15

Designing the Highway

Pretest:
Answer the following questions:
1. What are the important matters to consider in the design of a
roadway system?
2. In your own opinion, why is it important to properly drain a
highway?

Lesson 1:
Consistency, Design Speed, Cross Section of Typical Highway
Road Shoulder, Cut or fill slope, Cross slope, Highway median
Grade line, Right of way, Road alignment

Learning Outcomes
 Identify a highway design that is safe for the road users and across
section that will accommodate the projected traffic volume.
 Outline the road shoulder, median, islands and emphasize its importance
to commuters or road users.
 Understand the importance of side or back slopes to safe highway
operation
 Know the recommended width of highway curves, intersections and
placement of entrance and exits for a safe maneuvering traffic and avoid
road accidents.

Designing the Highway

Designing the highway carefully and appropriately would mean a longer

lifespan of the highway. Efficient road usage and utilization would mean minimal
or zero road accident, shorter travel time and satisfied road users.

Consistency

Consistency is the most important single rule in highway design. This can
be accomplished by making every element of the roadway conform to the
expectation of every driver. That is signs, guides and directions will be followed
without haste and effort on the part of the driver.

Drivers expect the highway agency to provide them with:

1. Clear information and guidance through a variety of road signs.
2. Avoiding abrupt changes in the traffic as well as the road standards.
 16

If these guides and directions could be planned properly and integrated as

early as the preliminary layout stage, then the roadway facilities are considered
satisfactory since they convey one single message at a time and the directions
could be followed smoothly and easily without change in speed and undue haste.

Definition of terms

AASHTO means American Association of State Highway and Transportation

Officials. Formerly AASHO or American Association of State Highway Officials. In
the United States, this agency is empowered to govern highway operations and
tasked to prepare specifications manual and standards, representing the current
highway engineering practice.

AASHTO publications include:

1. Transportation materials Specifications and Tests
2. Specifications for Highway Bridges
3. Geometric design standards
4. Numerous policy statements and guides

Roads and Highways is a strip of land that have been cleared, paved
and improved and used as passage for the movement of people and goods.

Road is a word generally used to describe a public thoroughfare.

Highway. The term was first used in England to describe a public road built
by digging ditches on both sides heaping up the earth in the middle creating a
way higher than the adjacent land. Highway now connotes a higher state of
development than the road.

Expressway is a divided arterial highway for through traffic with full or

partial control or access and generally provided with grade separation at major
intersections.

Freeway is an expressway with full control of access.

Control of access is a condition where the rights of owners of adjoining land

or other persons’ access to light, air or view in connection with a highway is
fully or partially controlled by public authority.

Full Control of Access. The authority to control access is exercised to give

preference to through traffic by providing access connections to selected public
roads only. Crossing at grade or direct private driveway is not permitted.

Partial Control of Access the authority to control access is exercised to give

preference to through traffic. Although in addition to access connections with
selected public roads, there may be some crossing at grade and some private
driveway connections allowed.
 17

Through Street or Through Highway. Every highway or portion thereof

where in vehicular traffic is given preferential right of way, and at the entrance
where vehicular traffic from intersecting highway is required by law to yield right
of way to vehicles on such through highway in obedience to either stop sign or
yield sign erected.

Parkway is an arterial highway for non-commercial traffic with full or partial

control of access usually located within a park-like development.

Arterial Street is an arterial route that carries traffic to the nearest access
point or through traffic which often serves as the most advantageous routes for
long distance travel. It provides access to adjacent property but often with
restrictions on entry and exit points

Basic Considerations in Planning Arterial Roadways:

1. Selection of the routes.
2. Studies of the traffic volume.
3. Origin and destination.
4. Accident experienced.
5. Width should not be less than 15 meters.
6. Must carry at least one lane of traffic in each direction.
7. Should be at least one kilometer long.
8. Should skirt neighborhood areas rather than penetrate them.
9. On grid design system streets, arterials are spaced at about 600 to 900
meters apart.
10. Where accident hazard is not a factor, the minimum volume to justify
arterial road is 300 vehicles per average hour during the day and 450
vehicles hourly during peak periods.

Local Road is a street or road primarily for access to residence, business

or other adjoining properties. This is a road constructed and maintained by the
local government.

Collector Street form a smaller mesh grid pattern where passengers are
picked up from a service street and carried to the arterials.

Highway Capacity is defined as the maximum number of vehicles that are

expected to travel at a given point over a given period of time usually expressed
as vehicle per hour.

