THE INTERSECTION

AND ITS ELEMENTS

BY; DYÑEL FLOR D. ORTIZ

 What is an
INTERSECTION?
It is a defined area where
two or more roadways join
or cross.

GROUP 2 - SAT 7:30 - 10:30 AM

THE
ELEMENTS
LEGS
A roadway extending
from the intersection.

⚬ APPROACH LEG
⚬ DEPARTURE LEG

TRANSPORTATION ENGG.
MAJOR STREET

The intersecting street with

greater traffic volume, large
cross-section, and higher
functional class

TRANSPORTATION ENGG.
MINOR STREET
The intersection that is
less likely to have lesser
traffic volume, smaller
cross-section, and lower
functional classification
than the major street.

TRANSPORTATION ENGG.
ANGLE OF
INTERSECTION
The angle formed by the
intersecting streets' center
lines.

The best angle is between 75

and 105 degrees.

TRANSPORTATION ENGG.
CHANNELIZATION

Separation of conflicting traffic

movements into definite paths of traffic
islands or pavement markings.

Hypelane Clothing Co. 2020

 • PAVEMENT MARKINGS

• PEDESTRIAN RAMPS

• AUXILLIARY LANES

• CHANNELIZING ISLAND

• TURNING ROADWAY

• DIVISIONAL ISLAND

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
 TWO MAIN TYPES OF
INTERSECTION OF ROADS

01 02
GRADE SEPARATED AT-GRADE
INTERSECTIONS
INTERSECTIONS
GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECTIONS

- It is a bridge that eliminates crossing conflicts at intersections by vertical

separation of roadways in space.

- Also termed as INTERCHANGES.

- Grade separated intersections cause less hazard and delay than grade intersections.
Route transfer at grade separations is accommodated by interchange facilities
consisting of ramps.
GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECTIONS

- The interchange configurations are designed in such a way to accommodate

economically the traffic requirements of flow, operation on the crossing facilities,
physical requirements of the topography, adjoining land use, type of controls,
right-of-way and direction of movements.

- The ultimate objective of grade separated intersections is to eliminate all grade

crossing conflicts and to accommodate other intersecting maneuvers.
 Directional interchanges
CLASSIFICATION 01 - are those having ramps that tend to
OF GRADE follow the natural direction of
SEPARATION movement.
INTERSECTIONS Non - Directional interchanges

02 - require a change in the natural path of

traffic flow.
 MAJOR INTERCHANGES

Underpass Overpass

Trumpet Diamond
Interchange Interchange

Cloverleaf Partial Cloverleaf

Interchange Interchange

Directional
Interchange
UNDERPASS

- An underpass or a tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed

except for openings for start and end points, commonly at each end.
A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic.

- If an underpass is constructed for pedestrians and/or

cyclists beneath a road or railway, allowing them to reach the
other side in safety, then such a construction is
termed as a SUBWAY.

6
CEBU CITY UNDERPASS. First few motorists drive through
the PHP638-million underpass project which has been opened
to traffic on Saturday (June 15, 2019).
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OVERPASS

- An overpass also known as a flyover, is a bridge, road,

railway or similar structure that crosses over another road
or railway.

- A pedestrian overpass allows pedestrians safe crossing

over busy roads without impacting traffic.

- Railway overpasses are used to replace at-grade crossing

as a safer alternative.

- Stack interchanges are made up of many overpasses.

TRUMPET INTERCHANGE

- Trumpet interchanges have been used where one

highway terminates at another highway. These involve at
least one loop ramp connecting traffic either entering or
leaving the terminating expressway with the far lanes of
the continuous highway.

- These interchanges are useful for highways as well as toll

roads, as they concentrate all entering and exiting traffic
into a single stretch of roadway, where toll booths can be
installed.

- The principal advantages are low construction cost and

are useful for highways as well as toll roads. 10
11
 DIAMOND INTERCHANGE
• A common type of road
junction, used where a freeway
crosses a minor road
• Avoids interweaving traffic flows
that occur in interchanges such
as clover leaf
 CLOVERLEAF INTERCHANGE

• is a two-level interchange in
which left turns (reverse
directions in left-driving
regions) are handled by ramp
roads (US: ramps, UK: slip
roads).
PARTIAL CLOVERLEAF INTERCHANGE
• A partial cloverleaf interchange or
parclo is a modification of a
cloverleaf interchange.
• Combines some elements of
diamond interchange with one or
more loops of cloverleaf to
eliminate the more critical turning
conflicts
• Provides more acceleration and
Deceleration Space
 DIRECTIONAL INTERCHANGE
• Provides direct paths for left turns
• Interchanges of two freeways or
interchanges with one or more very
heavy turning movements usually
warrant direct ramps ,which have
higher speeds of operation and higher
capacities, compared to loop ramps.
 AT-GRADE
INTERSECTIONS
DEFINITION
& TYPES
 WHAT ARE AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS?
3-Way Road
It requires vehicles to
stop on one roadway 02
01 when the other
roadway has the
right of way.
All exchanges 03
between the
roads take place
on the same
plane. AT GRADE
=
ON THE SAME LEVEL
 TYPES OF AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS
2-Way Split Arrows

01 02
STANDARD AT-GRADE ROUNDABOUT AT-
INTERSECTIONS GRADE INTERSECTIONS

• SIMPLE
• FLARED
• CHANNELIZED

3
INTERSECTIONS ACCORDING TO
NUMBER OF LEGS FOUR APPROACHES
• RIGHT ANGLES
02 • OFFSET
THREE APPROACHES 01 • OBLIQUE
• T-JUNCTION
• SKEWED T-JUNCTION
• Y-JUNCTION (FORK) 03

FIVE OR MORE APPROACHES

• 5-LEG
• 6-LEG

4
SIMPLE INTERSECTIONS

These maintain the

street’s typical cross-
section and number These are best-suited
of lanes throughout to locations where
the intersection, on auxiliary (turning) lanes
both the major and are not needed to
minor streets. achieve the desired
level-of-service.

