ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

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PART 1: ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT
SECTION 100: GENERAL INFORMATION
101 PURPOSE 100-1
101.01 INTRODUCTION 100-1
102 CONTENTS AND ORGANIZATION 100-1
102.01 PART 1: ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT 100-1
102.02 PART 2: ROADWAY DESIGN 100-2
102.03 PART 3: STRUCTURES AND BRIDGES 100-2
103 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS 100-2
103.01 GENERAL 100-2
103.02 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS - GENERAL 100-2
103.03 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS - SPECIFIC 100-3
104 ROADWAY CLASSIFICATIONS 100-3
104.01 ROADWAY SYSTEM 100-3
104.02 DESIGN 100-3
104.03 CRITERIA FOR DESIGN CLASS DESIGNATION 100-3
105 ROUTE DESIGNATIONS 100-5
105.01 INTRODUCTION 100-5
105.02 ROUTE NUMBERS 100-5
105.03 ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND REVISIONS 100-5

SECTION 200: DESIGN CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

201 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING 200-1
201.01 INTRODUCTION 200-1
201.02 ROAD SECTION 200-1
201.03 TOWN PLANNING 200-1
201.04 MAPPING 200-1
201.04.01 General 200-1
201.04.02 Topographic Mapping 200-2
201.05 PROJECT LIMITS 200-2
201.06 PROJECT IDENTIFICATION AND NUMBERING 200-6
201.07 INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION 200-6
202 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING DESIGN 200-6
202.01 INTRODUCTION 200-6
202.02 SOCIOECONOMIC/COMMUNITY RESOURCE DATA 200-6
202.02.01 Land Use 200-6
202.02.02 Growth Projections 200-7
202.02.03 Public Services 200-7
202.02.04 Schools 200-7
202.02.05 Mosques 200-8
202.02.06 Utilities 200-8
202.02.07 Security 200-8
202.02.08 Commercial Activities 200-9
202.02.09 Economics 200-9
202.02.10 Local Transportation/Circulation 200-9
202.02.11 Parking Requirements 200-9
202.02.12 Recreation 200-10
202.02.13 Historical Site Identification and Preservation 200-10
202.03 NATURAL/ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE DATA 200-10
202.03.01 Landscape Preservation 200-10
202.03.02 Topography 200-11
202.03.03 Water 200-11
202.03.04 Wildlife 200-11
202.03.05 Air Quality 200-11
202.03.06 Noise 200-11

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202.03.07 Visual/Aesthetic 200-11
202.03.08 Hazardous Materials 200-11
202.04 ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST 200-12
203 TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS 200-12
203.01 INTRODUCTION 200-12
203.02 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 200-12
203.03 TRAFFIC COUNTS 200-12
203.03.01 Introduction 200-12
203.03.02 Traffic Projections 200-13
203.03.03 Procedures for Traffic Volumes 200-14
203.04 SURVEY CONTROL/FIELD SURVEYS 200-14
203.04.01 Introduction 200-14
203.04.02 Horizontal Control 200-14
203.04.03 Vertical Control 200-14
203.04.04 Coordinate System 200-14
203.04.05 Field Surveys 200-14
203.5 DRAINAGE SURVEYS 200-15

SECTION 300: DESIGN CONCEPT REPORT

301 CONTENTS 300-1
301.01 FORMAT 300-1
302 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 300-3
303 INTRODUCTION 300-3
304 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS 300-3
305 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES 300-3
306 DESIGN DATA 300-4
307 TYPICAL SECTIONS 300-4
308 GEOMETRICS 300-4
309 INTERCHANGE/ INTERSECTION CONFIGURATION 300-5
310 PARKING STUDY 300-5
311 HYDROLOGY AND HYDRAULICS 300-5
311.01 PURPOSE 300-6
311.02 PLANNING & PREPARATION OF THE DRAINAGE DESIGN CONCEPTS 300-6
311.02.01 Problem Categories 300-7
311.02.02 Flood Plain Encroachment and Risk Evaluation 300-9
311.02.03 Data Collection 300-10
311.03 STORM WATER HYDROLOGY 300-14
311.04 OPEN CHANNEL HYDRAULICS 300-15
311.05 BRIDGE HYDRAULICS 300-16
311.05.01 Bridge Location and Hydraulics Report 300-16
311.05.02 Bridge Hydraulics Recommendations Sheet (BHRS) 300-19
311.06 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT USING RETENTION/DETENTION DESIGN 300-20
312 SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATIONS 300-21
313 BRIDGE TYPE SELECTION 300-21
313.01 BRIDGES OVER WATERWAYS 300-22
313.02 WIDENINGS/REHABILITATION 300-22
313.03 BRIDGE SELECTION REPORT 300-22
314 UTILITY IMPACT ANALYSIS 300-23
315 SOCIOECONOMIC ANALYSIS 300-23
316 AGRICULTURE IMPACT 300-23
317 PUBLIC FEEDBACK 300-24
318 SIGNING AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS 300-24
319 LIGHTING CONCEPTS 300-24
320 CONSTRUCTION STAGING 300-24
321 COST ESTIMATE 300-25
322 CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS 300-25
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323 APPENDIX 300-25
324 DRAWINGS 300-25