AADT or ADT. Average Annual Daily Traffic or Average Daily Traffic. This
refers to traffic volume or flow on a highway measure by the number of vehicles
passing a particular station during a given interval of time. If the period is less
than one year, volume may be stated on hourly “Observed Traffic Volume” or
estimated 30th hour volume commonly used for design purposes. Some highway
agencies use traffic volume for five minutes interval to distinguished short peak
movements of vehicles.
 18

Design Speed

Design Speed is the target speed at which drivers are intended to travel on
a street not the maximum operating speed as often misunderstood by many.
Maybe considered as a selected speed used to determine the various geometric
design features of the roadway

Definition of design speed is evolving. In the 1994 edition of AASHTO Green

Book, design speed is “the maximum safe speed that can be maintained over a
specified section of a highway when conditions are so favorable that the design
features of the highway govern. The assumed design speed should be a logical
one with respect to the topography, the adjacent land use and the functional
classification of highway”.

Basic design features refer to the tightness and super elevation of curves,
grade and sight distance. The design speed is basically higher than the anticipated
average speed. AASHTO recommends that, “design speed be set to the greatest
degree possible, to satisfy the needs of nearly all drivers both today and the road
anticipated life”

Selection of the appropriate road design speed is one of the vital decisions
to make, because it sets the controlling factor for curvature, sight distance, traffic
volume and composition, other geometric figures such as terrain, super elevation,
right of way`. But because of economic reasons there is a strong desire to reduce
the design speed, but this is not advisable because the alignment grade and sight
distance after the roadway has been constructed and paved along the landscape
and right of way become more difficult and expensive to correct.

To determine the proper design speed, the AASHTO practice is to classify

the highway as Rural or Urban, then as Freeways, Arterials and Local. Rural and
Local facilities are classified as flat, rolling or mountainous. Although the design
speed presently used is 80 kilometers per hour, highway designers projected up
to 120 kilometers per hour design speed to guarantee against obsolescence,
increased margin of operating safety, future generation high speed vehicles and
advanced transportation system that may operate on many of these road
alignments.

Today construction cost is no longer the governing factor in the design

speed of most highways. Freeways now are planned for a nationwide high-volume
traffic and high-speed network regardless of cost.
 19

TABLE 2.1: MINIMUM RECOMMENDED DESIGN SPEED

DESIGN SPEED
FACILITY
URBAN Km/Hr RURAL Km/Hr
Freeway 80 – 95 preferred 110 – 95 mountainous
Arterial 64 – 95 but 48 in built up 80 – 110
areas
Collectors 48 See Table 2
Local 32 – 48 See Table 2

TABLE 2.2: AASHTO MINIMUM DESIGN SPEED KM/HR. FOR RURAL

AND LOCAL ROADS BASED ON CURRENT ADT
Class Terrain Average Daily Traffic
Collector 0 - 400 400-750 750- 2000- Over
2000 4000 400
Level 60 75 75 75 90
Rolling 45 60 60 75 75
Mountainous 30 45 45 60 60
Local 0-50 50-250 250-400 OVER
400
Level 45 45 60 75
Rolling 30 45 45 60
Mountainous 30 30 30 45

Cross section of Typical Highway

One of the most important parts of developing a roadway design focuses

on the selection and configuration of the elements that comprise the roadway
cross section. Specifically, aspects of the cross section directly relate to the
number of travel lanes provided and the width and location of shoulders, curb
medians and slope embankments and ditches.

Highway designs usually adopted cross section that is uniform in thickness

(0.23m or 9 inches minimum) on both ends of the roadway. Width of the surfaced
road and number of lanes should be adequate to accommodate the type and
volume of anticipated traffic and the assumed design speed of vehicles. Width of
road was standardized at 10 feet or 3 meters for a first class paved one lane
highway and 3.6 meters or 12 feet wide surface was adopted standard for
freeways and other major traffic roadways although there is a strong demand to
increase it to 4.2 meters.

For a two-lane Rural Highway, 7.20 meters wide surface is required for safe
clearance between commercial vehicles and recommended for main highways. For
Collectors Roadway, 6.00 meters wide surface is acceptable only for low volume
traffic including few trucks travelling thereon.
 20

For Local Rural Roadway, the minimum two-lane surface width is 4.80
meters for a 30 km/hr design speed. For Urban Roadway, the minimum design
width is 3.6 meters although 3.00 meters is allowed where space is limited.
Pavement crown is another element of highway cross section which is the
raising of the centerline of the roadway above the elevation of the pavement
edges. This is necessary for good drainage. Nowadays high type pavements with
sufficient control of drainage, crowns are as low as 1.5 to 2 percent slope.

