Classification of Roads - Arterial, Collector,

Local Roads

Existing Transportation System

Karachi is enormous and vast and comes among the largely populated cities of the world.
Traveling is a major need of every city , people travel everyday to work, to learn, to shop
and do many other daily life chores. Everyone wants to get to their destination quickly
and safely with spending the least traveling cost. Hence a good transportation system is
an essential need of every city.

The transportation sector of any city greatly affects the economic and industrial
development of a city. It would not be saying too much that people depend on roads for
their survival.

Transportation system:
In simple words it is the interlinking of roads- the manner in which different roads connect
to each other, its geometry and the way it is aligned with reference to land use. Large
cities comprises many kinds of roads, while smaller towns probably has fewer road types.

Road Classification System:

A road classification system divides and categorizes the roads into different groups or
classes depending on the type of service each road is required to provide. Road
classification system is a fundamental tool for the infrastructure development and traffic
management of any city. Sorting and grouping roads that provide similar functions can
help improve transportation planning, road infrastructure design and maintenance, and
other traffic operations.

The road classification system can help reduce pollution emanating from the motorized
vehicles in the neighborhood. The classification system clearly defines which roads
should carry higher volumes of traffic and which roads should carry lower volumes. It also
depicts the traveling speed of each road category. And also helps in measuring the total
road network of a city. The road classification system guarantees efficient routes and
eliminate the chances of infiltration of major roads into neighborhoods to avoid accident
rate,congestion and pollution. The updating and maintenance of the Road Classification
System is an ongoing activity which ensures the existing road network of any country,
and any new streets constructed in the City are correctly classified based on their current
functional levels.
The road classification system majorly consists of three classes. However every country
has brought some changes in this classification according to their traffic situations. The
three core categories of road classification system are:

Arterial Roads

The main and primary function of arterial streets is the traffic movement. The arterial
collects its traffic from the collector roads. Sometimes a street or lane connects directly
onto an Arterial Road but this is not a well designed transportation system. The main
cause of such bad design maybe oversight, poor town planning or lack of funds. Arterial
Roads allows higher vehicular speed and commonly have lots of intersections and traffic
lights. Such roads are smooth, divided and wide which always tempt the driver to drive at
higher speeds and therefore there are frequent speed traps on these roads. Pedestrian
safety should be highly considered while designing arterials as the traffic speeds are
usually high on these roads, high risks of pedestrian crashes are involved.

Collector Roads

The term Collector originates from the word collect which means to gather. This road has
the function to collect traffic from all other streets and discharge them onto other
collectors, arterials or highways. The Collector Roads are also wide but not more than
arterials. Collectors also allow a relatively higher speed limit. These roads may or may
not be divided. The collectors usually have a low flow rate.

Also called major roads, contained within city limits and connect towns. Slow moving
traffic over short distance is its characteristic while its intersections are provided with
signals.

Local Roads

Local roads serve primarily to provide access to the traffic emanating from the properties
and discharge them onto collectors. They serve a minor role in the classification system
and usually have low traffic. On Local streets speed is usually kept low due to the frequent
movements of children and adults both in the residential area. Buses and heavy vehicles
are less expected on local streets.
5 Major Classes of Roads

Following are the major classes of Roads:

1. Trunk Roads
2. Primary Distributor Roads
3. District Distributor Roads
4. Local Distributor Roads
5. Residential Access Roads

Class 1 - Trunk roads (Freeways, national, provincial and

inter-regional roads)
Their main function is to facilitate regional distribution of traffic (intercity movement). They
may be national or provincial roads and the type of facilities found in this class
are freeways, expressways, dual carriageways and single carriageway main roads.

Class 2 - Primary distributors (Urban freeways, urban

expressways and major arterials)
This class of road forms the primary network for the urban area as a whole. All long
distance traffic movements to, from and within the city should be focused onto such roads.
Characteristics are high volumes, restricted access and fairly high speeds. Continuity of
route is important.

Class 3 - District Distributors (Minor arterials and major

collector roads)
These roads distribute traffic between the various residential, industrial and principal
business districts of the town and form the link between the primary network and the roads
within residential areas.

Class 4 - Local Distributors (Minor collectors and collector

streets)
Local distributors are "local" through-roads which distribute traffic within communities and
link district distributors. Local bus services are routed along this class of road. The local
distributor should carry traffic from a housing module of more than 400 and up to about 1
500 dwelling units.

Class 5 - Residential Access Roads (Lightly trafficked roads

and local streets)
These roads give people direct access to buildings and land within environmental areas.
Access for motor vehicles is not their only function. They are used by the inhabitants for
other work, or leisure-time activities such as walking, jogging and playing, as well as for
the provision and maintenance of services to houses

Design & Functional Classification of Roads -

Types of Roads
Road classification system groups roads a limited number of clearly defined types.

