1. Highway Design Class
CTC 440

2. Introductions
Students Me

3. Class Basics www.sunyit.edu/~barans/ Syllabus Tentative Schedule
Lectures
Labs
Grades (PIN #’s)

4. Ch 5 of HDM: Basic Design
Designing a section of highway is similar to designing a house
Lots of little decisions along the way that impact the end product

5. Some Basic Elements Capacity/Level of Service Accident Analysis
Terrain Data Requirements
Right-of-Way
Construction Cost Estimates
Design Elements
Design Considerations
Intersections at Grade

6. Capacity / Level of Service
Capacity analysis is used to estimate the traffic-carrying ability of existing and proposed traffic
(LOS) is a qualitative measure used to describe the operational conditions within a traffic stream – driver’s viewpoint
A (best) F (failure)
LOS C – desirable; LOS D acceptable

7. Accident Analysis – Identify problems and incorporate countermeasures
Collect data
Determine accident rate and compare to statewide avg.
Identify locational clusters
Identify nonstandard or nonconforming features
PIL/PII (priority investigation list/intersection)
Utility Pole “bad actors”

8. Terrain Data Requirements Obtained via photogrammetry &/or field survey
Base Mapping (horizontal)
Edge of pavements, shoulders, sidewalks
Buildings, fences, trees, tree lines
Rock outcrops
Utilities-lines, valves, manholes
Streams, creeks
Topography (vertical)
DTM – digital terrain models
Used for contours and cut cross-sections

9. Right of Way Amt. of land needed
ARM-abstract request map
ROW plan
Power of eminent domain
Types
Fee, w/ access or w/o access
PE (permanent easement)
TE (temporary easement)
TO (temporary occupancy, <$2500, minor grading/ditching)
Entrance, approach, or driveway work release (no compensation
General work release (no compensation)

10. Construction Cost Estimates Prepared throughout project life
Ballpark (+/-50%)
Preliminary (+/-20%)
PEP (preliminary estimate program) or MEANS
Detailed (+/-5%)
PES (preliminary estimating system) or MEANS
Economic Analysis
Bridge rehab vs replacement
Bridge abandonment vs preservation
Pavt. Rehab options
Accident reduction treatments
Mobility betterment

11. Design Elements Design Vehicle Sight Distance
Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
Superelevation
Climbing or emergency escape lanes
Clear Zone
Vertical and Horizontal Clearance
Parking lanes, driveways
Lane drops, medians
Frontage roads
HOV lanes, bus stops/turnouts/turnarounds

12. Design Considerations
Joint Use of Highway (peds/bikes/utilities/transit)
Driver Expectancy
Geometric Considerations
Noise Abatement
Increase capacity w/o addl. Lanes
ITS
Ramp Metering
Reversible-flow lanes
Shoulders as traffic lanes
HOV priority treatment

13. Intersections at Grade
Use HCM to determine LOS/Capacity
Intersection Geometries
Angle (skew < 30 deg)
Channelization/pavt width/radii
Other Considerations
Sight distance/access control
signalization
Medians
Flush or Raised
Median Openings

14. Highway Stuff
2007 Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
Bolivia Road