Curb Configurations. The use of curbs is generally confined to urban and

sub-urban roadways. The design of curbs varies from a low, flat, angle-type to a
nearly vertical barrier-type curb.

Road Shoulder

Road shoulder or verge is that portion of the roadway between the edge of
the traffic lane and the edge of the ditch gutter, curb or side slope. It is required
that its usable pavement width shall be strong enough to support vehicles.
The importance of Road Shoulder
1. Road shoulder serves as a place for vehicles to stop when disabled or for
some other purposes. Reduces road accidents.
2. Road shoulder when designed properly increases the road capacity and
reduces road accidents.
3. It adds structural strength to the road pavement when it is continuous
along the full length of the roadway.
4. Increases the horizontal sight distance on curves. It reduces accident
potential when vehicle stop during emergencies.

A continuous narrow white line strip at the edge of the roadway that
indicates the shoulder, serves as a guide to drivers during bad weather and poor
visibility conditions. The white mark keeps the driver in the traffic lane and the
vehicle seldom infringe on the shoulder.

Policy on Geometric Design Recommended that:

1. Outside shoulder should be paved for at least 3.00 or 3.60 meters wide if
truck volume is more than 250 in the design hour (ADT)
2. The recommended width of left (median) shoulder is 1.20 to 2.40 meters
with at least 1.20 meters paved.
3. If there are 6 or more lanes, the median shoulder should be 3.00 meters
wide or 3.60 meters if truck volume in the design hour exceeds 250.
4. For arterials with ADT less than 400, the usable shoulder width is fixed at
1.20 meters minimum, although 2.40 meters wide is much preferred.
5. When the design hour volume ADT exceeds 400, the usable minimum
shoulder width is 2.40 meters although 3.6 meters is recommended.
6. For urban Arterial road, similar shoulder without curb is suggested unless
needed for proposed drainage.
7. The width of median shoulder on four lanes divided arterials is fixed at 90
centimeters as minimum.
8. For six or more lanes, 2.40 to 3.00 meters shoulder width is recommended.
 21

9. For Rural Collectors Roadway, 60 centimeters wide graded shoulder is

required for ADT’s less than 400
10. For ADTs over 2000, 2.40 meters wide shoulder is recommended.

Cut or fill

A slope of 1: , 1 horizontal distance to 2 vertical distance, is safe for an

earth fill of normal height.

1
Slope of cuts through an ordinary undisturbed earth fill remain in place with
a ratio of 1:1 slope.

Advantages of Flat Side or Back slope

1. With back slope 0f 3:1 or even flatter, cars could be directed to back into
the road and will come to stop or continue down the slope with no risk of
overturning
2. Flat fill slopes are visible from the vehicle at full speed extent giving the
roadway safer appearance.
3. With visible slope for being low and fat, vehicles could be positioned or
parked closer to the edge, and on two lane roadway facilities parking would
be farther from the opposing traffic.

Recommended Policy on Geometric Design

1. The 6:1 slope ratio could be adopted on embankment less than 1.20 meters
high, and 4:1 ratio on a higher fill
2. The 2:1 slope is allowed to heights greater than 6.00 meters.
3. Cut slope should not be steeper than 2:1 ratio except on solid rock or
special kind of soil.
The AASHTO policy stipulates that where cut or fill slopes intersect the
original ground surface, cross section must be rounded to blend the slope with
the natural ground surface.

When the side slope requires embankment with suitable retaining wall, the
following materials are recommended to be used depending on the natural
conditions:
 22

1. Hand placed stones

2. Cement rubbles masonry
3. Concrete hollow blocks.
4. Conventional reinforced concrete
5. T or counter forted designs
6. Cribs assembled from timber
7. Precast concrete
8. Metal elements
9. Tied back piling

The number of lanes in the segment of the highway is determined from

the estimated volume of traffic for the design year (AADT) and highway lane
capacity at expected level of service.

Cross Slope

Cross slope or camber is a geometric feature of pavement surface which is

provided in all tangent sections of a roadway and falls in both directions from the
centerline of the roadway towards the drainage system at the edges of a two-lane
road, except where super elevation of curves directs all water the inside. The aim
of the cross slope is zero water accumulation at the travel lane at any given time
during heavy rainfall, which makes driving comfortable and convenient.

