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Road Network Planning

and Route Selection

Ethiopian Roads Authority

Universal Rural Roads Access Program

Training of Trainers for Consultants
02 – 07 August 2013, Alemgena

Road Network Planning

 Before commencing a development program, it
is mandatory to execute the planning in the 1st
place.
 As planning is the basic requirement for new
road project and expansion program, mainly it
is important for Engineering project.
 As available funds are limited while the total
requirement is much higher, developing
countries need proper planning where best
utilization of funds is required.

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Road Network Planning

Prescription how to implement
Development 
development process
Strategy
 Direction of social change

Road and  Economic dev’t is conditioned by level

Development of transport infrastructure

Access - opening up isolated areas

Rural Access 
Generating social and economic
Roads 
development

Road Network  Coherent network – consistent road

Planning system as experienced by the user

Road Network Planning

Objectives
 To achieve road system & lengths of different
categories of roads in considering their
maximum utilization in accordance with the
available construction materials the road could
be constructed during the plan period under
consideration.
 To plan a road net work for efficient and safe
traffic operation at minimum cost of
construction, maintenance renewal of pavement
layers and the vehicle operation coast.

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 To form criteria for phasing road development

program in considering date wise priority of
the road based on its utilization.

 Taking in to consideration the development of

a region, to plan future requirements and
improvements of roads.

 To workout financing system.

Planning Elements
 Establish participatory frameworks
 Select the most appropriate technology
 Estimate the cost of managing the network
 Make roads safe for the users
 Identify required maintenance and
rehabilitation activities
 Schedule and package the activities ready for
implementation
 Carry out long term strategic planning

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WIDPs
Rural Development & Accessibility Framework

Development Basis 3. Communications Accessibility factors

1. Geography & Nature 1.Location
2. Population, Settlement & culture A. Basic HH Needs 2.Technology
3. Policy & Planning - Food 3.Communications
4. Resources &Investment - Shelter 4.Storage
5. Organization & Management 2. Technology - Clothing 4. Storage 5.Transportation
- Water & Sanitation
- Energy (Firewood)
- Other
B. Production D. Economic Facilities & Services

Agriculture & Irrigation Rural Extension Services

Animal husbandry Household Credit facilities
Forestry, beekeeping, fisheries (Village/Kebele/Woreda) Production Tools & inputs
Cottage industry Post harvest facilities
Trade & Services Grinding Mills
Mining Markets
Others - Education Employment Opportunities
Development Content - Health care Others
A. Basic HH Needs - Social centers
B. Production 1. Location - Food relief 5. Transportation
C. Economic Services - Welfare
D. Social Services - Political center Traditional Mode of Transport
E. Others - Others Intermediate Mode of Transport
Conventional Mode of transport

C. Social Facilities & Services

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Rural Roads & Network Analysis

 How efficient or inefficient a road system is as a
network

 Network based planning – coordinated a great

degree of network coherence is achieved

 Degree of equity to provide appropriate levels of

all-weather access

 Network-based planning could be based an

economic or equity principles.

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Aggregate properties of networks

 Various aggregate properties of network
◦ Density – route length (L) per unit area (A)
 Measure the efficiency a network penetrates or
covers an area
 Inverse to distance travel per person to a road
link
 Can be express in terms of efficiency or perhaps
equity, of coverage per unit population

Aggregate properties of networks

 Other networks connectivity and accessibility
indices
◦ Beta index (), the number of links per nodes
(E/V)
 Ranges from 0 to 3
◦ Gamma index (), ratio between the actual and
maximum possible no. of links
 Ranges between 0 to 1 – a value of 0.38 can be interpreted as
representing a 38% level of connectivity
◦ Alpha index (), ratio between the actual no. &
max. possible no. of loops
 Ranges from 0 to 1

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Road Network Analysis



Shire - Endasilasse

E = 12
V = 12
G=1

=1
 = 0.4 = 40%
 = 0.053 = 5.3%

E = 20
V = 15
G=1

 = 1.33
 = 0.513 = 51.3%
 = 0.24 = 24%
Arba Minch

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Hierarchy of Road Network

RRA

URRAP

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Key Indicators and their Relative Weight

Weight
Indicators Represents given Application
(1-10)
The higher the priority the higher
1. Community priority Community needs and Priority 10
the ratings
Availability of socioeconomic The lower the service, the higher
2. Socio-economic 8
services/coverage the rating
The lower the quality, the higher
3. Quality of Service Represents the Quality of Service 7
the rating.
Level of current inaccessibility
4. Remoteness The higher the distance/travel
(level of isolation), travel 5
time, the higher the ratings
time/distance
5. Traffic Demand & Economic The higher the ETV, the higher
3
Potential/contribution or impact the rating
The higher the connectivity, the
6. Connectivity Potential for linking other areas 2
higher the rating