Purpose of Road Classification

A road network is composed of various types of roads, each of which performs a particular
service in facilitating vehicular travel between points of trip origin and destination, and in
providing access to property. Road classification is the orderly grouping of roads into
systems according to the type and degree of service they provide to the public
Factors affecting classification of roads
Many different classification systems have been introduced and used for particular
purpose. The basis for some of these classifications is:

1. Legal control
2. Surface type
3. Function
4. Geometric elements
5. Location
6. Traffic volume

Seldom do these classification system differentiate between roads on basis of service

which is is essential for road designer.

Classification of Roads on the Basis of Design

This system separates roads;

 On the basis of differences in traffic service and land services.

 On the basis of geometric design features.

The eight primary divisions in this system are:

Rural Urban
Local Local
Collector Collector
Arterial Arterial
Freeway Freeway

1. Rural and urban:

It refers to predominant characteristic of the adjacent land use and not only to jurisdictions
boundaries or features of typical cross-section.

2. Geometric design:

For geometric design purposes it is essential to divide each of these divisions. For a given
road geometric design elements are affected by traffic volume. However it is significant
for classification only in determining the number of lanes and whether road should be
divided or undivided.

3. Other variables
Affecting geometric design are;

Development characteristics of the land surrounding, the road and the travel habits of the
local population.

1. The type of terrain road passes through

2. Financial resources available
3. Population density
4. Design speed is the measure of quality and is therefore the final sub division.

Road Types on the basis of Function

Design
Local Collector Arterial Freeway
speed Km/h

RLU*50
RLU60 RCU60
RAU80
RURAL 50 :: 130
RLU100 RCU100
RFD100
RAD130
ULU*30
ULU50 UCU50 UAU50
URBAN 30 UCU80 UFD80
UFD100
UFD120

* UAD100:- Urban, Arterial, Divided, 100km/h (design speed)

Freeway is preferred because it is more descriptive of the type of the traffic movement.
Factors Affecting Road / Highway
Classification

To identify the classification to which any road belongs, the following factors should be
considered:

1. SERVICE FUNCTION:- Most roads provide service to traffic, access to land or

both. Following road type provide the service function given as;

Freeways and Arterials ==> provide the movement of through traffic.

Local roads ==> are used almost exclusively for land access.

Collectors ==> provide a combined service.

2. TRAFFIC VOLUME:- The low and high traffic volumes are carried by different
roads. However, the volume rage for each classification is wide and overlaps that
of other classification.

Freeway and arterials ==> carries high volume

Local and Collectors ==> carries low volume

 3. FLOW CHARACTERISTICS:- The desire characteristics of traffic flow determine
the classification of road, e.g.

Freeways and Rural Arterials ==> serve primarily uninterrupted traffic flow
characteristics.

Locals Roads ==> provide full land service which is restricted by traffic crossings, entering
and leaving road by parked vehicles and in urban areas by pedestrians.

4. RUNNING SPEED:- in an ideal road system, local connect with collectors, collectors
connect with arterials and arterials with freeways. It is preferable to minimize the
interconnection of locals with arterials and collectors with freeways as it can cause
inconvenienced to the drivers and may increase in accidents.

Highway Drainage Design, Structures and

Guidelines
Includes collecting, transporting, and disposing of surface/subsurface water originating
on or near the highway right of way or flowing in streams crossing bordering that right of
way. Drainage of highway is important because water damage highway structure in many
ways. The water which are dangerous for highways are:

Rainwater: Cause erosion on surface or may seep downward and damage pavement
(surface drains)

Groundwater: May rise by capillary action and damage pavement (sub-surface damage)

Water body: May cross a road (river/stream) and may damage road (cross drainage
works)

It is more appropriate to take care of drainage at the time of location survey. Ideal location
for a drainage stand point would lie along the divides b/w large drainage areas. Then all
streams flow away from the highway, and the drainage problem is reduced to caring for
the water that falls on the roadway and back slope. In contrast location paralleling large
streams is far less desirable as they cross every tributary where it is largest. Ideal
locations avoid steep grades and heavy cuts and fills as they create difficult problems in
erosion control.
Surface Drainage of Highways - Surface runoff
Draining the roadway and road side:

Pavement and shoulder

The highway engineer should ensure that the precipitation is removed from the pavement
as soon as possible and that highway drainage is done efficiently. Water that falls on the
road way follows laterally or obliquely from it, under the influence
of cross slope. Or super elevation in pavement and shoulder. A
suitable value of cross fall for paved roads is about 3% for carriage
way with a slope of 4-6% for shoulders. And increased cross fall
for the carriage way e.g. 4% is desirable if the quantity of the final
shape of the road surface is likely to be low for any reason,

Drainage with pavement layers:

Is an essential element of structural design because the strength of the subgrade used
for design purposes depends on the moisture content during the most likely adverse
conditions. It is evident that benefits are derived from applying steeper cross falls to layers
at successive depths in the pavement.

