TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

Lecture 1 – Introduction; Highway Planning and Development

Dr. Muhammad Abdullah

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Management and Technology
Tentative Outline
• Introduction • Traffic Engineering
• Characteristics of Drivers, Vehicles and
• Highway Engineering Roadways
• Geometric Design • Traffic Surveys
• Elements of typical cross section of road
• Traffic Controlling Devices
• Types of cross sections • Traffic signal design
• Factors influencing highway design
• Intersection Design and Capacity Analysis
• Horizontal and vertical curves,
• Parking and Accident Studies
• Super elevation
• Sight distance requirements • Airport Engineering
• Principles of intersection design for at • Airport Requirements
grade and grade separated intersections • Site selection
• Channelization
• Airport Classification
• Highway Materials
• Aircraft characteristics
• Highway construction materials, their
properties and tests • Runway Length and Runway Configuration
• Structural Design • Airport drainage system.

• Railway Engineering
• Elements of a Track
• Types of Ballast
• Selection of Site for a Railway station
• Layout of stations and yards
• Signaling
• Modern methods for Construction of Tracks

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Reference Books
• Traffic and Highway Engineering
• Nicholas J. Garber, Lester A. Hoel
• A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets
• American Association of State Highway and Traffic Officials
(AASHTO)
• Handbook of Transportation Engineering
• Myer Kutz
• Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering
• Coleman A. O'Flaherty

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Standard References
• A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets
• American Association of State Highway and Traffic Officials
(AASHTO)
• Highway Capacity Manual
• Transportation Research Board (TRB)
• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• Traffic Engineering Handbook
• Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
• Traffic Signal Timing Manual
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• Transportation Planning Handbook
• Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
• Parking Generation
• Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
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Punjab Urban Geometric Design Manual

The Urban Unit, Government of Punjab 5

Conferences
• Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board (TRB)
• 100th Conference to be held January, 2021
• International Symposium of Traffic and Transportation
Theory (ISTTT)
• Traffic and Granular Flow (TGF)
• Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (IEEE ITSC)
• World Conference on Transportation Research (WCTR)
• Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies
Conference (EASTS Conference)

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INTRODUCTION

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Introduction

• Transportation Engineering
• Transportation engineering is the application of technology and
scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation,
and management of facilities for any mode of transportation in
order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient,
economical, and environmentally compatible movement of
people and goods.

Institute of Transportation Engineers, ITE 8

Branches
• Highway Engineering
• Traffic Engineering
• Airport Engineering
• Railway Engineering
• Pavement Engineering
• Port and Harbor Engineering
• Bridge Engineering
• Tunnel Engineering
• Pipeline Engineering

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Different Modes of Transportation
• Roadways
• Railways
• Waterways
• Airways
•…

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Passenger Transport

https://transportgeography.org/ 11
Freight Transport

W.J. DeWitt. Freight Transport & Modes in Global Logistics & Supply Chains 12
Role of Transport

Role of Transport in Economic Development, F Nistor, 2014 13

Role of Transport

Road Infrastructure and Economic Development, Some Diagnostic Indicators, World Bank, 1992 14
 Moving Vehicles vs. Moving People

https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/inq/traffic-philadelphia-center-city-bike-lanes-subway-bus-transit-solutions-20190129.html 15
The Nature of Transportation Demand

Transport
Demand

Transport
Land Use
Facilities

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Importance of Roads

• Construction/improvement of roads:
• Shortens the distance and improves speed

• Increases the land value of the nearby areas

• Helps in the development of agriculture

• Helps in the development of natural resources

• Helps in the development of social and cultural life of the people

• Helps in medical, education and sanitation facilities

• Helps in the development of the local industry

• Improves safety

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Access and Mobility
“Accessibility” refers to the direct connection to abutting lands and
land uses provided by roadways.
“Mobility” refers to the through movement of people, goods, and
vehicles from one point to another in the system.

