CHAPTER II

DESIGNING THE HIGHWAY

2-1 CONSISTENCY
Consistency is the most important single rule in
highway design. That is, by making every element
of the roadway conforms to the expectation of
every driver.
Drivers expect the highway agency to provide
them with:
 
 Clear information and guidance through a variety of road
signs.

 Avoiding abrupt changes in the traffic as well as the road

standards.
2-2 Definition of Terms
 AASHTO
is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. ln 1914,
the American Association of State Highway Officials (ASSHO) was established as an association of State
Territorial and District of Columbia Highway Department, and the Federal Highway Administration.

The name was expanded in 1973, when the Department of Transportation was
integrated into the association renaming AASHO to AASHTO, giving the officials of
these agency the power to govern its operation. Engineering activities, were
implemented by the standing committees with the task of preparing specifications
manual and standards, representing the current highway engineering practice.
 AASHTO publications includes:

Transportation Materials Specifications and Tests.

Specifications for highway bridges

Geometric design standards.

Numerous policy statements and guides.

Roads and highwayS
-is defined as strips of land that have
been cleared and further improved for the movement of people and goods.

Road
Road has somewhat broader application in usage
while generally used to describe a public
thoroughfare. It can also refer to railways.
In modern usage the term road describes a rural, lesser
traveled way, while the word street denotes an urban
roadway
 Highway
The term was first used in England to describe a
public road built by digging ditches on both sides and
heaping up the earth in the middle creating a way
higher than the adjacent land.
Refers to a major rural traveled way; more recently it
has been used for a road, in either a rural or urban
area, where points of entrance and exit for traffic are
limited and controlled.
 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.

NORTH LUZON EXPRESSWAY SOUTH LUZON EXPRESSWAY (SLEX)

(NLEX)
Freeway is an expressway with full control of
access
 Control of access
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
connections is not permitted.
Designed to allow traffic to
safely travel at fast speed
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 crossings at
grade and some private
driveway connections allowed.
 Parkway
is an arterial highway for non-commercial
traffic, with full or partial control of access
usually located within a park or ribbon park-
like development.
 Arterial Street
-is an arterial route that carries traffic to the nearest
access point or through traffic. It often serves as the most
advantageous routes for relatively long distance travel.
-high-capacity urban road.
-deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways or
expressways, and between urban centers at the highest
level of service possible.
 Collector Street
or distributor road is a low-to-moderate-capacity road
which serves to move traffic from local streets to
arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collector roads are
designed to provide access to residential properties.
 Local Road
is defined as street or road primarily for access to
residence, business, or other adjoining properties.
It is also defined as a road constructed and maintained
by the local government.
These roads have the lowest speed limit, and carry
low volumes of traffic. In some areas, these roads may
be unpaved.
2-3 the design speed
There is no single set of Geometric Standards that will apply
to all highways. For every highway segment, decisions
regarding appropriate control for each of the many details or
requirements must be addressed individually or separately.
AASHTO defined Design Speed as:

"The speed determined for design and correlation of the

physical feature of a highway that influence vehicles
operation”

“It is the maximum speed that can be maintained over a

specified section of the highway when weather and traffic
conditions are so favorable that the design features at the
highway govern.”
2-4 Cross Section of Typical
Highway
The cross section of a typical highway has latitude of variables to consider such as:

 The volume of traffic.

 Character of the traffic.

 Speed of the traffic.

 Characteristics of motor vehicles and of the driver

A cross section design generally offers the expected level of service for safety and a
study showed that:

A 7.20 meters wide pavement has l8% less accident compared with
pavement narrower than 5.50 m. wide.

A 7.20 meters wide pavement has 4% of fewer accidents than the 6.00 meters
wide roadway.

Accident records showed no difference between the 6.60 meters and the
7.20 meters wide pavement.

For the 6.00 m., 6.60 m. and,7.20 meters wide pavement with 2.70 to 3.00
m. wide shoulder, recorded accident decreases by 30% compared to 0 to .
60 m. wide shoulder. And 20% compared with a 0.90 to 1.20 meters wide
shoulder.
 
 Two Lane Rural Highways
For Two Lane Rural Highways, a 7.20 meters wide sur-face is
required for safe clearance between commercial vehicles and is
recommended for main highways.
 Collector Roadway
For Collector Roadway, 6.00 meters wide surface is acceptable only for
low volume traffic including few trucks traveling thereon.
 Local Rural Roadway
For Local Rural Roadway, the minimum surface width is 4.80 meters
for a 30 km / hr. design speed.
 Urban Roadway
For Urban Roadway, the minimum design width is 3.60 meters
although 3.00 meters is allowed where space is limited.
THE END!
 WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY:
EMERSON GRANT P. ABAYON