2. Overview Interim Advice Note 85/06 Minor Improvements to Existing National Roads Development of Approach / Issues Identified NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Summary of Key Points to Note Questions

3. Interim Advice Note 85/06 Minor Improvements to Existing National Roads Introduced as guidance for the identification and development of minor improvement schemes in Ireland (October 2006) For low cost solutions for schemes < 2km, to avoid a large number of Departures

4. Development of Approach and Issues Identified Objective of IAN 85/06 for minor improvements was diluted due to categorisation and inclusion of Maintenance Schemes The objective of a minor improvement to an existing National Road is to achieve a route improvement appropriate to and consistent with the characteristics of the existing route in terms of the existing route geometric characteristics and traffic demand, particularly the volume of daily traffic and Heavy Commercial Vehicle content.

5. Development of Approach and Issues Identified Lack of clarity on the nature of minor improvement schemes Not enough guidance on the following; content of typical design report; treatment of particular design issues; appropriateness of Departures.

6. Development of Approach and Issues Identified Not enough evidence of documented design decision- making and options assessment Practitioners using the IAN 85/06 Design Procedure overly focussed on the NRA Grant Allocation process IAN 85/06 Figure 4/1 Design Procedure

7. Points to Highlight NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Coverage Preliminary Design Report Design Standards Departures Worked Examples

8. Points to Highlight NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Coverage NRA TA 85/11 covers :- Minor Improvement Schemes (i.e. Upgrade of sub-standard road of <2km); and Road Safety Improvements Schemes (i.e. parts of the network with high collision rates) Importantly, NRA TA 85/11 does not cover Maintenance Schemes (i.e. pavement works, etc) though these can contain minor improvements

9. Preliminary Design Report NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Need for the proposed scheme Specific objectives of the proposed scheme. Collision History and Records. Design Speed Calculations. Options considered Constraints Geometric features Safety Barrier Requirements Drainage requirements Traffic Signs and Road Marking Requirements Junction treatment Requirements of Non Motorised Users Relaxations and Departures (proposed and approved) Road Safety Audit PDR summary and checklist

10. Preliminary Design Report NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Need for the Proposed Scheme This should set out succinctly the problem that the minor improvement scheme is seeking to solve, thus forming the objective of the design. Options Considered All possible means for solving the identified problem should be outlined as appropriate

11. Preliminary Design Report NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Safety Barrier Requirements Consideration of Safety Barriers is notoriously problematic for lower speed roads, requiring design judgement to assess specific risks Relaxations & Departures Including Departure forms signed off by the Road Authority, recording & approving non-compliances

12. Preliminary Design Report NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Issue of PDR to NRA Standards Section To monitor the volume and consistency of Preliminary Design Reports (PDRs) across the network, each PDR is to be issued to the NRA Standards Section for information This can be done by sending a completed PDF to the NRA Standards e-mail address for Departures, which is infoDEPS@nra.ie

13. Design Standards NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Alterations to Horizontal Alignment Calculation of Design Speed Alterations to Vertical Alignments Cross-Section Overtaking Value Junctions and Access Modifications Safety Barriers Drainage Traffic Signs, Road Markings and Reflectors Non Motorised Road Users Road Safety Audits Passing Bays Relaxations and Departures from Standard Departures from NRA DMRB Standards Departures from NRA Specification for Road Works

14. Design Standards NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Safety Barriers Use NRA TD 19 if design speed is > or = 100kph For < 100kph, undertake a Risk Assessment first and then use NRA TD 19 where barrier is required Use specific guidance for Risk Assessment to consider all hazards and alternatives (further guidance is currently being developed for issue later in 2012)

15. Design Standards NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Drainage Water can affect surface and sub-surface features HD 33 is a requirement, but may not be achievable Existing drainage systems should be evaluated and the effects of super-elevation considered Could a channel alongside the road help? Is there space for a grass-surface water channel?

16. Design Standards NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Drainage

17. Design Standards NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Passing Bays Passing Bays can now be used where a minor improvement involves an upgrade of a Local Secondary or Tertiary Road, with an existing carriageway width of < 5.3m.

18. Departures from Standard NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads NRA TA 85/11 Departures NRA TA 85/11 provides clear guidance and cross- reference to all NRA DMRB documents which set requirements for minor improvement schemes Departures are non-compliances with the requirements of any NRA standard referenced in NRA TA 85/11, or the relevant part of the NRA MCDRW (Specification, NGs, RCDs, etc..)

19. Departures from Standard NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Documenting Departures NRA TA 85/11 Departures documented by Designer and approved by an suitably experienced Engineer within the relevant Road Authority promoting the scheme (e.g. Chartered Engineer or similar) – Use Appendix B form NRA MCDRW Departures documented by Designer and submitted to NRA Standards for approval

20. Departures from Standard NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads NRA Standards – Departures Queries & Advice Departures from Standards and Specification (Part 0.0.C of NRA DMRB) sets out the NRA Departures procedures and this standard is currently being updated to address a number of changes, including NRA TA 85/11 All Departures-related queries to the NRA should be sent by e-mail to infoDEPS@nra.ie

21. NRA TA 85/11 Guidance on Minor Improvements to National Roads Worked Examples NRA TA 85/11 includes 10no. worked examples to assist designers in describing their projects

22. Summary of Key Points to Note NRA TA 85/11 developed to provide specific and useful guidance on design of Minor Improvement Schemes Documented Design Decision-Making through preparation and issue of Preliminary Design Report Departures to be recorded by the Designer and approved by the relevant Road Authority

23. Questions?

24. Thank You