PART 2: ROADWAY DESIGN

SECTION 100: GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA
101 DESIGN SPEED 100-1
102 DESIGN VEHICLES 100-3
103 DESIGN TRAFFIC 100-3
103.01 DESIGN PERIOD 100-3
103.02 RELATION TO DESIGN 100-3
104 ROADWAY CAPACITY 100-3
104.01 DESIGN CAPACITIES 100-3
104.01.01 Multi-lane Rural Roadway 100-4
104.01.02 Two Lane Roadways 100-4
104.01.03 Expressways 100-5
104.01.04 Expressway Ramps and Weaving Sections 100-5
104.01.05 Intersection Capacity 100-5
105 CONTROL OF ACCESS 100-5
105.01 GENERAL 100-5
105.02 ACCESS CONTROL DESIGN CRITERIA 100-5
105.02.01 Primary Roadways 100-5
105.02.02 Secondary Roadways, ADT > 2500 100-6
105.02.03 Secondary Roadways, ADT < 2500 100-6
105.03 USE OF FRONTAGE ROADS 100-7
105.04 PROTECTION OF ACCESS RIGHTS 100-7
106 DESIGN STANDARD EXCEPTIONS 100-7
107 BICYCLE FACILITIES 100-9
107.01 GENERAL 100-9
107.02 SPECIAL BICYCLE FACILITIES 100-9
107.03 BICYCLE CHARACTERISTICS 100-9
107.04 BICYCLES AT INTERSECTIONS 100-9

SECTION 200: GEOMETRIC DESIGN STANDARDS

201 SIGHT DISTANCE 200-1
201.01 GENERAL 200-1
201.02 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE 200-1
201.03 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE 200-1
201.04 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE AT GRADE CRESTS 200-1
201.05 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE AT GRADE SAGS 200-3
201.06 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE ON HORIZONTAL CURVES 200-3
201.07 DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE 200-3
202 SUPERELEVATION 200-3
202.01 GENERAL 200-3
202.02 SUPERELEVATION STANDARDS 200-4
202.03 CITY ROAD CONDITIONS 200-4
202.04 AXIS OF ROTATION 200-6
202.05 SUPERELEVATION TRANSITION 200-6
202.06 SUPERELEVATION OF COMPOUND CURVES 200-6
203 HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT 200-9
203.01 GENERAL 200-9
203.02 STANDARDS FOR HORIZONTAL CURVATURE 200-9
204 VERTICAL ALIGNMENT 200-10
204.01 GENERAL 200-10
204.02 VERTICAL ALIGNMENT POSITION WITH RESPECT TO CROSS SECTION 200-10
204.03 STANDARDS FOR GRADES 200-10

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204.04 VERTICAL CURVES 200-11
204.05 LONG SUSTAINED GRADES 200-11
204.06 STRUCTURE GRADE LINE 200-11
204.07 SEPARATE PROFILE GRADE LINES 200-16
205 COORDINATION OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ALIGNMENTS 200-16
206 PAVEMENT TRANSITIONS 200-16
206.01 GENERAL 200-16
206.02 TRANSITIONS FOR MULTILANE ROADWAYS 200-16
207 BRIDGES AND GRADE SEPARATION STRUCTURES 200-18
207.01 CLEAR WIDTH 200-18
207.02 CROSS SLOPE 200-18
207.03 SIDEWALKS 200-18
208 PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES 200-18
208.01 SIDEWALKS 200-18
208.02 PEDESTRIAN GRADE SEPARATIONS 200-18
208.03 PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASSES 200-18
209 CURBS 200-18
209.01 GENERAL 200-18
209.02 TYPES AND USES 200-19
209.03 CURB PARAMETERS 200-19
210 BUS STOPS AND TAXI STOPS 200-19
210.01 BUS STOPS 200-19
210.02 TAXI STOPS 200-19
211 PARKING 200-20
211.01 GENERAL 200-20
211.02 PARKING AREAS 200-20
211.03 ON ROAD PARKING SPACES 200-20
211.04 PARKING LOTS 200-21
211.05 PARKING DEMAND/SUPPLY ANALYSIS 200-21

