General Concepts of Highway Design

The goal in Highway Design is to provide safe roads for all road users, and not just
those in motor vehicles. The principle that ‘man is the reference standard’ implies that
roads must be adapted to the limitations of human capacity. This leads to what is called
the ‘safe systems approach’ which encourages:
• Simpler, self-explaining roads (with less reliance on traffic signs).
• Designing roads that encourage / enforce safe speeds (the safe speed being the
one that guarantees the safety of the most vulnerable road user).
• Forgiving roadsides (the ‘Clear Zone’ idea about unobstructed, traversable space
beyond the edge of the travelled way for recovery of errant vehicles).
• Functionality – developing a hierarchy of mono-functional roads (e.g. truck,
distributor, and access).
• Homogeneity – avoiding differences in speed, direction of travel, and mass of
vehicles (with segregation of incompatible road users).
• Predictability – ensuring that roads are easy to understand and there are not
nasty surprises (as for ‘self-explaining’ roads).

Human Factors and Driver Performance

The suitability of a design rests as much on how effectively drivers are able to use the
highway as on any other criteria. Considerations include;
• Driver tasks that include vehicle control (such as simultaneous multiple tasks and
reaction time), guidance (such as road following, lane placement, car following,
passing maneuvers and response to traffic control devices) and navigation.
• Use of the facility by older drivers and older pedestrians.
• Errors due to driver deficiencies and situational demands.
• Speed.

Properly designed highways that provide positive guidance to drivers can operate at a
high level of efficiency and with relatively few crashes.
Vehicles
The four general classes of design vehicles are (1) passenger cars, (2) buses, (3)
trucks, and (4) recreational vehicles. In the design of any highway facility, the
designer should consider the largest design vehicle that is likely to use that facility with
considerable frequency or a design vehicle with special characteristics appropriate to a
particular location in determining the design of such critical features as radii at
intersections and radii of turning roadways. As a general rule;
• A passenger car may be selected when the main traffic generator is a parking lot.
• A two-axle single unit truck may be used for intersection design of residential
streets and park roads.
• A three-axle single-unit truck may be used for the design of collector streets and
other facilities where larger single-unit trucks are likely.
• A bus may be used in the design of highway intersections that are designated
bus routes and that have relatively few large trucks using them.

Traffic Characteristics
The design of a highway and its features should explicitly cover traffic volumes and
traffic characteristics. Traffic volumes obtained from field studies (such as hourly and
daily traffic volumes, type and weight of vehicles and traffic trends) can indicate the
need for improvement and directly influence the selection of geometric design features,
such as number of lanes, widths, alignments, and grades.
Relevant studies include average daily traffic (ADT), peak hour traffic, directional
distribution, composition of traffic, projection of future traffic demands, speed
and traffic flow relationships characterized by the volume flow rate in vehicles per
hour, the average speed in kilometers per hour, and the traffic density in vehicles per
kilometer.

Highway Types / Classification

Functional classification groups highways by the character of service they provide, and
is primarily based on motor vehicle travel characteristics and the degree of access to
adjacent properties
The six recognizable stages in motor vehicle travel include main movement,
transition, distribution, collection, access, and termination. Each of these stages is
handled by a separate facility designed specifically for its function. A prominent cause of
highway obsolescence is the failure of design to recognize and accommodate each of
the different trip levels of the movement hierarchy.
Functional classification serves as a basis for organizing geometric design criteria, with
the classification of a highway or street establishing the basic design type to be used for
the facility. The first step in the design process is to define the function that the facility is
to serve. The level of service needed to fulfill this function for the anticipated volume
and composition of traffic provides a rational and cost-effective basis for the selection of
design speed and geometric criteria. The use of functional classification as a design
type should appropriately integrate the highway planning and design process.

2-Lane Highways
2-lane highways constitute the majority of the total length of highways, varying from
gravel or other loose surface roads to high type pavement. Lane widths of 2-lane
highways vary from 3.00 m to 3.65 m depending upon the traffic volume, design
speed, character of terrain and economic considerations.