For high type pavement, the slope is often 1% to 2%, however a steeper
slope is recommended to allow rapid flow reducing water thickness on the road
surface. For paved shoulder cross slope ranges from 3% to 6%, although 4% is
commonly used. For gravel shoulder 4% to 6% is satisfactory and a 7% slope for
grass shoulder.

A typical cross slope

Highway Median

Highway median is the dividing area between opposing traffic lanes often
paved and landscaped. Medians in various forms become absolute requirements
in highways because of the following advantages:
1. It is an effective means at reducing headlight glares, conflicts and accident
between opposing streams of traffic.
2. It offers refuge between opposing traffic stream and cross traffic and
pedestrians could traverse each stream safely at separate maneuvers.
 23

3. It provides available space for left turn lanes and make turning of vehicles
smooth and safe.
4. Wide median is highly recommended when space and cost permits.
5. The Policy on Geometric Design states that a 3.00 to 9.00 meters median
width is appropriate in suburban and mountainous conditions
6. Curved median with 1.20 to 1.80 meters width serves as partition, a
separation of opposite traffic control devices.
7. The width of a traversable median should be wide enough to prevent
vehicles running out of control from reaching the opposite traffic.

Images of Highway Median

 24

Four ways to reduce cross section accidents:

1. Provide deterring devices
2. Provide non-traversable energy absorbing barriers.
3. Provide non-traversable rigid barriers
4. Provide G.M. Barriers

Deterring Device. These are two sets of double strips painted on the
Existing pavement, raised diagonal bars, low curbing and narrow ditches.

Non-traversable Energy Absorbing Device or Metal Guardrail. The line

chain link fence one meter high supported by steel post augmented by cables at
the bottom and midpoint.
 25

Non-traversable energy absorbing barriers.

G.M. Barriers. Are high non-mountain sloped face concrete barriers called New
Jersey. It is cast or extruded in place or precast in section and set in position by
a crane.

Images of Concrete G.M. Barriers/New Jersey Barriers

 26

Images of Plastic/Polyethylene Jersey Barriers

.
www.shutterstoock.com
google pictures
 27

Grade Line

Grade Line is defined as the line or slope used as a longitudinal reference

of a highway or railway which appears on a profile taken along the road centerline.
Measures how the centerline of a highway rises and fall and forms a series of
straight lines connected by parabolic vertical curves to which straight grades are
tangent.

In laying the grade line, the designer must consider the following:
1. Economy is a main concern when earthwork is minimal and consistently
meeting sight distances in relation to grade line.
2. In mountainous areas, the grade line must be considered to balance
excavation against embankments to get the minimum overall cost.
3. In flat areas, the grade line must be set almost parallel to the ground
surface but sufficiently above the ground for drainage purposes.
4. Undesirable native soil must be provided with sufficient covering.
5. Grade line elevation along the river or stream is controlled by the
anticipated level of flood water.

Right of Way

Right of way is a type of easement granted or reserved over the land for
transportation purposes, this can be for a highway, public footpath, rail transport,
canal, as well as electrical transmission lines, oil or gas pipelines. A right of way
can be used as a bike lane or trail.

Highway agencies now consider acquisition of right of way to provide for

ultimate development. A successful freeway and expressway operations, closes
the roadway from direct access to adjacent property and local roads and streets.
If local roads and traffic are to be opened, it must be through service roads original
part of the plan of main freeways.

Table 2.3: MIMUM RIGHT OF WAY WIDTHS FOR RURAL AND URBAN
FREEWAYS AT GRADE IN METER
Rural Urban
Number Width Normal
of Frontage No Restricted Normal No
with
Lanes Road Frontage No Frontage Frontage
Frontage
Road Road Road
Road
2 60 45 - - -
4 68 53 41 - -
6 75 60 51 89 53
8 83 68 59 96 60

Road Alignment

Road alignment is the physical location of the highway for design and
construction which is developed and dimensioned with respect to a calculated
 28

construction centerline that is expressed in terms of bearings, distances,

curvature, transitions, stations referred to as geometric alignment. Tangent or
straight sections of the highway are connected with circular curves to create a
flowing and smooth alignment. Horizontal alignment is developed to
accommodate a given design speed.