The top of the sub-base should have a cross fall of 3-4% and the top of the sub-grade
should be 4-5%. These cross falls not only improve the drainage performance of the
various layers, but also provide a slightly greater thickness of material at the edge of
pavement where the structure is more vulnerable to damage. The design thickness
should be that at the center line of the pavement.

Road way drainage in fill:

Most common practice is to let the flow continue of the shoulder and down the slope to
the natural ground. Little erosion, if slopes are protected by turf or if the water flows
across the roadway and down the slope as a sheet.

 Unprotected slopes wash badly

 Irregularities in shoulder or pavement concentrate water into small streams
causing erosion e.g. at low points of sag.
  One way of preventing washing of side slope is to retain the water at the outer
edge of shoulder.

Highway drainage of run off in cut:

Water from traveled way and back slope is collected in road side channel, trapezoidal or
triangular.

 Design is based on slow to be accommodated.

 Intercepting channel (sometimes called crown ditch) may be employed at the top
of cut slope.

Advantages of Highway drainage in cut

1. It prevents erosion of the back slope by runoff from the hill above.
2. it intercepts water, not allowing it to enter side drain which may cause greater
discharge in side drains.

Road-way drainage in urban areas:

Water falling on the road surface generally flows along the gutter to curbs or gutter
inlets and from them to underground storm drains.

 Expensive as compared to rural area drainage works.

 We have certain justification i.e. large volume of traffic, pedestrian’s property.
 Designed to limit the spread of water over the traveled lanes to some arbitrary
maximum.
 Inlets at low points should be designed for longer return period.

Highway runoff drainage in rural areas:

Generally open unlined drains with suitable x-section and longitudinal slope are provided
parallel to road alignment, called longitudinal drains. In embankment they are provided
on one or both side beyond the toe. In cutting area it is installed on either side of formation.
Construction of deep open drains may be undesirable (restriction of space). In such cases
covered drains or drainage trenches properly filled with layers of coarse sand and gravel
may be used.
Cross Drainage Structures & Works
When a low laying areas or a stream or a river crosses the alignment of road,
arrangements should be made to allow the water of stream or river to pass on the other
side of road. The water is passed by structures known as cross drainage works. These
include road culverts, bridge and cause ways.

1. Culverts:

Encompasses practically all closed conduits employed fro highway drainage with the
exception of storm drains (covered pipes in urban area)

 [B.S.S](a) A drain sewer or water covers totally enclosed and usually of a size
through which a man can pass.
 (b) An opening through on embankment for the conveyance of water by mean of
pipe or an enclosed channel.

2. Bridges:

Bridges are used in runoff drainage systems where stream span is large, for which special
designs are made almost in every case > 6m.

Common culvert types are;

 Pipe culvert
 Arch pipe culvert
 Box culvert
 Bridge culvert
 Arch culvert

3. Cut off walls:

Extending below the level of expected scour.

 Culverts are usually installed in the original stream bed with their grades confirming
to those of natural channel. In this way distribution to stream flow and the erosion
problem it create are held to minimum.
4. Dips or cause ways in Highway Drainage:

A dip is formed by lowering the roadway grade to the level of the stream from the bank to
bank of the stream. Vertical curves at each end transition back to the regular grade line.
Washing of the roadway surface is prevented by curtain wall of concrete rubble masonry.
With proper design it is damaged little by flood water, so that maintenance cost are low.
With long transition at ends they ride smoothly.

Disadvantage of dips is interruptions and hazard to traffic when the dip is flowing.

5. A dip culvert combined:

(High level causeway) has been sometime employed to grade advantage. Partially
lowered pipe culverts under the road surface at stream bed level carry small flows without
inconvenience to traffic. The larger waterway capacity of the dip comes into play during
major floods.

Sub Surface Highway Drainage

 Sub grade may be damaged by sub soil water.
 Sub soil water as free water, when water table is high or it may come up by capillary
action to the subgrade when water table is low.
 Sub-grade should be of self draining material so that it may pass off the percolation
water that comes to it to remain dry and stable.
 But if sub-grade is of soft and retentive soil, or there are underground springs
bringing free water to the subgrade fro that reason subsurface drains should be
constructed about 1 ½’ to 2’ below the formation level to carry away water from the
subgrade and thus keep it dry. ( in easily drainable soil water can be lowered by
deep or open side drains, it also takes rain water.
 Cross-drains may be in the form of trapezoidal trenches filled with selected rubble
called rubbled drains or trench drains.
 Depth is not much and the discharge is small.
 The pipes are surrounded by filler material and the remaining of the cross trench
is filled with graded rubble, the bigger size rubble being nearer to the pipe. Water
of wet subgrade passes through the open joint of pipes and enter the lateral drain
which discharge into the longitudinal drain pipe in the two longitudinal side
trenches.
 Longitudinal drain carry water to the nearby stream.
 Cross-drains, staggered in herring bone fashion.
 Spacing of lateral drains is less in impermeable soil and more in permeable soil.
Intercepting drains:

For control of seepage in cuts or side hill locations and for highway Drainage of runoff
water