SECTION 300: GEOMETRIC CROSSECTIONS

301 TRAVELLED WAY STANDARDS 300-1
301.01 TRAVELLED WAY WIDTH 300-1
301.02 TRAVELLED WAY CROSS SLOPES 300-1
302 SHOULDER STANDARDS 300-1
302.01 SHOULDER WIDTH STANDARDS 300-1
302.02 SHOULDER CROSS SLOPES 300-1
303 SIDE SLOPE STANDARDS 300-1
303.01 SIDE SLOPE VALUES 300-2
303.02 SLOPE CLEARANCE FROM RIGHT OF WAY 300-2
304 MEDIAN STANDARDS 300-2
305 CROSS SECTION ELEMENTS 300-2
305.01 RURAL FREEWAY/EXPRESSWAY CROSS SECTION 300-2
305.02 URBAN FREEWAY/EXPRESSWAY CROSS SECTION 300-2
305.03 ARTERIAL (MAIN ROAD) CROSS SECTION 300-4
305.04 SECTOR ROAD CROSS SECTION 300-5
305.05 FRONTAGE ROAD CROSS SECTION 300-5
306 HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL CLEARANCES 300-5
306.01 HORIZONTAL CLEARANCES 300-5
306.02 VERTICAL CLEARANCES 300-6
306.03 TUNNEL CLEARANCES 300-6
307 CLEAR ZONE CONCEPT 300-6
307.01 APPLICATION OF CLEAR ZONE 300-8
307.01.01 Roadside Terrain: Foreslope 300-8
307.01.02 Roadside Terrain: Backslope 300-9
307.01.03 Roadside Terrain: Cross-slope 300-9
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307.01.04 Roadside Terrain: Ditch 300-9
308 BARRIERS 300-11
308.01 BARRIER NEED 300-11
308.02 ROADSIDE BARRIER TYPES AND FEATURES 300-11
308.03 ROADSIDE BARRIER PLACEMENT 300-12
308.03.01 Lateral Placement 300-12
308.03.02 Barrier to Hazard Clearances 300-12
308.03.03 Effects of Roadside Terrain 300-13
308.03.04 Barrier Length Design 300-13
308.04 MEDIAN BARRIERS 300-15
308.04.01 Median Barrier Warrants 300-15
308.04.02 Median Barrier Types and Features 300-15
308.05 MEDIAN BARRIER PLACEMENT 300-15
308.05.01 Median Geometry 300-15
308.05.02 Treatment of Fixed Object Hazards 300-16
308.06 END TREATMENTS AND CRASH CUSHIONS 300-16
308.06.01 End Treatments 300-16
308.06.02 Crash Cushion-Selection Guidelines 300-18
308.06.03 Placement Recommendations 300-18

SECTION 400: AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS

401 GENERAL 400-1
402 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 400-1
403 AT GRADE INTERSECTION TYPES 400-1
404 CHANNELIZATION 400-2
404.01 PREFERENCE TO MAJOR MOVEMENTS 400-2
404.02 AREAS OF CONFLICT 400-2
404.03 INTERSECTION ANGLES 400-2
404.04 POINTS OF CONFLICT 400-2
404.05 SPEED-CHANGE LANES 400-3
404.06 TURNING MOVEMENTS 400-3
404.07 REFUGE AREAS 400-3
404.08 PROHIBITED TURNS 400-3
404.09 EFFECTIVE SIGNAL CONTROL 400-3
404.10 INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES 400-3
404.11 GUIDELINES 400-3
405 DESIGN VEHICLES 400-4
405.01 OFF TRACKING 400-4
405.02 DESIGN VEHICLES 400-4
405.03 TURNING TEMPLATES 400-4
406 INTERSECTION DESIGN STANDARDS 400-4
406.01 SIGHT DISTANCE 400-4
406.02 EFFECT OF SKEW 400-10
406.03 EFFECT OF VERTICAL PROFILES 400-13
406.04 LEFT-TURN CHANNELIZATION 400-13
406.05 RIGHT-TURN CHANNELIZATION 400-14
406.06 TRAFFIC ISLANDS 400-14
407 ROUNDABOUT DESIGN 400-15

