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Passing Sight Distance PSD Factors affect PSD

 The passing sight distance is the minimum distance open to the
vision of the driver of a vehicle intending to overtake the slow
vehicle ahead safely against the traffic in the opposite direction.
 The overtaking sight distance or passing sight distance is
measured along the center line of the road over which a driver
with his eye level 1.2 m above the road surface can see the top
of an object 1.2 m above the road surface.
 While descending a gradient, gravity also comes into action and
more time will be required to stop the vehicle. Sight distance
required will be more in this case.
1. Velocities of the passing vehicle, passed vehicle
and of the vehicle coming in the opposite
direction.
2. Spacing between vehicles, which in-turn depends
on the speed
3. Skill and reaction time of the driver
4. Rate of acceleration of passing vehicle
5. Gradient of the road

PSD calculation by 3-Distance Method

Distance (m)

C A’
C

Assumptions in PSD calculation

A

d3
B

1. Vehicle being passed travels at uniform speed

2. Speed of passing vehicle is reduced behind passed vehicle
as it reaches passing section
d2
3. Time elapses as driver reaches decision to pass
4. Passing vehicle accelerates during the passing maneuver
and velocity of the passing vehicle is 15 k/h greater than B d1
that of the passed vehicle
A
5. Enough distance is allowed between passing and oncoming T
vehicle when the passing vehicle returns to its lane t0 t1 t2 t3 Time (s)
t0 t t1 t2 t3
Time –Space Diagram

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The dynamics of the C A’ The dynamics of the C A’

C C
passing operation is A
passing operation is A
given in the Figure given in the Figure
which is a time-space which is a time-space
B B
diagram. diagram.

B B

A A

• The x-axis denotes the time and y-axis shows the distance traveled
by the vehicles.
• The trajectory of the slow moving vehicle (B) is shown as a straight
line which indicates that it is traveling at a constant speed.
A fast moving vehicle (A) is traveling behind the vehicle B. The trajectory of
the vehicle is shown initially with a steeper slope. The dotted line indicates the
path of the vehicle A if B was absent. The vehicle A slows down to follow the
vehicle B as shown in the figure with same slope from t0 to t1. Then it
overtakes the vehicle B and occupies the left lane at time t.

The dynamics of the C A’ The dynamics of the C A’

C C
passing operation is A
passing operation is A
given in the Figure given in the Figure
which is a time-space which is a time-space
B B
diagram. diagram.

B B

A A

The time duration T = t3 - t is the actual duration of the passing operation. The From the Figure, the passing sight distance consists of three parts.
snapshots of the road at time t0; t1, and t3 are shown on the left side of the d1: distance travelled by passing vehicle A during the reaction time t=t 1-t0
figure. d2: distance travelled by the vehicle during the actual passing operation T=t 3-t1
d3: distance travelled by on-coming vehicle C during the reaction time (T)

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Therefore: The distance travelled by the vehicle C moving at design speed v during passing
PSD = d1 + d2 + d3 operation is given by:
It is assumed that the vehicle A is forced to reduce its speed to the vb; speed d3 = vT
of the slow vehicle Band travels behind it during the reaction time t of the The passing sight distance is:
driver. So d1 is given by: PSD = vb t + 2s+vb √(4s/a) + vT
d1 = vb t
Where vb is the velocity of the slow moving vehicle in m/s, t the reaction time of the
Then the vehicle A starts to accelerate, shifts the lane, overtake and shift
driver in sec, s is the spacing between the two vehicles in m given by the equation and a
back to the original lane. The vehicle A maintains the spacing s before and is the passing vehicle’s acceleration in m/s2. In case the speed of the passed vehicle is
after passing. The spacing s in meters is given by: not given, it can be assumed that it moves 16 kmph slower then the design speed.
s = 0.7 vb +6
Let T be the duration of actual passing. The distance travelled by vehicle B The acceleration values of the fast vehicle depends on its speed and given in table
during the passing operation is 2s+ vb T. Also, during this time vehicle A below: 2
Speed (kmph) Maximum passing acceleration (m/sec )
accelerated from initial velocity vb and passing is completed while reaching
final velocity v. Hence, the distance traveled is given by: 25 1.41
30 1.30
d2 = vb T+ ½ a T2
40 1.24
2s+ vb T = vb T+ ½ a T2
50 1.11
2s = ½ a T2 65 0.92
T = √(4s/a) 80 0.72
100 0.53
d2 = 2s+vb √(4s/a)

Calculation of PSD according to AASHTO

⅓d2
Passing Sight Distance
d1

PSD = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4

d1 = distance traveled during P/R time to point where

⅔d2
vehicle just enters the left lane
d1 d2 d3 d4

 d1: The distance the passing vehicle travels while contemplating the d1 = 0.278t1(V – m + at1)
passing maneuver, and while accelerating to the point of 2
encroachment on the left lane. where
 d2: The length of roadway that is traversed by the passing vehicle t1 = time for initial maneuver (sec)
while it occupies the left lane. V = average speed of passing vehicle (kmph)
 d3: The clearance distance between the passing vehicle and the a = acceleration (kmph/s)
opposing vehicle when the passing vehicle returns to the right lane. m = difference between speeds of passing and passed vehicle
 d4: The distance that the opposing vehicle travels during the final
2/3 of the period when the passing vehicle is in the left lane.

