PHILIPPINE ENGINEERING AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE INC
Datu Gonsi Street Brgy. Lomidong (salam)
Marawi City, Lnao del sure, 9700
SUBMITTED TO :
Sir: Jasim Bin Yahya
College of Information Technology and Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Course of
CE-315E (PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPORTATION)
Section A
WRITTEN REPORT
Presented by
Mangotara, Taher N .
Mahmod, Fahad M,
Campong, Johaim O.
S.Y 2024-2025
1rd Trimester
INTERCHANGES
TYPE OF INTERCHANES
Interchanges are generally classified according to the number of approach
roadways or intersection legs:
Three-Leg: Tee or Trumpet interchange
Four-Leg: Diamond or Cloverleaf interchange;
Multi-Leg interchanges
Directional interchanges: three or more legs including direct
connectors.
THREE-LEG INTERCHANGES
Three-leg interchanges connect three roads but are hard to expand. If a fourth leg
might be needed in the future, a different interchange type is recommended.
A. Trumpet
The trumpet interchange is the most common three-leg design, ideal for
connecting a major road to a freeway. It prioritizes high-volume turns with
direct ramps and uses loop ramps for lower-volume traffic.
B. Direct
Direct three-leg interchanges use no loops and are suited for high traffic
volumes in all directions. They require multiple structures or a three-level
design.
FOUR-LEG INTERCHANGES
Four-leg interchanges vary based on traffic needs, space, and system
design. The main types are Diamond (compact and efficient), Cloverleaf
(smooth flow but space-heavy), and Directional (best for high-volume,
high-speed traffic).
The diamond interchange is common in urban areas due to its compact
size, mainly used for major-minor crossings. A 300-ft separation between
frontage road intersections is ideal; if not possible, signal timing
adjustments are needed.
The diamond interchange has multiple possible configurations
A.) Conventional diamond without frontage roads - The conventional
diamond is a common interchange where ramps are near the cross
street, allowing quick access but risking freeway backups from ramp
queues
B.) Conventional diamond interchange with frontage roads - allows
traffic to exit before the cross street and enter the freeway just after it.
However, queues can form on ramps or frontage roads as vehicles pass
through intersections to reach nearby properties.
C.) Spread diamond - interchange shifts frontage roads outward to
improve sight distance and intersection operations. While it enhances
traffic flow and safety at signalized intersections, it requires more
right-of-way, which can limit its application.
D.) X-pattern - interchange is suited for areas with heavy frontage road
development. It helps prevent freeway backups by spacing out exits but
can create challenges like uphill acceleration, weaving near vertical
curves, and missed exits due to their unexpected location. It may also
encourage frontage road traffic to bypass signals and merge with main
lane traffic
E.) Stacked diamond - interchange uses braided ramps to provide access
to closely spaced cross streets when there's not enough room for
consecutive ramps.
F.) Split diamond - interchange uses one-way or closely spaced two-way
streets for arterial traffic, making it ideal near downtown areas or
where two arterial roads cross the freeway.
G.) The split diamond with one-way cross streets and frontage roads -
offers a simple design, allowing easy freeway exit and re-entry in the
same direction.
H.) Diamond interchange with frontage roads and separate
turnaround provisions- is ideal for busy cross streets with high
turnaround demand. Turnarounds are placed next to the cross street,
either under or over the freeway, depending on the overpass design.
I.) Three-level diamond - interchange is used in urban areas with high
traffic, allowing free flow on both main roads while regulating only
turns. It's not ideal for two major highways long-term but works well
as a temporary stage before a full directional interchange.
CLOVERLEAF INTERCHANGES
Cloverleaf interchanges were once popular but are now less favored for
high-volume freeway-to-freeway connections. They may still be suitable
where a freeway meets a non-controlled access road in rural or less
developed areas.
Cloverleafs aren't suitable for high left-turn volumes over 1200 pcph, as
loop ramps handle only one lane and have low speeds.
Primary disadvantages of the cloverleaf design include the following:
Large ROW requirements;
Capacity restrictions of loops, especially if truck volumes are significant;
Short weaving length between loops; and
Truck difficulty in weaving and accelerating.
CLOVERLEAFS SHOULD INCLUDE COLLECTOR-
DISTRIBUTOR ROADS FOR BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW
a. Full cloverleaf
The four-quadrant, full cloverleaf, eliminates all left-turn conflicts through
costruction of a two-level interchange.
b. Partial cloverleafPartial cloverleafs are used when site constraints limit
loops or when left-turn conflicts are manageable. Adequate sight distance
at ramp intersections is essential.
DIRECTIONAL INTERCHANGES
Directional interchanges use direct or semi-direct ramps for left turns, improving
speed, capacity, and safety. When all turns use these ramps, it's called a fully
directional interchange, typically used where two freeways meet.
A. Four level without frontage roads
A four-level directional interchange provides direct connections for all freeway-to-
freeway movements and does not include frontage roads through the interchange.
[Link] level with frontage roads
A five-level interchange includes continuous frontage roads and starts as a three-
level diamond, with direct ramps added later for full capacity.
[Link] interchange
The turbine interchange is a four-way directional design with fewer levels (2–3),
using right-exit, left-turn ramps that spiral clockwise around the center.
REFERENCE
ROAD WAY DESIGN MANUAL
Texas Department of Transportation. Roadway Design Manual: Chapter 15 – Grade
Separations and Interchanges, Section 15.3: Types of Interchanges. Available at: TxDOT
website, “15.3 Types of Interchanges” page.
[Link]
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