Quiz 5 – Airport Design

1. The primary features of an SPDI are that all four turning movements are controlled
by a single traffic signal and opposing left turns operate to the left of each other.
Single point diamond interchange
2. For intersection design, use standard "_____" whose weight, dimensions, and
operating characteristics will control the design. design vehicle
3. It is a system of interconnecting roadways in conjunction with one or more grade
separations that provides for the movement of traffic between two or more
roadways or highways on different levels. Interchange
4. These are four-leg interchanges that employ loop ramps to accommodate left-
turning movements. Cloverleafs
5. It is the maximum volume of traffic that a proposed intersection would be able to
serve without congestion rising above a preselected level, generally the level of
service (LOS). Design capacity
6. It is defined as a ramp that does not deviate greatly from the intended direction of
travel. direct connection
7. Inadequate ____ causes motorists to edge out into the intersection, increasing the
potential for crashes. sight distance
8. The _____ for intersections is the traffic flow that occurs during the peak traffic
hour on an average day. design hourly volume
9. ______ can be calculated for roadway segments or intersections.
_____calculations for a roadway segment is appropriate when a roadway lacks
stop signs and traffic signals that stop the flow of traffic. Level of service
10. It is defined as a circular intersection with yield control at entry, which permits a
vehicle on the circulatory roadway to proceed, and with deflection of the
approaching vehicle counterclockwise around a central island. Roundabout
11. They are particularly adaptable to major-minor crossings where left turns at grade
on the minor road are fitting and can be handled with minimal interference to traffic
approaching the intersection from either direction. Diamond Interchange
At grade Intersection and
Grade Separation
Intersection Design
Two major components must
be correlated in intersection
design, as each influences and
constrains the other: geometric
design and intersection control.

The intersection control system

includes devices such as traffic
signals, and STOP and YIELD
signs.
Intersection Design Steps
There are four steps critical to the intersection improvement process.
1. Collect the necessary data (including vehicular and pedestrian traffic
volumes, crash data, speed data, geometric field measurements) and
observe vehicular behavior. In the case of a new intersection, use
projected volumes.
2. Verify that existing and proposed traffic control devices conform
with MUTCD standards.
3. Identify field constraints and hazards and determine how deficiencies
can be corrected to safely and efficiently accommodate existing and
future traffic.
4. Design intersection improvements using current design guidelines,
standards, and local governing codes.
Intersection Design Steps
Types of Intersections
The number of intersecting legs, or the number of roads that will join
to form an intersection, determines the type of intersection.
The basic intersection types are three-leg, four-leg, multileg, and
roundabouts.
Types of Intersections
An example of a three-legged intersection is a T-type intersection,
which is used to terminate one road. Four-legged intersections are
crossroads where two roads meet, usually at a right angle.
Try to avoid skewed intersections because they create problems with
visibility, turning angles, and pedestrian crossings.
Types of Intersections
Where skewed intersections must be used,
the skew should be no more than 30
degrees off perpendicular; otherwise realign
the roadway(s) to form a perpendicular
intersection.
AASHTO's A Policy on Geometric Design of
Highways and Streets, commonly known as
the "Green Book," has several more
realignment options.
Roundabouts
Roundabouts are generally the safest
intersection design available.
Two key characteristics of any
roundabout include:
• Entering traffic must yield to circulating
traffic.
• Each approach has a splitter island
designed to slow traffic and to ensure
that all vehicles travel in the proper
direction around the central island.
Roundabouts
A roundabout is defined as a circular intersection with yield control at
entry, which permits a vehicle on the circulatory roadway to proceed,
and with deflection of the approaching vehicle counterclockwise
around a central island.
Roundabouts reduce traffic congestion by eliminating left turns. Since
each approach to the roundabout is essentially an intersection with a
one-way street, the driver is not delayed by traffic flow from two
directions. Only right turns are allowed.
Roundabouts
• Roundabouts eliminate angle and head-on crashes. Roundabouts
promote slower speeds due to the diversion in travel path. Crashes
that occur at roundabouts are at a much lower speed than at
traditional intersections, and are, therefore, less severe.
Design Vehicles
For intersection design, use standard "design vehicles" whose weight,
dimensions, and operating characteristics will control the design.
Design Vehicles
As a rule of thumb, intersections should be designed to accommodate
a single-unit truck or the largest vehicle that will need to navigate
through the intersection with considerable frequency.
Common types of design vehicles include a passenger car, a single unit
truck, a city transit bus, and an intermediate semitrailer.
Design Vehicle - Turning Characteristics
When designing an intersection, the largest design vehicle specified for
that intersection should be able to negotiate the turn without climbing
adjacent curbing and channelization islands.
Design Vehicle - Turning Characteristics

