw a schematic

indicating different features and
maneuvers at an imaginary
intersection? Let’s say Phoenix
mall city intersection…

2
22-08-2023
 Intersections
➢ Potential Conflict Points?

Stop Line Zebra Crossing

Median Major Road

Signal

Minor Road 3
22-08-2023
 Intersections

• There are numerous points

where 2 or more vehicles can
directly collide; these are known
as conflicting points

• To avoid these conflicts and

allow all the maneuvers to take
place, control measures such as
signs, signals, etc shall be
provided

• However, despite providing these

measures, accidents happen…
why?

• Lets see some cases

4
22-08-2023
 Intersections

https://makeagif.com/gif/crazy-indian-traffic-intersection-driving-jam-video-J9ZDeE

5
22-08-2023
 Intersections

https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/one-injured-in-3-car-crash-which-shut-down-the-intersection-of-miner-graceland/

6
22-08-2023
 Intersections

https://www.timesnownews.com/auto/features/article/with-53-road-crashes-per-hour-road-accidents-in-india-continue-to-be-highest-in-world/720831
7
22-08-2023
 Intersections

https://citizenmatters.in/mumbai-nagpada-pilot-redesign-intersection-wri-india-4740

➢ However, despite providing these measures, accidents happen… why?

• The presence of obstructions (building, shops, trees etc) can affect the line of sight
and thus the sight distance required to perform maneuvers
• Inadequate Sight Distance at the intersections
• Lets see some images from our campus 8
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance

• Location: Near ICSR;

hospital road

• Because of trees, no
information of the
coming vehicle

9
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance

• Location: Near TGH

• No visibility of the coming vehicle, until you reach at the curve

10
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance

• Location: Near Shopping Complex

11
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/citizen-reporter/stories/traffic-signal/articleshow/59855269.cms https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/candidates-facing-fines-for-putting-posters-up-
early/30209707.html

• Traffic signal itself covered with trees

12
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
• The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection must have an unobstructed view
of the entire intersection, including traffic-control devices.
• The presence of obstructions, reduces the distance visible and thus the safe stopping
sight distance needed to avoid collision, especially at UNCONTROLLED intersections
(means no controlling devices) Minor Road

Line of Sight

Major Road

13
Visibility of the driver
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Sight Triangle
• The area of the sight triangle shall be sufficiently larger (i.e. leg length shall be more)
to avoid collision and allowing desirable maneuvers at intersection

Line of Sight

Major Road

➢ Types of Sight Triangles

• Required for approaching vehicles: Approach Sight Triangle
• Required for the departing vehicles: Departure Sight Triangle 14
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Approach Sight Triangle at Uncontrolled Intersections
• It is the sight distance for a moving vehicle i.e. vehicle is moving (vehicle is far from the
stop line)with the design speed and not aware of the vehicle on the other road.
• After seeing the position of vehicles on major road, the minor road vehicle driver has to
take the following decisions:
o to stop before or at the stop line
o slow down the speed
o merge with the traffic on the main road either on left or right side
o cross the main road.

• Can you draw an approaching sight triangle required for performing maneuvers?
15
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Approach Sight Triangle for viewing traffic approaching the minor road from right
• The vertex of the triangle on the minor road is called as decision point where the driver
after seeing the vehicle on the other road have to take a decision
• 𝑏 is the distance on the major road for stopping and 𝑎1 is the distance from the centre line
of major road to the decision point needed for safely stopping the vehicle

Major Road

𝑎1
Clear Sight Triangle

Decision Point
16
22-08-2023 Minor Road
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Approach Sight Triangle for viewing traffic approaching the minor road from Left
• 𝑏 is the distance on the major road for stopping and 𝑎2 is the distance from the centre line
of major road to the decision point needed for safely stopping the vehicle. Please
remember that 𝑎2 = 𝑎1 + 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ + 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ

Major Road

𝑎2

Clear Sight
Triangle

Decision Point
Minor Road
17
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Combined Approach Sight Triangles