SECTION 500: INTERCHANGES

501 GENERAL 500-1
502 INTERCHANGE WARRANTS 500-1
503 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 500-1
504 INTERCHANGE TYPES 500-1
504.01 THREE-LEG INTERCHANGE 500-1
504.02 FOUR-LEG INTERCHANGES 500-3
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505 INTERCHANGE DESIGN PROCEDURES 500-8
506 INTERCHANGE DESIGN STANDARDS 500-8
507 RAMP DESIGN STANDARDS 500-9
508 ENTRANCE/ EXIT RAMP DESIGN STANDARDS 500-11
508.01 RAMP TERMINAL DESIGN 500-16

SECTION 600: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

601 INTRODUCTION 600-1
602 GENERAL 600-1
603 GEOTECHNICAL REPORT 600-1
604 STRUCTURAL PAVEMENT SECTION DESIGN 600-2
604.01 GENERAL 600-2
604.01.01 Pavement Design Methods 600-2
604.01.02 Comparison of Design Results 600-4
604.02 PAVEMENT DESIGN METHOD 600-5

SECTION 700: DRAINAGE

701 GENERAL 700-1

SECTION 800: UTILITIES

801 GENERAL 800-1
802 UTILITY PLANNING 800-1
803 SERVICE RESERVATIONS 800-2
804 UTILITY DESIGN 800-3
804.01 GENERAL 800-3
804.02 UTILITY PROTECTION 800-3
804.03 UTILITY RELOCATION 800-4
804.04 CONTINGENCY DUCTS 800-4
804.05 UTILITY LOCATIONS 800-4
804.06 NON-DISRUPTIVE ROAD CROSSINGS 800-4

SECTION 900: TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

901 TRAFFIC OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS 900-1
901.01 GENERAL 900-1
901.02 OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS 900-1
902 SIGNALIZATION 900-1
902.01 TRAFFIC SIGNAL DESIGN 900-1
902.02 SIGNALS, POLES, AND CONTROLLERS 900-2
902.03 DUCTS AND PULLBOXES 900-3
902.04 PYLONS 900-3
903 TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE 900-3
904 SIGNING 900-3
904.01 SIGN STRUCTURE INSTALLATIONS 900-4
904.01.01 Ground Mounted 900-4
904.01.02 Overhead Mounted 900-4
904.02 SIGN SHEETING 900-5
904.03 SIGN TYPES 900-5
904.03.01 Regulatory And Warning Signs 900-5
904.03.02 Guide Signs 900-5
904.04 FINAL SIGNING PLAN REQUIREMENTS 900-5
904.05 ARABIC LETTERING FOR GUIDE SIGNS 900-10
904.05.01 General 900-10
904.05.02 The Arabic Alphabet 900-10
904.05.03 Use of the Standard Arabic Script 900-10
904.06 GUIDE SIGN DIMENSIONS 900-10

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904.06.01 Single Message Guide Signs (Example 900-02) 900-10
904.06.02 Multiple Message Guide Signs (Example 900-03) 900-12
904.07 STANDARD ARABIC SCRIPT FOR HIGHWAY SIGNS 1 OF 14 900-15
904.08 SIGN LIGHTING 900-29
904.09 SIGN LUMINARES 900-29
905 PAVEMENT MARKINGS 900-29
905.01 GENERAL 900-29
905.02 TYPES OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS 900-29
905.02.01 Lane Markings 900-29
905.02.02 Stop Line Markings 900-30
905.02.03 Pedestrian Crossing Markings 900-30
905.02.04 Channelization Markings 900-30
905.02.05 Pavement Edge Markings 900-30
905.02.06 Parking Space Markings 900-30
905.02.07 Pavement Symbols 900-30
906 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC 900-30
906.01 CONSTRUCTION STAGING 900-30
906.02 SAFETY MEASURES 900-31
906.03 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNALS 900-31
906.04 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC PLANS 900-31