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Route Selection
Road alignment and route selection
The position or the layout of centerline of the road on the
ground is called alignment.
A road should be aligned very carefully so as to minimize:-
• cost of construction
• maintenance cost
• vehicles operation cost
• rate of accident.
Requirements
• To achieve Short, Easy, Safe, and Economical

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Route Selection
Route Selection Surveys
• Economic Studies
• Social Studies
• Traffic or Road use studies
• Engineering studies.

Route Survey
Economic studies
 Population Growth
 Agricultural & industrial products and their listing
in classified Groups, area wise.
 Industrial & agricultural development and future
trends
 Population and its distribution in each village, town,
and other localities within area classified in groups.
 Existing facility with regard to communication &
reaction & Education.
 Per capital income

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Social Studies
 Income earnings and living standards of the
society in area of study
 Access to services: market, health, education,
job opportunity etc
 Availability of financial aspects.

Engineering Studies
The various factors, which control the highway
alignment, in general are:-
• Cost
• Obligatory points
• Traffic
• Geometric design factor
• Stability, Rocky, Unsuitable land, Marshy, peaty
and waterlogged areas, quality, quantity &
accessibility of construction material
• Drainage
• Environmental factors

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Route Selection criteria

 The most feasible route should minimize the
following cost
 Design Cost
 Construction Cost
 Maintenance cost
 Vehicle operating Cost
 Rate of accident/risk cost
 Rehabilitation Cost
 Upgrading Cost
 Land acquisition cost/ROW
 Environmental conservation cost
 Land Slide management Cost
 Cost due to force of majeure

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 The stages of the engineering surveys

are:-

• Map study
• Reconnaissance
• Preliminary surveys
• Final location and detailed surveys.

Engineering Studies
Office study steps

• Investigate all sources of information regarding past

investigations and other relevant existing documents.
• Collect geological maps, soils maps, land use maps,
topographical maps and aerial photos, and climate maps.
• Produce a map at a convenient scale showing the limits of the
geological formations and the indications relative to materials.
• Select possible road alignments and to facilitate the choice
among these possible alignments. Consider:- Stability, Rocky,
Unsuitable land, Marshy, peaty and waterlogged areas, quality,
quantity & accessibility of construction material)
• Superimpose the tentative alignments and the probable stream
crossings on the produced map.
• As far as practicable, estimate limits of the major cut and fill
sections of the future earthworks.

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Engineering Studies
Review of Existing Documents – Office Study

Materials
• Existing documents (geological maps, soils maps,
topographical maps, aerial photographs).
• In collaboration with the engineer or technician responsible
for the road alignment, the materials expert will superimpose
the tentative alignments, identify the probable stream
crossings, and, as far as practicable, estimate limits of the
major cut and fill sections of the future earthworks.
• Augment to the soils and materials component of the
feasibility study, since it represents proportionally a major part
of the geotechnical activities together with a visual
reconnaissance in situ.
• The main goal is to participate in the selection of possible road
alignments and to facilitate the choice among these possible
alignments.

Engineering Studies
Review of Existing Documents – Office Study

Geology
• Geological events, in particular the intense volcanic activity
associated with the formation of the Rift Valley, in which successive
lava flows have built up to an altitude of more than 2000m to form
the Central Highlands, are responsible for Ethiopia’s geology. These
lavas were subsequently eroded into a mass of plateaus and gorges
that now constitute the head waters of several great rivers.
• Ethiopia has a very diverse geology, but the rock formations tend to
be consistent over large areas.
• The Geological Survey of Ethiopia (Ministry of Mines) should be
contacted for maps and geological information, including a
geological map of Ethiopia dated 1972. Or refer selected maps of
interest if they are available in your organization.
Climatic zones
Topography
Vegetation
Land Regions

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Engineering Studies
Field
Reconnaissance
Goal

 Verify the assumptions made regarding the limits of

geological formations
 Confirm the indications relative to sources of
materials identified during the office review
 Identify in general terms potential problem areas (e.g.
embankments on compressible soils, expansive soils,
deep or potentially unstable cuts, major rock
excavations, etc.)
 Define practical means of detailed field investigations
 If possible and as required, conduct limited probes
and sampling to assess the general characteristics of
homogeneous soils areas and to identify particular
problem areas (e.g. rock cuts, fill sections on
compressible soils, slope stability, etc.).

