Urban Streets

M.V.L.R. Anjaneyulu
Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
National Institute of Technology Calicut
CLASSIFICATION OF URBAN ROADS

Space Standards for Roads in Urban Areas

IRC : 69—1977

Expressway
A divided arterial highway for motor traffic with full or partial
control of access and provided generally with grade separations
at intersections.
Arterial Highway/Street
A general term denoting a highway/street primarily for through
traffic usually on a continuous route.
Sub-arterial Highway/Street
A general term denoting a highway/street primarily for through
traffic usually on a continuous route but offering somewhat
tower level of traffic mobility then the arterial street.
Collector Street/Road
A street or road for collecting and distributing traffic from and
to local streets/roads and also for providing access to arterial
streets/roads.
Local Street/Road
A street or road primarily for access to residence, business or
other abutting property.
Functions - Expressways
 cater for movement of heavy volumes of motor traffic at high
speeds.
 connect major points of traffic generation and are intended
to serve trips of medium and long length between large
residential areas, industrial or commercial concentrations,
and the central business district.
 are divided highways with high standards of geotnetrics and
full partial control of access.
 generally provided with grade separations at intersections.
 parking, loading and unloading of goods and pedestrian
traffic are not permitted on these highways.
 Functions - ARTERIALS
 serve as the principal network for through traffic flows.
 significant intra-urban travel such as between central business
district and outlying residential areas or between major suburban
centres takes place on this system.
 provide for distribution and collection of through traffic to and
from sub-arterial and collector street systems.
 continuity is essential
 may generally be spaced at less than 1.5 kms in highly developed
central business areas and at 8 kms or more in sparsely
developed urban fringes.
 are generally divided highways with full or partial access.
 parking, loading and unloading activities are usually restricted
and regulated.
 pedestrians are allowed to cross only at intersections.
Functions - SUBARTERIALS
 functionally similar to arterial sheets but with somewhat
lower level of travel mobility.
 spacing may vary from about 0.5 km in the central
business district to 3 to 5 km in the suburban fringes.
Functions - Collector Streets
 function of collector streets is to collect traffic from local
streets and feed it to the arterial and subarterial streets or
vice versa.
 may be located in residential neighbourhoods, business
areas and industrial areas.
 normally, full access is allowed on these streets from
abutting properties.
 few parking restrictions except during the peak hours.
Functions - Local Streets
 intended primarily to provide access to abutting property
and normally do not carry large volumes of traffic.
 majority of trips in urban areas either originate from or
terminate on these streets.
 may be residential, commercial or industrial, depending on
the predominant use of the adjoining land.
 allow unrestricted parking and pedestrian movements.
RECOMMENDED LAND WIDTH FOR STREETS IN
URBAN AREAS

Expressways 50-60 m
Arterial Streets 50-60 m
Sub-arterial Streets 30-40 m
Collector Streets 20-30 m
Local Streets 10-20 m
Cross section - Expressways
Cross section - ARTERIAL
Cross section - SUB ARTERIAL
Cross section - COLLECTOR
Cross section - LOCAL STREET
REDEFINING CHARLOTTE’ S STREETS
Urban Street Design Guidelines have been developed
in response to two basic issues:
1) Charlotte needs to better plan for continued growth
and development, and
2) Charlotteans want better streets
PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES

 streets are a critical component of public space.

 streets play a major role in establishing the image of a
community. Therefore, they affect the health, vitality,
quality of life, and economic welfare of a city.
 streets provide the critical framework for current and future
development. The locations and types of streets will affect
the land development pattern, as well as how much
development can be supported by the street network.
 The design of a street is only one aspect of its effectiveness.
How the street fits within the surrounding transportation
network and supports adjacent land uses will also be
important to its effectiveness.
PRINCIPLES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES

 Charlotte’s streets will be designed to provide mobility and

support livability and economic development goals.
 safety, convenience, and comfort of motorists, cyclists,
pedestrians, transit users, and members of the surrounding
community will be considered when planning and designing
Charlotte’s streets.
 streets should be designed to encourage Charlotteans to make
trips by means other than cars, thereby positively impacting
congestion, air quality, and the health of our citizens.
 planning and designing streets must be a collaborative process,
because it is necessary that decisions about the street be made
with a variety of interests and perspectives represented.
CLASSIFICATION OF CHARLOTTE’S STREETS

1. Main Streets
2. Avenues
3. Boulevards
4. Parkways
5. Local Streets
 Functions
 Main Streets are “destination streets”.
 provide access to and function as centers of civic, social,
and commercial activity.
 Main Streets are designed to provide the highest level of
comfort, security and access for pedestrians.
 Development along Main Streets is dense and focused
toward the pedestrian realm.
 Land uses on Main Streets are typically mixed and are
generators and attractors of pedestrian activity.
 Because of their specialized function and context, Main
Streets will represent a relatively small portion of
Charlotte’s overall street network
 Functions
Avenues can serve a diverse set of lower level streets in the network.
functions in a wide variety of land use contexts. Therefore, they are the
most common (non-local) street type in our city.
They provide access from neighborhoods to commercial areas, between
major intercity destinations and, in some cases, through neighborhoods.
Avenues serve an important function in providing transportation choices,
because they are designed to provide a balance of service for all modes of
transport.
They provide for high quality pedestrian access, high levels of transit
accessibility, bicycle accommodations such as bike lanes, yet they may also
carry significant automobile traffic.
Most thoroughfares in our street network would be classified as Avenues.
The collector/connector function can also be served by some Avenue
crosssections.
Cross section for 60 m wide road

Median - 12m

Lane 3 - 3.5 m

Lane 2 - 3.5 m
Lane 1 - 3.5 m
Bus Bay - 3m 24 m
Parking - 5 m
Waiting area – 2 m

Service Road – 5.5 m

Sidewalk – 2 m
Traffic Signs
Traffic Signs
Chevron signs
Variable Message Sign
Variable message sign, VMS
Changeable message sign, CMS
Dynamic message sign, DMS
It is an electronic traffic sign often used on roadways
to give travelers information about special events.
Such signs warn of traffic congestion, accidents,
incidents, roadwork zones, or speed limits on a
specific highway segment.
In urban areas, VMS are used within parking
guidance and information systems to guide drivers
to available car parking spaces.
Variable Message Sign
 Traffic Signs

Absence of signs Profusion of signs, conflicting

messages and no standardization
 MARKINGS
 A double line indicates maximum or special restrictions,
 A solid line discourages or prohibits crossing,
 A broken line indicates a permissive condition, and
 A dotted line provides guidance or warning of a
downstream change in lane function.

