Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
Road intersection
Definition: An intersection is defined as the area of roadway and road side facilities for traffic movement where
two or more roads join to cross. The efficiency, safety, speed, cost of operation and capacity of road system very
much depends upon the intersection design.
Basic requirements of Road Intersection:
a) At the intersection the area of conflicts should be as small as possible.
b) The relative speed and particularly the angle of approach of vehicle should be small.
c) Adequate visibility should be available for vehicle approaching the intersection.
d) Sudden change of path should be avoided.
e) Geometric feature like turning radius and width of pavement should be adequately provided.
f) Proper visibility sight distance [Link] be provided on the road.
g) Good lighting at right is required.
h) The number of pedestrian and cyclists are large, separate provision should be made for their safe passage
in intersections.
Control strategy of intersection :
Right of way rule: the vehicle which arrives first at intersection has the right of way. Straight going vehicle
should get priority first than turning vehicle.
Stop sign: At the intersection where the stop sign is installed all vehicle approaching it should stop first.
Manual control by traffic police: Rights of way indicate by traffic police.
Street closure:
Types of intersections:
Intersection
Intersection at grade Grade separation intersection
Un-channelized intersection over pass
Channelized intersection under pass
Rotary intersection
Intersection at grade: all the road at intersections which meet at about the same level allowing traffic maneuvers
like merging, diverging, crossing and weaving are called intersection at grade.
Basic traffic maneuvers
1. Diverging :
Left diverging Right diverging
2. Merging:
Left Merging Right Merging
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
3. Crossing :-
Crossing left crossing right
4. Weaving :-
Weaving left weaving right
1. Un-channelized intersection: the intersection area is paved and there is absolutely no restriction to vehicle to use
any part of intersection area. Hence the un-channelized intersection are the lowest class of intersection, easiest in
the design but most complex in traffic operation resulting in maximum conflicts area and more number of
accidents. When no additional pavement width for turning movement is provided, it is called plain intersection.
But when the pavement is widened at the intersection area, by traffic lane or more, it is called flared intersection.
.
Fig.:- Cross (plain) fig.:- tee (plain)
Fig.:- cross (flared) fig.:- Tee (flared)
Fig.:- Skew (plain)
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
2. Channelized intersection:-intersection in which islands are introduced at intersection area, thereby reducing total
conflicts area available in un-channelized intersection is called channelized intersection. These islands help to
channelized turning traffic, to control their speed and angle of approach and to decrease the conflict area at the
intersection. Some of typical examples of channelized intersection are given below:-
.
Fig.:- Cross (plain) fig.:- tee (plain)
Fig.:- Skew (plain)
Advantages:
Vehicles are confined to definite path.
Decreases the conflicts area.
Speed control can be established.
Provides proper places for installation of signs and signals.
Disadvantages:
Requirement of large areas.
Skilled man power required for design of speed.
3. Rotary intersection:
A rotary intersection or traffic rotary is an enlarged road intersection where all converging vehicles are
forced to move round a large central island in one direction before they can weave out of traffic flow into their
respective directions radiating from the central island. The main objects of providing a rotary are to eliminate the
necessity of stopping even for crossing streams of vehicles and to reduce the area of conflicts.
Advantages:
An orderly, continuous and fairly uniform traffic flow hence minimize the accident.
No angular crossing.
Easy and clearly turning.
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
Self governing.
Provide aesthetically good appearance.
No necessity of traffic police.
Disadvantages:
Required more land.
Required favorable and flat topographical condition.
Not best for high traffic density.
Exit radius
Entry radius
Central islands
Weaving length
Rotary intersection is accepted if:-
1. Volume of traffic is almost is equal at all intersected legs.
2. Minm 500 veh/hr and maxm 3000 veh/hr.
3. Good for more than four approach junctions.
IRC design guide lines:-
1. Design speed:- 30 kmph for urban areas
40 kmph for rural.
2. Radius at entry:- 15-20m for urban areas
20-35 m for rural.
3. Radius at exit: - 1.5 to 2 times the radius of entry.
4. Radius at central islands: - 1.33 times the radius of entry.
5. Weaving length: - 30-60 m for urban.
45-90 m for rural.
4:1 (weaving length : weaving width)
6. Width of carriage way at entry and exit: - minm 5m plus widening.
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
7. Width of rotary carriage way :- (e1-e2)/2 +3.5 m
8. Entry and exit angle :- 600 for entry and 300 for exit.
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
Grade separated intersection :-
Grade separated intersection is the superior form of intersection treatment. This type of intersection
minimizes the delays and conflicts in most level. A highway grade separation is achieved by a vertical
level. It may be either by an over bridge or by under pass provided for interchange facilities consisting
ramps. Interchange ramps may be classified by direct, semi-direct and indirect as shown in figures below.
Direct Semi-direct Indirect
Advantages :-
Avoid necessity of stopping as well as accident while crossing.
Increasing safety and easiness for turning traffic.
Saving in travel time.
Stage construction is possible.
Disadvantages :-
Costly.
Difficult, costly, undesirable where topography is not favorable.
Undesirable sag and crest in the vertical alignment.
Structure of grade separation:
1. Over-pass :-
When the major highway is taken above by rising its profile above the general ground level by
embankment and overpass across another highway called overpass.
Advantages :-
Drainage problem avoided, less cost of bridge structure for wider road above narrow one.
Disadvantages :-
Rolling grade at intersection, excessive grade away restrict speed, restricted site clearance.
2. Under pass :-
If the highway is taken by depressing it below the ground level to cross another road by means of under
bridge, it is called under passes.
Advantages :-
It is advantages to turning traffic because the traffic from the cross road can accelerate while
descending the ramp to the major highway and the traffic from the major highway can decelerate
while ascending the ramp to the cross roads.
Disadvantages :-
Troublesome drainage problem, especially having higher water table resulting in continuous
water pumping, restriction of vertical sight distance by the bridge, no possibility of stage
construction.
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
Some of different forms of grade separation structure are given below:-
Fig :- diamond interchanges
fig :- rotary interchanges
fig :- half cover-leaf interchanges
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer
Road intersection
Transportation Engineering-II
Fig :- full cover leaf interchanges
Er. Hari Kumar Deo
Lecturer