1. HIGHWAY DESIGN PROCESS & ROUTE LOCATION
Spring 2019

2. 1. Identify Sources and Jurisdiction of Design Standards
● Sponsoring Agency
● Highway Classification
● Design Speed
● Cross sections
● Maximum Superelevation

3. 2. Major Characteristics of Site and Vicinity
● Topography (flat, rolling, mountainous)
● Ground conditions
● Possible adverse environmental impacts
● Habitation and property
● Acquire right-of-way

4. 3. Establish major Design Controls
● Design speed
● Minimum horizontal curve radius
● Maximum allowable grade
● Cross section elements
● Maximum allowable excavation depths and embankment heights
Step 8

5. 4. Select Route for Preliminary Design
● Identify alternative routes
● Sketch horizontal and vertical alignments
● Screen alternatives and select routes for preliminary design
Step 8

6. 5. Conduct Preliminary Design
● Horizontal and vertical alignments
● Cross sections
● Mass diagrams
● Major drainage features
● Potential environmental impacts
Step 8

7. 6. Estimate Costs and Impacts
● Approximate project costs
● Approximate user costs
● Economic cost estimate
● Environmental impacts
Step 8

8. 7. Evaluate Alternatives 8. Modify Major Design Controls, if necessary
● Economic cost comparison
● Environmental impacts
● Select preferred alternative for detailed design
8. Modify Major Design Controls, if necessary

9. 9. Undertake Design of Selected Alternative
● Prepare detailed design
● Prepare tender documents

10. Route Selection

11. NATURAL AND MAN-MADE FEATURES
Selection of possible routes, other than traffic considerations, is governed by:
Topographic features
Human habitation
Environmental features
Therefore, you need to review the area’s major topographic features

12. TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
Maps available at the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
Key Elements:
Identify suitable ground conditions: wetlands, rock outcrops, flooding areas, and other features influencing construction activity (solid rock)
Examine contour lines to estimate grades and steepness of terrain

13. TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS Key Elements (cont’d):
Define streams, rivers and ravines to indicate possible need for bridges
Identify soil conditions (dependant on type of maps)
Summarize findings on maps (see example)
Need to look for: effects of ice and snow, avalanche area, cultural areas (native burial ground), school activities

15. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-1

16. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-2

17. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-3

20. Aerial Photography Key Elements:
Aerial photography can be used to confirm or modify information on topographic maps
Can provide information about avalanches, mudslide or flooding
Stereographic aerial photographs can provide general ideas about grades
Oblique photographs can also provide general ideas about grades
The presence of trees may make identification difficult

21. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-4

22. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-5

23. Other Maps Geological and Soil Maps Ground Surveys
Can provide information for cut and fill estimate (clay versus rock)
May provide information for pavement design
Ground Surveys
Can be useful for very rugged terrain (since it is suggested that the design engineer “walks the route”)

24. ROUTE IDENTIFICATION Balance between user costs and construction costs
Least user costs: higher design speed, shortest route, etc.
Least construction costs: little if no cut and fill, few bridges, no tunnels, etc.
Maintenance costs (roadside devices, etc.)
Other societal costs
Safety
Air and noise pollution

25. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-6

26. Schoon (1999) Figure 1-7

31. STATIONING U.S. units 1+00.00 2+00.00 3+00.00 4+00.00
or ft
100 ft
Metric units
or 2, m
1 km

32. Wright and Dixon (2004) Fig 13-3

33. Wright and Dixon (2004) Fig 13-4