The chart above shows the minimum turning radius of four design vehicles:
passenger cars, buses, intermediate semitrailers and interstate semitrailers.
When designing intersections and other facilities that require tight
movements by vehicles, these values must be considered for the appropriate
design vehicle.
Design Capacities
Design capacity is the maximum volume of traffic that a proposed
intersection would be able to serve without congestion rising above a
preselected level, generally the level of service (LOS).

LOS can be calculated for roadway segments or intersections. LOS

calculations for a roadway segment is appropriate when a roadway
lacks stop signs and traffic signals that stop the flow of traffic. This
generally includes freeways and arterials. Where a roadway has traffic
signals or stop signs, LOS for intersections governs.
Design Capacities
There are six levels of service classifications, "A" through "F."
"A" represents the best,
"F" represents the worst.
LOS "A" and "B" are considered to be good.
LOS "C" and "D" are considered to be acceptable.
LOS "E" and "F" are considered to be unacceptable.
Design Capacities
Design Hour Volume
Levels of service are calculated using the design hourly volume (DHV).
The DHV for intersections is the traffic flow that occurs during the peak
traffic hour on an average day.
Typically, traffic counts at intersections are obtained through manual
counts in order to capture the volumes of the turning movements and
should be conducted in 15-minute intervals.
Design Hour Volume
The design-hour volume most often occurs
during the morning or afternoon when
motorists are commuting to or from work.
For typical military installations, an average
day would be during the workweek on a
Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Standard Lane Widths
It is important to make sure that the width of
the roadway is large enough to accommodate
most types of design vehicles.
A width of 12 feet for through lanes is desirable
on both rural and urban roadways, although
the use of 9 foot to 11 foot wide lanes is not
uncommon on low-volume roads (i.e., less than
400 AADT) in rural and residential areas.
In addition, auxiliary lane widths should not be
any less than 10 feet.
Sight Distance
When motorists approach an
intersection, obstructions such as
signs, buildings, fences, and trees
may block the motorist's view of
approaching vehicles.
Inadequate sight distance causes
motorists to edge out into the
intersection, increasing the potential
for crashes. Required intersection
sight distance is based on traffic
control, roadway width, approach
speed, and design vehicle.
INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL TYPES OF
INTERCHANGES
An interchange is a system of interconnecting roadways in conjunction
with one or more grade separations that provides for the movement of
traffic between two or more roadways or highways on different levels.
INTERCHANGE AND GRADE SEPARATION
By definition, a grade separation represents a crossing of two highways
(or a highway and a railroad) at different levels while an interchange
represents a system of interconnecting roadways, in conjunction with
one or more grade separations.
BASIC INTERCHANGE CONFIGURATIONS
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
The following six conditions, or warrants, should be considered when
determining if an interchange is justified at a particular site:
• Design designation—The determination to develop a highway with
full control of access between selected terminals becomes the
warrant for providing highway grade separations or interchanges for
all intersecting roadways crossing the highway.
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
• Reduction of bottlenecks or spot congestion—Insufficient capacity at
the intersection of heavily traveled routes results in intolerable
congestion on one or all approaches.
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
• Reduction of crash frequency and severity—Some at-grade
intersections have a disproportionate frequency of serious crashes. If
inexpensive methods of reducing crashes are likely to be ineffective or
impractical, a highway grade separation or interchange may be
warranted.
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
• Site topography—At some sites, grade-separation designs are the
only type of intersection that can be constructed economically.
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
• Road-user benefits—The road-user costs from delays at congested at-
grade intersections are large. Road-user costs, such as fuel and oil
usage, wear on tires, repairs, delay to motorists, and crashes that
result from speed changes, stops, and waiting, are well in excess of
those for intersections permitting uninterrupted or continuous
operation.
WARRANTS FOR INTERCHANGES AND GRADE
SEPARATIONS
• Traffic volume warrant—A traffic volume warrant for interchange