Image of horizontal Road Alignment

Image of Geometric Design of Highway

 29

Circular and horizontal curves are integral parts of the geometric design of
highways. A circular curve also known as the arc definition is described in terms
of the degree of curvature which is defined as the central angle subtended by an
arc of 100 feet. A horizontal curve provides transition between two tangent strips
of roadway allowing a vehicle to negotiate a turn at a gradual rate. This curve is
semicircle as to provide the driver with a constant turning rate
with radius determined by the law of physics surrounding centripetal force.

Super elevation of curves is an important factor in highway design. Most

drivers travelling an open highway navigate toward a more or less uniform speed.
In the event that the roadway is not designed properly, a vehicle must be driven
in a reduced speed for safety and comfort of the passengers when moving from
a tangent section to a curved section of the highway. This is because as the
vehicle moves in a circular path, it is subjected to a centripetal acceleration that
acts toward the center of the curve. In order to overcome the tendency of the
vehicle to slip when navigating a curved section of a roadway, it is necessary to
bank both sides of the roadway cross section in a manner that helps to counteract
the centripetal acceleration generated while travelling along a horizontal curve.
Banking is raising the outside edge of the roadway without changing the
centerline.

Minimum safe radius for a given speed

R= English system V = miles per hour

( . )

R= Metric system V = kilometers per hour

( . )
Minimum safe radius for a given speed
Where:
e = Rate of Roadway Super elevation
f = Coefficient of friction between the tire and pavement
V = Vehicle Speed
R = Curve Radius

Sight Distance is the length of the highway visible ahead to the driver of a
vehicle. Safe highways must be designed to give drivers a sufficient distance of
clear vision ahead so they can avoid hitting unexpected obstacles and can pass
slower vehicles without danger.

Sight Distance is categorized into three:

1. Stopping Sight Distance
2. Passing Sight Distance
3. Decision Sight Distance
 30

Stopping Sight Distance

Stopping Sight Distance is the minimum distance required to stop a

vehicle travelling near the design speed before it reaches a stationary object in
the vehicles path. This stationary object is 15 centimeters above the road surface
where the design height of the driver’s eye above the pavement is 1.05 meters.

Minimum stopping sight distance is based on the sum of two distances

1. The distance travelled from the time the object is sighted to the instant the
brakes are applied.
2. The distance required for stopping the vehicle after the brakes are applied

For purposes of design, a conservative combined perception-reaction and

brake reaction time 0f 2.5 sec is recommended.

Braking distance:

Stopping Sight Distance

d = 1.075 English

S = 1.47 Vt +
[ ]
.
d = 0.039 Metric

Where: With assumed acceleration:

V = speed of the vehicle
G = grade in decimal
a = acceleration rate for general
design calculations S = 1.47 Vo t +
( )
a = 11.2 ft/sec2 (3.4 m/sec2)
t = time the brakes are applied
d = approximate
braking distance
 31

Where:
G = percent grade
G = – value for downgrade
+ value for upgrade
Vo = initial velocity
Vf = final velocity
f = coefficient of friction between the tire and pavement

TABLE 2.4 MINIMUM STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE WET ROAD

Break Reaction Stopping Sight Distance

Design Assumed
Time Distance Coefficient Rounded
Speed Speed for Computed
Seconds Meter Of Friction For
Km/h Condition Meter
Design(m)
30 30-32 2.5 22-24 0.40 31.8-35.8 36-38
45 40-50 2.5 31-33 0.35 53.4-58.8 60-60
60 55-60 2.5 40-44 0.32 80.1-94.2 82-97
75 65-75 2.5 48-55 0.30 112.8-138.3 112-142
90 80-90 2.5 57-66 0.29 150.2-190.2 157-195
100 85-95 2.5 61-71 0.29 165.0-217.2 165-217
105 90-100 2.5 64-77 0.28 183.9-252.0 187-255
110 90-110 2.5 67-83 0.28 200.1-283.0 202-285
120 95-120 2.5 71-88 0.27 222.3-324.9 225-330

Sag Vertical Curve Stopping Sight Distance

Sag vertical curve stopping sight distance is not physically constrained by

the road surface during daylight conditions, however at night, the stopping sight
distance is limited by the distance and angle of projection by the vehicle’s
headlights. The headlight mounting height (approx. 2 feet) is generally lower than
the driver’s eye height. The headlight beam projects an approximate 1o upward
along the vehicle’s longitudinal axis.

