Location surveys in rural areas

Location surveys in both rural and urban areas aim to select a route that meets
minimum requirements for curvature and grades while promoting easy and free-
flowing traffic. These surveys assess the impact on existing industries, businesses,
residential areas, and future development. They typically progress through three
stages:

a) Reconnaissance Survey:

 Initial phase involving broad assessment of proposed route.

 Gathering essential information from maps, aerial photographs, and field visits.
 Considering topography, geological features, land use, traffic patterns, safety
concerns, and socio-economic factors.
 Estimating project costs, assessing environmental impacts, and identifying
challenges.
 Public consultations may be conducted to gather input.

b) Preliminary Survey:

 Large-scale study of feasible routes, resulting in a paper location and alignment.

 Surveying ground shape, catchment areas, stream positions, trees, bridges, utilities,
and other features.
 Translating survey data into maps, profiles, and cross-sections to determine
preliminary grades, alignment, and cost estimates.

c) Final Location Survey:

Definitively fixing the centerline of the road and collecting physical data necessary
for construction plans.
Tasks included
 pegging the central line,
 leveling, cross-sections,
 property lines,
 intersecting roads,
 ditches and streams.
 Location surveys in urban areas

In urban areas, location surveys for highway projects involve two main stages: reconnaissance-
preliminary survey and final location survey.

During the reconnaissance-preliminary survey:

1. Determine the type of highway, the number of lanes needed, and the desired service level based
on traffic requirements.
2. Establish preliminary line locations through plan and field sketches, considering factors such as
traffic flow and interchange locations.
3. Assign traffic to potential locations to determine design traffic volumes.
4. Refine and adjust preliminary plans for major alternate locations based on analysis and
comparison.
5. Analyze and compare alternative locations, considering factors such as cost estimates, road user
benefits, and other controlling factors.

In the final location survey:

1. Similar to rural areas, it involves detailed data collection and analysis but on a larger scale due to
the complexity of urban environments.
2. Aerial photographs and drawings are used at a larger scale to capture greater detail.
3. The final survey aims to determine the precise location of the highway alignment within the urban
landscape, considering factors such as existing infrastructure, land use, and community impact.
4. The survey results inform the final design and construction plans for the highway project in the
urban area.