treatment may be the most tangible of any interchange warrant.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
• Initial Costs
• An interchange is the most costly type of
intersection. The combined cost of the
structure, ramps, through roadways, grading
and landscaping of large areas, and possible
adjustments in existing roadways and utilities
generally exceeds the cost of an at-grade
intersection.
• Directional interchanges involve more than one
structure, and their cost is usually greater than
any simple interchange.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
• Maintenance Costs
• Each type of intersection has appreciable and distinct maintenance costs.
Interchanges have large paved and variable slope areas, the maintenance of
which, together with that of the structure, signs, and landscaping, exceeds
that of an at-grade intersection. In addition, interchanges often involve
maintenance and operation costs for lighting.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
• Vehicular Operating Costs
• In a complete analysis of the adaptability of an interchange, vehicular
operating costs should be compared between the interchange and other
intersections. The values are so dependent on traffic, site, and design that a
general comparison cannot be cited.
INTERCHANGES
The type of configuration used at a particular site is determined by
the..
• number of intersection legs,
• expected volumes of through and turning movements,
• type of truck traffic,
• topography, culture,
• design controls, and
• proper signing.
INTERCHANGES
• Three-leg designs represent an interchange with three intersecting
legs consisting of one or more highway grade separations and one-
way roadways for all traffic movements.
• Four-leg designs represent interchanges with four intersection legs
which may be grouped under six general configurations:
1. Ramps in one quadrant.
2. Diamond interchanges.
3. Single-point urban interchanges (SPUIs).
4. Partial cloverleafs.
5. Full cloverleafs.
6. Interchange with direct and semidirect connections.
INTERCHANGES
Ramps in One Quadrant - Interchanges
with ramps in only one quadrant have
application for an intersection of
roadways with low traffic volumes. The
ramp terminals may be simple T
intersections.
INTERCHANGES
• Diamond Interchange - have application in both rural and urban
areas. They are particularly adaptable to major-minor crossings where
left turns at grade on the minor road are fitting and can be handled
with minimal interference to traffic approaching the intersection from
either direction.
INTERCHANGES
• Single-Point Diamond Interchanges - also known as the single-point
urban interchange (SPUI). The primary features of an SPDI are that all
four turning movements are controlled by a single traffic signal and
opposing left turns operate to the left of each other.
INTERCHANGES
• Cloverleafs - are four-leg interchanges that employ loop ramps to
accommodate left-turning movements. Interchanges with loops in all
four quadrants are referred to as “full cloverleafs” and all others are
referred to as “partial cloverleafs.”
INTERCHANGES
• Directional Interchanges - Direct or semidirect connections are used
for important turning movements to reduce travel distance, increase
speed and capacity, eliminate weaving, and avoid the need for out-of-
direction travel in driving on a loop.
• Direct connection
• Indirect connection
INTERCHANGES
• A direct connection is defined as a ramp that does not deviate greatly
from the intended direction of travel. Interchanges that use direct
connections for the major left-turn movements are directional
interchanges.
• A semidirect connection is defined as a ramp where the driver exits to
the right first, heading away from the intended direction of travel,
gradually reversing, and then passing around other interchange ramps
before entering the other road.
RAMPS
• The term “ramp” includes all types,
arrangements, and sizes of turning
roadways that connect two or more
legs at an interchange.
RAMPS
• Ramps for right turns—An upper-range value of design speed is often
attainable on ramps for right turns, and a value between the upper
and lower range is usually practical. The diagonal ramp of a diamond
interchange may also be used for right turns. For these diagonal
ramps, a value in the middle range is usually practical.
RAMPS
• Loop Ramps—Upper-range values of design speed generally are not
attainable on loop ramps. Ramp design speeds above 50 km/h [30
mph] for loops involve large land areas that are rarely available in
urban areas.
RAMPS
• Two-Lane Loop Ramps—With development and additional traffic on
freeways, the need for two-lane loop ramps has increased. The two-
lane loop configuration should not be immediately preceded or
followed by a loop ramp
• Semidirect connections - Design speeds for semidirect connections
are typically 50 to 60 km/h
• Direct connections— The minimum design speed preferably should
be 60 km/h