𝑏
𝑎2

𝑎1 Major Road

Decision Point Minor Road

18
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Departure Sight Triangle at Uncontrolled Intersections
• It is the sight distance for a STOPPED vehicle standing on the stop line of the
intersection. This means one of the legs of the sight triangle will be significantly
smaller than the other.
• After seeing the position of vehicles on major road, the minor road vehicle driver has to
start the vehicle, accelerate, and then perform the maneuver

𝑏
𝑎1

Clear Sight Triangle 𝑎2 Major Road

Stop line
Decision Point

Minor Road 19
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance

• Approaching Sight Triangle • Departure Sight Triangle

❖ What should be the leg distances (area of the sight triangle) for safely
performing the maneuvers on the intersection???

• It depends on the type of the maneuver desired, speed of the vehicles, and
geometric features of the road
• Let us see some of the maneuvers and related leg lengths

20
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Case I: Enabling the approaching vehicle to reduce its speed
• In general, the vehicle travelling on the minor road, reduces its speed by around
50% of their design speed while reaching an intersection
• The total perception-reaction time to reduce the speed after seeing another vehicle may
be assumed as 2 seconds and 1 second for changing the speed i.e. 3 seconds in total
• Therefore, 𝑙𝑒𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ (𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏) = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 3 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑

21
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Case II: Enabling the approaching vehicle to STOP
• In this, the leg distance should be equal to the safe stopping sight distance

• Therefore, 𝑙𝑒𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ (𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏) = 𝑆𝑆𝐷

• In this case, the leg length is higher than as determined in Case I

22
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Case III: Enabling the STOP vehicle to Cross
• Normally the stop line is around 4.4-5.4 m from the edge of the major road. Therefore,
the leg distance will be
1
𝑎1 = 5.4 𝑚 + 1 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ
2
1
𝑎2 = 5.4 𝑚 + 2 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ

• Let’s see how to determine the ‘𝑏’ distance

23
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Case III: Enabling the STOP vehicle to Cross
➢ In this case, three maneuvers are expected:
• Maneuver 1: Turning Left
• Maneuver 2: Turning Right
• Maneuver 3: Cross the major road

• In general, in the absence of signals,

the stopped driver will look for an
instance when there is a sufficient gap
between two vehicles (same
direction) on the major road for
crossing or merging the main road.

• Intersecting sight distance for stopped vehicles is designed considering this time-gap.
• The acceptable time-gap is equal to the time required by the stopped driver to start
his/her vehicle, accelerate, and finish the desired maneuver

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑙𝑒𝑔 (𝑏) = 𝑣𝑡𝑔

Where: 𝑣 is the design speed of the major road and 𝑡𝑔 is

the acceptance time gap 24
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Case III: Enabling the STOP vehicle to Cross
• The acceptable time-gap depends on the lane in which the merger is desired and the
type of the vehicle
• In turning right, a lesser time gap is accepted due to more confidence among the driver;
the major road driver upon seeing the vehicle also reduces the speed and this can be the
reason for the reduced acceptance time-gap. Similarly for the crossing case.

The acceptable time-gap values in seconds

Turning right Turning left Crossing
Passenger Car 7.5 seconds 6.5 6.5
Single unit truck 9.5 seconds 8.5 8.5
Combination truck 11.5 seconds 10.5 10.5

• However, when all the maneuers are allowed, which is the general case, higher values
shall be considered

25
22-08-2023
 Intersection Sight Distance
❖ Indian Roads Congress Recommendations
• Normally, for safety considerations, the highest value of the sight distance among the
three cases discussed shall be provided at all the uncontrolled intersections

• As per IRC, the sight distance at uncontrolled intersections shall be at least SSD
corresponding to the design speed of the road

• If the available sight triangle available is less than the desirable minimum size due to
unavoidable reasons, the vehicle approaching the intersection must be warned or
controlled by suitable sign boards

26
22-08-2023