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Passing Sight Distance Passing Sight Distance

d2 = distance traveled by vehicle while in left lane

d2 = 0.278Vt2
where:
V = speed of passing vehicle (kmph)
t2 = time spent passing in left lane (sec)

d3 = clearance distance varies from 30 to 90 m

d4 = distance traveled by opposing vehicle during passing

maneuver
d4 usually taken as 2/3 d2

Passing Sight Distance Example Passing Sight Distance Example

A vehicle moving at a speed of 80 Kmph is slowing traffic on a two-lane
highway. What passing sight distance is necessary, in order for a passing Solution 1: 3-Distance Method
maneuver to be carried out safely? Calculate the passing sight distance
by hand, and then compare it to the values recommended by AASHTO. d1 = vbt = 22.22x2.5 = 55.56 m
In your calculations, assume that the following variables have the values given:
• Passing vehicle driver's perception/reaction time = 2.5 sec s = 0.7vb + 6 = 0.7*22.22+6= 21.554 m
• Passing vehicle's acceleration rate = 2.366 Kmph/sec
• Initial speed of passing vehicle = 80 Kmph
• Passing speed of passing vehicle = 96 Kmph 4𝑠 4𝑥21.554
• Speed of slow vehicle = 80 Kmph 𝑇= = = 11.43 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑎 0.66
• Speed of opposing vehicle = 96 Kmph
• Length of passing vehicle = 6.71 m
• Length of slow vehicle = 22 ft = 6.71 m 4𝑠
• Clearance distance between passing and slow vehs at lane change = 6.1 m 𝑑2 = 2𝑠 + 𝑣𝑏 = 2𝑥21.554 + 22.22𝑥11.43 = 297.08 𝑚
• Clearance distance between passing and slow vehs at lane re-entry = 6.1m 𝑎
• Clearance distance between passing and opposing vehs at lane re-entry = 76.2 m 𝑑3 = 𝑣𝑇 = 26.67𝑥11.43 = 304.84 𝑚
You should also assume that the passing vehicle accelerates to passing speed
before moving into the left lane. 𝑃𝑆𝐷 = 𝑑1 + 𝑑2 + 𝑑3 = 55.56 + 297.08 + 304.84 = 𝟔𝟓𝟕. 𝟒𝟖 𝑚

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Passing Sight Distance Example Passing Sight Distance Example

Solution 2: AASHTO Method
The distance traveled during the acceleration portion of d 1 is
d1 computed using the equation:
The first step in calculating the passing sight distance is the 𝑉𝑓2 = 𝑉𝑖2 + 2𝑎𝐷
calculation of the distance d1. This distance includes the distance Where
traveled during the perception/reaction time and the distance Vf = 26.667 m/sec (96 kmph),
traveled while accelerating to the passing speed. The distance Vi = 22.222 m/sec (80 kmph),
traveled during the perception reaction time is computed using: a = 0.657 m/sec/sec (2.366 kmph/sec).
D=VT (from physics)
where Solving for D yields a value of 165.38 m.
V = 22.222 m/sec (80 kmph) The total distance d1 is 55.55 + 165.38 = 220.93 m
T = 2.5 seconds.
Solving for D yields a value of 55.55 m.

Passing Sight Distance Example Passing Sight Distance Example

d2
The second portion of the passing sight distance is the distance d 2,
which is defined as the distance that the passing vehicle travels
while in the left lane. This distance can be calculated in the
following way.
While in the left lane, the passing vehicle must traverse the
clearance distance between itself and the slow vehicle, the length
of the slow vehicle, the length of itself, and the length of the
clearance distance between itself and the slow vehicle at lane re-
entry.
The time it takes the passing vehicle to traverse these distances
relative to the slow vehicle can be computed from the equation
D=VT,
where
D = 84 ft (6.1 m + 6.71 m + 6.71 m + 6.1 m)
V = 4.44 m/sec (16 k mph =relative speed of passing vehicle
with reference point on the slow vehicle).
Solving for the time T2 yields a value of 5.7 seconds.
The real distance traveled by the passing vehicle during the time
T2 is calculated using D=VT, where V =26.667 m/sec (96 kmph)
and T=5.7 seconds. Solving for D yields the distance d2 or 152 m.

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Passing Sight Distance Example Passing Sight Distance Example

d3
The distance d3 is the clearance distance between the passing The total passing sight distance is, therefore, d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 or
vehicle and the opposing vehicle at the moment the passing
vehicle returns to the right lane. This distance was given as 76.2 PSD = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
m. PSD = 220.93+152+76.2+98.67= 547.8 m
d4 Rounded to 550 m

The distance d4 is the final component of the passing sight

The passing sight distance recommended by AASHTO for speeds
distance and is defined as the distance the opposing vehicle
within the 80 kmph – 96 kmph range is 580 m. Our approximation
travels during 66% of the time that the passing vehicle is in the
came within 30 m. of the values recommended by AASHTO.
left lane. This distanceis computed using D=VT, where V =26.667
m/sec (96 kmph) and T = 3.7 seconds (5.7*66%). Solving for D
yields a value of 98.67 m for d4.