Engineering Studies
Field
Reconnaissance
Field Identification of Expansive soils

For determination of expansive soils the following procedure

shall be followed:-

• Identification of expansive soils based on material

color, normally the expansive clays are dark.
• On areas of expansive clay the shrinkage cracks could
be seen during dry season. The crack width and depth
are correlated with expansion potential of the material
or with high moisture content variation like in water
logging areas.
• The clay lumps in dry condition are very tough and
with moistening, it becomes sticky.
• The road condition in areas of expansive clay is
worse than on road section on good subgrade.

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Engineering Studies
Field
Reconnaissance

Hence at this stage, all information regarding the

nature of the soil type, availability of
construction materials, Slope stability
problems, geologic defects (Fault, fold, etc),
Peats, marshy areas should be assessed and
the final alignment showing all those
problems and challenges should be sketched
and the final alignment should be determined
optimizing all factors.

Summary of survey requirement for route selection

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Summary of survey requirement for route selection

Summary of survey requirement for route selection

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General considerations and best

practice
Socio-Economic:
 The road should be as direct as possible between the cities, towns or
villages to be linked, thereby minimizing road user transport costs and
probably minimizing construction and maintenance costs as well.

 The preferred alignment should be one that permits a balancing of cut

and fill to minimize borrow, spoil and haul.

 The road should be close to sources of borrow materials and should

minimize haulage of materials over long distances.

 The road should not be so close to public facilities that it causes

unnecessary disturbance. Cultural sites such as cemeteries, places of
worship, archaeological and historical monuments should be
specifically protected.

 The location should be such as to avoid unnecessary and expensive

destruction of trees and forests.

Engineering:
 The preferred alignment is one that is founded on strong
sub-grades, thereby minimizing pavement layer thicknesses.
Therefore marshy and low-lying areas and places having poor
drainage and weak materials should be avoided.
 Problematic and erosion susceptible soils should also be
avoided.
 An important control point in route selection is the location
of river crossings. The direction of the crossings of major
rivers should be normal to the river flow.
 When an alignment passes near to a river, flood records for
the past 50 years must be reviewed, if these are available.
Areas liable to flooding and areas likely to be unstable due to
toe-erosion by rivers should be avoided

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Other:
 Where possible, the road should be located
such that the road reserve can be wide enough
to allow future upgrading to a wider
carriageway.

 Areas of valuable natural resources and wildlife

sanctuaries should remain protected.

Special Considerations in mountainous

areas
General principles:
 The location should, as far as possible, facilitate easy
grades and curvatures.
 High fills should be avoided and special attention
should be paid to the compaction of all fills.
 The alignment should minimize the number of hairpin
bends. Where unavoidable, the bends and switchbacks
should be located on stable ground.
 In relatively stable slopes, half cut and half fill cross-
sections should be adopted to minimize the
disturbance to the natural ground.
 Natural terrain features such as stable benches, ridge-
tops, and low gradient slopes should be utilized.

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 In crossing mountain ridges, the location should be

such that the road preferably crosses the ridge at the
lowest elevation.
 Needless rise and fall should be avoided, especially
where the general purpose of the route is to gain
elevation from a lower to a higher point.
 Locations along river valleys have the inherent
advantage of comparatively gentle gradients,
proximity to inhabited villages, and easy supply of
water for construction purposes.
 However, there are also disadvantages such as the
need for large number of cross-drainage structures
and protective works against erosion.

Unstable terrain:
 If possible unstable slopes, areas having frequent
landslide problems and benched agricultural fields
should be avoided.

 Mid-slope locations on long, steep, or unstable

slopes should be avoided.

 If an unstable area such as a headwall must be

crossed, end-hauling excavated material rather
than using side-cast methods should be
considered.

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Erosion potential:
 Erosion is a serious problem in much of Ethiopia. If possible, it is
best to avoid areas of high erosion potential.
 If not, considerable attention is required to dissipate flow in road
drainage ditches and culverts and reduce surface erosion. It is also
advisable to consult local agricultural experts during the process of
route selection to ensure that the selected alignment has a
minimum potential for soil erosion and that the project design
provides sufficient erosion control measures.
 In selecting the best location for the road, the engineering
measures designed to minimize erosion will add to the
construction costs but ongoing maintenance to deal with debris,
blockage and siltation will be required and no erosion protection
system is guaranteed.

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