Figure 3.1: Hierarchy of Roadway Classifications (Traffic Engineering, Roess)

Functional classification of roads, A. Talvitie, TRB, 1996; Traffic Engineering, Roess 18

Functional Classification of Roads

David Levinson, https://transportist.org/ 19

Functional Classification of Roads

Functional
Services Provided
System
Provides the highest level of service at the greatest
Arterial speed for the longest uninterrupted distance, with
some degree of access control.
Provides a less highly developed level of service at
a lower speed for shorter distances by collecting
Collector
traffic from local roads and connecting them with
arterials.
Consists of all roads not defined as arterials or
Local collectors; primarily provides access to land with
little or no through movement.

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 20

HIGHWAY PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

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The Stages of Highway Development

Planning

Project
Development

Final Design

Right-of-Way

Construction

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 22

The Stages of Highway Development

Planning

• The need for any highway is defined during the planning

stage

• Depending on the scale of the proposed project, the

problem definition occurs at the State, regional, or local
level

• This is the key time to get the public involved and provide
input into the decision-making process

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 23

The Stages of Highway Development

Planning
• The problems identified generally fall into one or more of the
following four categories:
1. The existing physical structure needs major repair/
replacement (structure repair)
2. Existing or projected future travel demands exceed available
capacity, and access to transportation and mobility need to be
increased (capacity)
3. The route is experiencing an excessive number of safety and
accident problems that can only be resolved through physical,
geometric changes (safety)
4. Developmental pressures along the route make a
reexamination of the number, location, and physical design of
access points necessary (access)

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 24

The Stages of Highway Development

Planning

• When a problem is identified, it is important that all

parties agree that the problem exists, identify what the
problem is, and decide whether or not they want it fixed

“If a consensus cannot be reached on the definition of the

problem at the beginning, it will be difficult to move ahead in
the process and expect consensus on the final design”

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 25

The Stages of Highway Development > Planning

Factors to Consider During Planning

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 26

The Stages of Highway Development > Planning

Factors to Consider During Planning

• It is important to consider the potential impact of the

proposed project during the planning stage
• The decisions made during the planning stage will limit
the design options in the subsequent phases
• Some questions to be asked at the planning stage
include:
• How will the proposed transportation improvement affect the
general physical character of the area surrounding the project?
• Does the area to be affected have unique historic or scenic
characteristics?
• What are the safety, capacity, and cost concerns of the
community?

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 27

The Stages of Highway Development

Project Development
• The product of the project development process generally includes a
description of the location and major design features of the
recommended project that is to be further designed and constructed,
while continually trying to avoid, minimize, and mitigate
environmental impact.

• The basic steps in this stage include the following:

• Refinement of purpose and need
• Development of a range of alternatives (including the “no-build”
and traffic management system [TMS] options)
• Evaluation of alternatives and their impact on the natural and
built environments
• Development of appropriate mitigation

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 28

The Stages of Highway Development

Project Development

Finally an alternative is selected during project development phase

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 29
The Stages of Highway Development

Final Design

• The product of the final design stage is a complete set of

• plans,
• specifications,
• and estimates of required quantities of materials

ready for the solicitation of construction bids and

subsequent construction.
• Some important considerations of design are:
• Developing a concept
• Considering scale and
• Detailing the design

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 30

The Stages of Highway Development > Final Design

Multidisciplinary Design Team

Traffic engineers Urban designers

Ecologists Historians

Transportation and urban planners Biologists

Social scientists Archaeologists

Landscape architects Geologists

Architects Artists

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 31

The Stages of Highway Development

Right-of-Way and Construction

• Right-of-way is purchased once the final design is finished

• In construction stage, construction bid packages are
made available, a contractor is selected, and construction
is initiated
• Minor adjustments might be necessary during this stage,
therefore, there should be continuous involvement of the
design team
• After the construction stage, the facility is ready to begin
its normal sequence of operations and maintenance

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 32

The Stages of Highway Development

Summary of the Highway Planning and Development Process

Stage Description of Activity

Federal, provincial, and local governments identify

Planning transportation needs and program projects to be
built within financial constraints.

The transportation project is more clearly defined.

Project Development Alternative locations and design features are
developed and an alternative is selected.

The design teams develops detailed plans,

Design
specifications and estimates.

Right-of-Way Additional land needed for the project is purchased

The contractor is selected, who then builds the

Construction
project

Flexibility in Highway Design, FHWA 33

THANKS

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