Sag Vertical Curve Stopping Sight Distance

L= [ 0.6 + 𝑆(tan 1°)] when S < 𝐿

L = 2S - [200 (0.6 + S tan 1°]/A when S> 𝐿

Where:
L = Length of sag vertical curve
S = distance of headlight beam
A = algebraic difference in grades (percent)
 32

Passing Sight Distance

Passing sight distance is the sight distance which is long enough to enable
a vehicle to overtake and pass another vehicle on a two-lane highway without
interference from opposing traffic.

L = 2S - where S > 𝐿

L= where S < 𝐿

L is length in meters
L = length required of vertical curve
S = specified sight distance
A = algebraic difference in grades expressed in percent

Minimum Passing Sight Distance for sag vertical curve

L= (√2h1 + (√2h2)2

Where:

h1 = height of eye of average driver = 3.5 feet (1,080 mm)

h2 = height of object sighted above roadway surface = 2 feet
(600 mm)
 33

Decision Sight Distance

The sight distance required for a driver to make a decision and successfully
execute required maneuvers at complex location when the driver encounters
unexpected road feature. The sight distance required to accommodate this type
of avoidance maneuvers.

Five general categories for avoidance maneuvers

1. Avoidance maneuver A : Stop on rural road – required pre-maneuver time
is approximately 3.0 seconds
2. Avoidance maneuver B : Stop on urban road (9.1 seconds)
3. Avoidance Maneuver C : requires a speed, path, or direction change on a
rural road (pre-maneuver time varies from 10.2 to 11.2 seconds)
4. Avoidance maneuver D : requires a speed, path, or direction change on
suburban road (pre-maneuver plus maneuver time varies from 12.1 – 12.9
seconds)
5. Avoidance maneuver E : requires a speed, path or direction change on an
urban road (pre maneuver plus maneuver time varies from 14.0 to 14.5
seconds)

For avoidance maneuvers A and B, the decision sight distance is the combination
of the reaction distance and the stopping distance. The reaction distance is
referred to as the pre-maneuver component of the decision sight distance.
For avoidance maneuver A and B:

d = 1.47 Vt + 1.075 English

d = 0.278 Vt + 0.039 Metric

where:
t = pre-maneuver time sec
V = design speed
A = driver’s acceleration

Avoidance maneuver C, D and E are based on the distance

travelled as the vehicle executes the required maneuver.

d = 1.47 Vt English

d = 0.278 Vt Metric

where:

t = pre-maneuver + maneuver time

V = design speed
 34

Spirals or Transition Curves

Transition curves provide a gradual change from the tangent section to the
circular curve and vice versa.

Minimum Length of Transition: where:

Ls = 3.15 English Ls = Minimum Length of spiral

V = Velocity/design speed

Ls = 0.0214 Metric R = Radius of Curvature

C = Maximum Rate of change in
In lateral acceleration
(4ft/sec3) (1.2m/sec3)

Sample Problem 1

Given a horizontal curve with a 410-m radius, estimate the minimum length of
spiral necessary for a smooth transition from tangent alignment to the circular
curve. Design speed is 90 km/hr.

Solution:

( )
Ls = 0.0214 Ls = 0.0214
( )( . )

Ls = 31.71 meters

Sample Problem 2
Calculate the braking distance of a vehicle traveling a level highway with a
design speed of 90 km/hour.

d = 0.039 a = 3.4 m/sec2

( )
d =0.039
.

d = 92.92 meters
 35

Learning Activity 1:

Solve the following problems:

1. What super elevation rate would you recommend for a roadway with a
design speed of 100km/hr and a radius of curvature of 500m? Assume
f = 0.11
2. Given a horizontal curve with a 1,360 feet radius, determine the
minimum length of spiral necessary for a smooth transition from
tangent alignment to the circular curve. Design speed is 75 miles per
hour.

Mastery Test

Solve the following problems

1. Calculate the passing sight distance over the crest of a 450-meter

vertical curve with a plus grade of 5.6 percent and a minus grade of
3.2 percent.

2. What super elevation rate would you recommend for a roadway with a
design speed of 75miles per hour and a radius of 1,400 feet? Assume
f=0.11

3. Calculate the stopping sight distance over the crest of a 2,000 feet
vertical curve with a plus grade of 4.4 percent and a minus grade of
2.3 percent. For design purposes, height of the eye of an average
driver above the roadway surface is 3.5 feet, height of the object
sighted above the roadway surface is 2.0 feet.