2 | Design Controls and Criteria This chapter discusses those characteristics of vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic that are criteria {0 optimize or improve design of the various highway and street funetional classe. 2.1 DESIGN VEHICLES 2.4.1 General Characteristics Key controls in geometric highway design are the physical characteristics and the proportions of vehicles of various sizes using the highway. Therefore, it is appropriate to examine all vehicle types, establish general class groupings, and select vehicles of representative sizes within each class for design use. These selected vehicles, with representative weight, dimensions, and oper- ating characteristics, are used to establish highway design controls for accommodating desig- nated vehicle classes and are known as design vehicles. For purposes of geometric design, each design vehicle has larger physical dimensions and a larger minimum turning radius than most vehicles in its class. The largest design vehicles are usually accommodated in freeway design Four general classes of design vehicles have been established: (I) passenger cars, (2) buses, ) trucks, and (4) recreational vehicles. The passenger-car class includes passenger cars of all sizes, sportutilty vehicles, minivans, vans, and pickup trucks. Buses include interety (motor coaches), city transit, school, and articulated buses, The truck class includes single-unit trucks, truck tractor-semitrailer combinations, and truck tractors with semitralers in combination with full trailers, Recreational vehicles include motor homes, cars with camper trailers, cars with boat trailers, motor homes with boat trailers, and motor homes pulling cars, In addition, the bicycle should also be considered as a design vehicle where bicycle use is allowed on a highway. Dimensions for 20 design vehicles representing vehicles within these general classes are given in Table 2-1. 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 vebicle with spe- cial characteristics appropriate toa particular location in determining the design of such critical {features as radii at intersections and radii of turning roadways. In addition, asa general guide, the following may be considered when selecting a design vehicle: (©2011 by the American Associton of State Highvay and Transportation Oficial Allg reserved. Duplication is veation of applicable la22 A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, + A passenger ear may be selected when the main traffic generator is a parking lot or series of parking lots + A tworaxle single-unit truck may be used for intersection design of residential streets and park roads, + A three-axle single-unit truck may be used forthe design of collector streets and other facilities where larger single-unit trucks are likely. ‘+ Accity transit bus may be used in the design of state highway intersections with city streets that are designated bus routes and that have relatively few large trucks using them. (© 2011 by the American Associton of State Highway and Transportation Oficial, All sighs reserved. Duplication i violation of applicable law23 Chapter 2—Design Controls and Criteria ‘on uote 30 uonmons Buona paver ny steouso woneuodsuoy, poe Conti aes fo womoNsy UESUANTY a L102 ‘wewosse ame unpue oa ans u0ope outa 24292 8 eg paNSEOU oREFERI Eee OWHELHHN A LOH SMUNP MARL. + a = (sun js) suorsuawg opiyon uBisoa -er-z aygeL