4-Lane Undivided Highways

A 4-lane undivided highway is the narrowest highway on which each traffic lane is
intended to be used by traffic in one direction and passing is accomplished on lanes not
subject to use by opposing traffic. The ability to pass without travelling in the lane of
opposing traffic results in a smoother operation and a large increase in highway
capacity over that of 2-lane highways. The speed limit should be limited to 60 kph or
less, and they should feature prominent road marking to separate opposing streams.

Divided Highways
A divided highway is one with separate roadways for traffic in opposite directions. It has
at least two full lanes for each direction of travel and a median of 1.20 m or more in
width constructed in a manner to preclude its use by vehicles except in emergencies.
Increased safety, comfort and ease of operation are the principal advantages of dividing
multilane highways. A divided highway generally is for high volume and high-speed
operations. Medians 1.20 m to 1.80 m wide are acceptable under restricted rural
conditions but, wherever feasible, medians should be made 4.50 to 18.50 m wide and
preferably wider to obtain full advantage of traffic separation and to fit intersection
design at crossroads.

Classification of Highways According to System

In the Philippines roads or highways are classified as national, provincial, city, municipal or
barangay roads.

National Roads
Public roads, declared as national roads by the President of the Philippines upon
recommendation of the Secretary of Public Works and Highways satisfying the
conditions set forth under Executive Order No.113, Establishing the Classification of
Roads. National roads are classified as primary and secondary roads. The former forms
the part of the main highway trunk-line system which is continuous in extent; the latter
includes all access roads forming a secondary trunk-line system.
Road Right of way…………………………………………………….……..20.00 m minimum
Width of travelled way 2 lane ……………………...………………………..6.70 m minimum
Allowable grade ……………………………………………………………..…6.0% maximum

Provincial Roads
These are roads connecting one municipality to another, with the terminal to be the
public plaza; plus roads extending from one municipality or from a provincial or national
road to a public wharf or railway station. For purposes of allocating national aid
maintenance, a provincial road is designated and accepted as such by the Secretary of
the Department of Public Works and Highways, upon recommendation of the Provincial
Board (Sangguniang Panlalawigan).
Road Right of way………………………………………………………….. 15.00 m minimum
Width of travelled way………………………………………………...…….. 6.10 m minimum
Allowable grade…………………………………………………………...…... 6.0% maximum

City Roads
Roads / streets within the urban area of a city not classified as provincial or national
roads.
Road Right of way………………………………………………………….. 15.00 m minimum
Width of travelled way ………………………………...……………………..6.10 m minimum
Allowable grade …………………………………………...…………………...6.0% maximum

Municipal Roads
Roads / streets within the poblacion area of a municipality not classified as provincial or
national roads.
Road Right of way………………………………………………………….. 15.00 m minimum
Width of travelled way………………………………………...…………….. 6.10 m minimum
Allowable grade………………………………………………...……………... 6.0% maximum

Tourism Road
Tourism road is a road which is marketed as particularly suited for tourists. Tourist roads
may be formed when existing roads are promoted with traffic signs and advertising
material. Some tourist roads such as Ternate-Nasugbu Road are built for tourism
purposes. Others may be roadways enjoyed by local citizens in areas of unique or
exceptional natural beauty. It is often developed because it promises to generate
employment, enhance community infrastructure, and assist in revitalizing the flagging
economies in rural areas.
Road Right of way…………………………………………………………… 2.10 m minimum
Width of travelled way………………………………………………………. 6.10 m minimum
Allowable grade………………………………………………………………. 6.0 % maximum
Farm to Market Road
Farm to Market Roads refer to roads linking the agriculture and fisheries production
sites, coastal landing points and post-harvest facilities to the market and arterial roads
and highways.
Road Right of way…………………………………………………………… 6.00 m minimum
Width of travelled way………………………………………………………. 4.00 m minimum
Allowable grade……………………………………………………………… 10.0% maximum

Road Classification According to Primary Function

Road classifications based on the primary functions are the following:
Expressways
These are divided arterial highways for through traffic, with full or partial control of
access and generally with grade separations at major intersections.

Parkways
Parkways are arterial highways for non-commercial traffic with full or partial control of
access, usually located within a park or a ribbon of park-like development.