5
 FLARED INTERSECTIONS
These 1
expand the
street cross-
section. Flaring is done to separate and
accommodate a left-turn lane; thus
2 increasing the capacity for traffic
lanes.

Right-turn lanes may also be added 3

when there is a significant amount of
right-turning vehicles.
7
CHANNELIZED INTERSECTIONS

All vehicle flow is defined

by barriers such as medians
and slip lane islands.

These provide more safety and

efficiency, reducing the number
of conflict points.
9
 Traffic must travel
A circular intersection in which
counterclockwise and entering
road traffic flows
traffic must
almost
yield to
continuously
circulating
in one direction
traffic.
around a
central island.

ROUNDABOUT

It creates a low This provides

speed maximum safety in
environment. all types of
intersections.
Design Parameters of Intersections
 Pedestrian
• Crossings and Pedestrian Curb Cut Ramp
Locations
• Walking Speed
• Pedestrian Flow Capacity
• Traffic Control, Yielding and Delay
 Crossings and Pedestrian Curb Cut Ramp Locations

Curb Ramps – provides

access between sidewalk
for people using
wheelchair, strollers,
walkers and whoever
have mobility restrictions
Walking Speed
Walking Speed
 Pedestrian Flow Capacity

The capacity of a
Pedestrian lane is
based on the
Crosswalk Width.
 Pedestrian Flow Capacity

Crosswalks are designated

portions on a road, employed to
assist pedestrians desiring to
cross the street, and play a
significant role in the mobility
and safety performance of
signalized intersections.
 Pedestrian Flow Capacity

• Shibuya Intersection
-known as the busiest
pedestrian crossing in the
world
 Traffic Control, Yielding and Delay

• Provide safety and

security for
pedestrian
• yield or give way sign
 Bicyclist
• Cross-section
• Operating Speed
• Bicycle Capacity
• Traffic Control
 Cross-section
• The standard width for
a bike lane between a
through travel lane and
a right turn lane is 5
feet (1.5m).
 Operating Speed
• Unsignalized intersections,
an average bicycle speed of
15 mph (24 kph) can be
assumed on the major
street.
 Bicycle Capacity
• the number of
bicycle per hour
that can be
accommodated by
the facility under
normal conditions.
 Traffic Control
• Bicyclist are required
by law to obey traffic
control devices at
intersections.
Therefore, traffic
control devices need
to account for bicycle
activity.
Motor Vehicles
• Design Vehicle
• Design Speed
• Motor Vehicle Capacity
• Traffic Control
 Design Vehicles
• The largest type of motor vehicle that is normally expected to be
accommodated through the intersection.
• At intersections, the most important attribute of design vehicles is their
turning radius, which in turn influences the pavement corner radius and
therefore the size of the intersection.
• Lane width, another feature related to the design vehicle, has some
impact on intersection design.
• The design vehicle appropriate for most types of transit service is the
“City-Bus” as defined by AASHTO
Design Vehicles
 Design Speed
• The motor vehicle
speed selected on
adjoining segments of
roadway
 Motor Vehicle Capacity
• The number of motor
vehicles that can be
moved through an
intersection under
normal conditions
 Traffic Control
• Much like other users, motor vehicles are influenced by the
type and timing of traffic control installed at an intersection,
and number of other users.
• At roundabouts, STOP controlled and uncontrolled
intersections, motor vehicle capacity and delay are influenced
by conflicting traffic streams.
Levels of Intersection Control
Reported by: Miranda, Katherine Ruth
Levels of Intersection Control

• Passive Control - less control on the driver

• Semi Control - there is some control

• Active Control - movement of the traffic is by the agency

Passive Control
• Less traffic volume = less control required:
• Drivers expected to follow basic rules
• Traffic Signs Plus Markings
➢Stop Line Marking
➢Yield Lines
➢Arrow Markings
• Traffic Signs - provides some level of control
➢Give-Way Control: Makes vehicle at minor road slow down
and allow vehicle at major road to proceed
➢Two-Way Stop Control
➢All-Way Stop Control
Semi Control (“Partial Control”)

• Drivers are gently guided to avoid conflicts.

• Examples:
➢Channelization: The traffic is separated to flow
through definite paths by raising a portion of the road
in the middle (“islands”)
➢Traffic Rotaries: The traffic is made to flow along one
direction around a traffic island
 Active Control
• The road user will be forced to follow the path suggested
• Examples:
➢Traffic Signals: Vehicle detectors are placed, and information is
passed to a controller which sets the cycle time.
➢Grade Separated Intersections: These separate the traffic in the
vertical grade.
❖Flyovers:
❑Overpass: When two roads cross at a point, the road having major
traffic is elevated to a higher grade for further movement
❑Underpass: The major road is depressed to a lower level to cross
another by means of an under bridge or tunnel
Active Control
❖Interchange: Traffic between two or more
roadways flows at different levels in the grade-
separated junctions
❑Trumpet Interchange: One of the legs of the
interchange meets a highway at some angle
but does not cross it
Levels of Intersection Control

• Passive Control

• Semi Control (“Partial Control”)

• Active Control