GEOMETRIC DESIGN

LECTURE 1
MISS EDNA

INTRODUCTION
Geometric design relates dimensions and the layout of the road in the terrain with
the requirements of the driver and the vehicle.
Main features considered in the geometric design of roads are
 horizontal and vertical curvature and
 the visible features of the road cross-section.
We also factor in
 Sight distances
 Intersections
Good geometric design ensures
 adequate levels of safety and comfort are provided to drivers for vehicle
maneuvers at the design speed,
 the road is designed uniformly and economically, and
 The road blends harmoniously with the landscape.
Therefore, Geometric Design of Highways deals with
 Cross section Elements
 Sight Distance
 Horizontal Alignment
 Vertical Alignment
 Intersection Elements
THE ROAD SYSTEM
Roads have two basic traffic service functions which, from a design standpoint, are
incompatible. These functions are:
(i) to provide traffic mobility between centers and areas

(ii) to provide access to land and properties adjoining the roads.

 For roads whose major function is to provide mobility, i.e. to cater for
through and long-distance traffic. high and uniform speeds and
uninterrupted traffic flows are desirable.
 For roads whose major function is to provide land access, high speeds are
unnecessary and, for safety reasons, undesirable.
 Thus, the function of a particular road in the national, regional and local
road network has a significant impact on the design criteria chosen, and the
design engineer has to give careful consideration to this aspect in the early
stages of the design process.
The following steps are required--
1. Classification of the road in accordance with its major function,

2. Determination of the level of access control compatible with the function of

the road.

3. Selection of geometric design standards compatible with function and level

of access control.
When the functional classification and level of access control are given, design
standards can be applied which will encourage the use of the road as intended.
Design features that can convey the level of classification to the driver include
 carriageway width,
 continuity of alignment,
 spacing of junctions,
 frequency of accesses,
 standards of alignment and grades,
 traffic controls
 road reserve widths.

ROAD CLASSIFICATION
The roads in Kenya are divided into the following 5 classes according to their major
function in the road network:
Class A - International Trunk Roads:
Roads linking centers of international importance and crossing international
boundaries or terminating at international ports.
Class B - National Trunk Roads:
roads linking nationally important centers. (Principal Towns/ Urban centers).
Class C - Primary Roads
Roads linking provincially important centers to each other or to higher class roads.
(Urban/Rural centers)
Class D - Secondary Roads:
Roads linking locally important centers to each other, to a more important contra,
or to higher class roads, (Rural/Market centers)

Class E - Minor Roads:

Any road link to a minor center (Market/Local centers}.
Road class A and B have the major function of providing mobility
Road Class E is majorly for providing access
Class C and D are for both mobility and access C is majorly for mobility while D is
for access.
The above classification is for Rural Roads in relation to function
Urban roads are classified in accordance with Part II of the Road Manual (Draft
Design of Roads in Urban Areas as below
Class A - International Trunk Roads
Class B - National Trunk Roads:
Urban Arterial roads
Primary Distributors
District Distributors Urban collector roads
Minor Distributors
Local streets
Stand Access Local roads

CONTROL OF ACCESS
If access is not controlled along roads whose function is mainly mobility there will
be
 Increase in accidents along the road.
 Reduced capacity for the road
 Early obsolescence of the roads
To ensure roads maintain high standard traffic facilities it is important to control
access. A highway authority normally ensures access control by occupants of land.
The level of access control are as follows
1)Full access
This means that the authority to control access is exercised to give preference to
through traffic by providing access connections with selected public roads only and
by prohibiting direct private access connections
2)Partial access
This means that the authority to control access is exercised to give preference to
through traffic to a degree in that in addition to access connections with selected
public roads there may be some private access connections

3)Unrestricted access
This means that the authority to control access is exercised to give preference to
local traffic with the road serving adjoining areas and direct access connections

Road function determines the level of access control. Motorways should always
have full control of access. For all purpose roads the following general guidelines
are given for the level of access control in relation to the functional road
classification.

FUNCTIONAL LEVEL OF ACCESS CONTROL

CLASS DESIRABLE REDUCED
A FULL PARTIAL
B FULL PARTIAL
C FULL OR PARTIAL PARTIAL
D PARTIAL UNRESTRICTED
E PARTIAL OR UNRESTRICTED UNRESTRICTED

Reduced levels of access control may be applied for some road projects because of
practical and financial constraints.
The location and layout of accesses should be carefully considered at the design
stage and be included in the final design stage of the project.
ROAD RESERVES
Road reserves are provided in order to
 accommodate future road connections
 changes in alignment, road width or junction layout for existing roads
 to enhance the safety, operation and appearance of the roads.
The road reserve should always be determined and shown on the final design plans
for road projects.
The following road reserve widths are applicable for the different road classes:

ROAD RESERVE Width (m)

FUNCTIONAL CLASS
DESIRABLE REDUCED
A 6O 4O
B 6O 4O
C 4O 4o
D 25 25
E 2O 2O

The reduced widths should be adopted only when this is found necessary for
economic, financial or environmental reasons in order to preserve valuable land,
resources or existing development or when provision of the desirable width would
incur unreasonably high costs because of. physical constraints.
For dual carriageway roads it may be necessary to increase the road reserve width above
the given values as a general rule the’ road reserve boundary should be at a distance
from the centerline of the nearest carriageway equal to half the road reserve width
for single carriageway roads.
Assignment 1
HIGHWAY GEOMETRIC DESIGN EECQ 4161
1.Draw and neatly label a typical cross section of a road. Use A3 Paper.
Use the following to guide you
The road manual part 1 page 1.4 for rural roads cross section. Draw both the single
and rural carriageway elements.
Draw the following for the urban single carriageway cross section detail
2.Describe the various cross section elements in detail.