Edge lines are SOLID lines

A DOUBLE SOLID WHITE line -

lane changing (among lanes
going in the same direction) is
prohibited
 MARKINGS
Red raised pavement markers are
placed to be visible to "wrong-way"
drivers. These special markers warn
drivers not to enter one-way
roadways or one-way ramps in the
wrong direction.
Blue markings shall supplement white
markings for parking spaces for
persons with disabilities.
Purple markings shall supplement lane line or edge line
markings for toll plaza approach lanes that are restricted
to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll
collection accounts
Signs & Markings
Bus Stop

Bus stops on opposite

sides of the road sited
tail to tail to encourage
passengers to cross
behind the buses.
Bus Stop
 Bus Terminal Layout
area

Passenger waiting/ boarding area

Raised Platform
Passenger circulation
 Rumble Strips and Rumble Stripes
Rumble strips are raised or grooved patterns on the
roadway that provide both an audible warning (rumbling
sound) and a physical vibration to alert inattentive
drivers.
As a vehicle passes over the rumble strips, noise and
vibration are produced, alerting the driver they are
approaching a hazard Roadway Rumble Strips - placed
across the traveled way to alert
drivers approaching a change of
roadway condition or a hazard that
requires substantial speed
reduction or other maneuvering
raised plastic transverse rumble
strips approaching Toll gate
Centerline Rumble Strips - placed on centerline
of undivided highways to warn drivers that they
are leaving their intended lane of travel.

centerline rumble strips reduced head-on and

opposite direction sideswipe injury crashes by
25%
Shoulder Rumble Strips - placed on the
shoulders just beyond the traveled way to warn
drivers they are entering a part of the roadway not
intended for routine traffic use
Pedestrian Facilities
Pedestrian Walkway
Shared Use Path
Sidewalks
Roadway Shoulder
Pedestrian Phase
Pedestrian Facilities
Foot Over Bridges
Pedestrian Subways
Crosswalk placement: Observe pedestrians
Crosswalk
 Pedestrian Safety

Two-stage crosswalks
Pedestrian Obscured
Support for Pedestrians
Accident Contributing Factors
Accident Contributing Factors
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system

Camera,
Onboard computer and
Software
Camera tracks visible
lane markings
 Signal Operation
Four Legged Intersection

4 phase plan

Sequence of
phases

2 3 3

4 2 4
3 4 2

1 1 1
Scheme I Scheme 2 Scheme 3
 Signal Timing

Same cycle length & green times during peak and off-peak hours
With advanced electronic controllers being available, is it
necessary?
Green time countdown indicators – increases
effective utilisation of intersection, but reduces safety
 Location of Signal Head

Signal on Central Island Signal on Corner

Two Conflict points No Conflict points
More time to clear Less time to clear
intersection intersection
Undesirable Most desirable
 Position of Stop Line

STOP
STOP
Line
Line
Police Umbrella at middle
Long Turning Paths
Very slow speed
Turning vehicles occupy other lanes
Police person not visible to some of
drivers
Police umbrella likely to be hit
Undesirable
Police Umbrella on side of main
road
Short Turning Paths
Police person visible to all
drivers
No risk to police person
Most Desirable
Too Many Signals
 Pothole

An unexpected pothole is very dangerous.

Such potholes should be immediately repaired

Manhole Covers
Projecting above the road surface
Depressed after resurfacing
 Enforcement
Overloading of Vehicles
 Surveys
External Cordon surveys
Internal Cordon surveys
Screen line surveys
Home interview surveys
Employment surveys
Demographic surveys
Landuse surveys
Link volume surveys
Intersection volume surveys
Corridor surveys
Parking surveys
Auto rickshaw surveys
Accident surveys
Pedestrian surveys
Road inventories
Pavement rating surveys
Noise level surveys
Speed and delay surveys
Regional bus passenger
surveys
Public transport inventory
Air quality surveys
Roadside interview surveys
Goods operator surveys
 Improvements
Intersection improvements Pedestrian facility improvements
Channelisation Sidewalks
Signal control Crosswalks
Rotary/Roundabout Foot over bridges
Signal coordination Subways
Grade separation Pedestrian malls
Parking improvements Pedestrian streets
Midblock improvements Parking lots
Widening Transit service improvements
Sidewalks Area traffic management
Median Goods transport management
IPT management Truck terminals
Bicycle facilities Wholesale activity location
 Improvements

Short term

Medium term

Long term
01-Feb-16 Workshop on “traffic & Transportation Planning" 70
 Transportation Planning
Travel demand estimation Pedestrian facility improvements
Travel demand models Sidewalks
Trip generation Crosswalks
Trip distribution Foot over bridges
Mode choice Subways
Route choice Pedestrian malls
Land use models Pedestrian streets
Integrated land use IPT management
transportation models
Area traffic management

01-Feb-16 Workshop on “traffic & Transportation Planning" 71

 Closure

A profession which serves the public

Lots of opportunities

Considerable challenges