SECTION 1000: LIGHTING

1001 ROADWAY LIGHTING 1000-1
1001.01 GENERAL 1000-1
1001.02 LIGHTING DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 1000-1
1001.03 ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS 1000-2
1002 PARKING AREA LIGHTING 1000-3
1002.01 GENERAL 1000-3
1002.02 ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS 1000-3
1002.03 LANTERN MOUNTING HEIGHT 1000-4
1002.04 LANTERN SELECTION 1000-4
1003 SIDEWALK LIGHTING 1000-4
1003.01 GENERAL 1000-4
1003.02 ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS 1000-4
1003.03 LANTERN MOUNTING HEIGHT 1000-4
1003.04 LANTERN SELECTION 1000-4
1004 LIGHTING CONTROLS 1000-4
1004.01 GENERAL 1000-4
1004.02 LIGHTING CONTROLLER REQUIREMENTS 1000-4
1004.03 DESIGN STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES 1000-4
1005 POWER DISTRIBUTION 1000-4
1006 DESIGN AND SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITIES 1000-5

SECTION 1100: ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT

1101 LANDSCAPING 1100-1
1102 IRRIGATION 1100-1
1102.01 IRRIGATION DUCTS 1100-1
1103 FENCING 1100-2
1104 SLOPE PAVING 1100-2
1105 SWEET SAND COVERING 1100-2
1106 STREET FURNITURE 1100-2
1106.01 GENERAL 1100-2
1106.02 DESIGN 1100-2
1106.03 BENCHES 1100-2
1106.03.01 Type A bench 1100-2
1106.03.02 Type B bench 1100-2
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1106.03.03 Type C bench 1100-3
1106.04 BUS SHELTERS 1100-3
1106.05 TELEPHONE BOOTHS 1100-3
1107 NOISE ABATEMENT 1100-3

PART 3: STRUCTURE DESIGN

SECTION 100: DESIGN CRITERIA
101 GENERAL 100-1
101.01 PURPOSE 100-1
101.02 DEFINITIONS 100-1
101.03 BRIDGE TYPES 100-1
102 DESIGN FEATURES 100-2
102.01 GENERAL 100-2
102.02 DESIGN METHODS 100-2
102.03 VERTICAL CLEARANCE AT STRUCTURES 100-2
102.03.01 Highway Traffic Structures 100-2
102.03.02 Pedestrian Overpasses 100-2
102.03.03 Railroad Overpasses 100-2
102.03.04 Tunnels 100-3
102.03.05 Sign Structures 100-3
102.03.06 Width 100-3
102.04 RAILINGS 100-3
102.05 CONCRETE BARRIER TRANSITIONS 100-3
102.06 APPROACH SLABS 100-3
102.07 ANCHOR SLABS 100-3
102.08 DECK DRAINAGE 100-3
102.09 WING WALLS 100-4
102.10 LIGHTING 100-4
102.11 BRIDGE DECK ELEVATIONS 100-4
102.12 CONCRETE CRACK CONTROL 100-4
102.13 CORROSION PROTECTION 100-4
103 ARCHITECTURAL CONSIDERATIONS 100-4
103.01 PROCEDURE 100-4
103.02 GENERAL CRITERIA 100-5

SECTION 200: DESIGN LOADS

201 LOAD TYPES 200-1
201.01 GENERAL 200-1
201.02 DEAD LOADS 200-1
201.03 FUTURE WEARING SURFACE 200-1
201.04 WEARING SURFACE 200-1
201.05 HIGHWAY LOADS 200-1
201.06 STRUCTURE LOADINGS 200-1
201.07 FRICTION FORCES 200-1
201.08 THERMAL FORCES 200-1
201.09 STREAM FORCES 200-1
201.10 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE 200-3
201.11 DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT 200-3
201.12 EARTHQUAKES 200-3
202 DISTRIBUTION OF LOADS 200-4
202.01 SUPERIMPOSED DEADLOAD DISTRIBUTION 200-4
202.02 CONCRETE BOX GIRDERS 200-4
202.03 PRESTRESSED VOIDED SLABS 200-4
202.04 PRESTRESSED BOX BEAMS 200-4
202.05 LATERAL TENSIONING OF MULTI-BEAM UNITS 200-5

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202.06 LIVE LOAD DISTRIBUTION 200-5
203 LOAD FACTORS 200-5

SECTION 300: REINFORCED CONCRETE

301 GENERAL 300-1
301.01 CONCRETE 300-1
301.02 DIAPHRAGMS 300-1
301.03 DESIGN METHODS 300-1
301.04 REINFORCEMENT 300-1
302 SLAB DESIGN 300-1
302.01 SPAN LENGTHS 300-2
302.02 SLAB THICKNESS 300-2
302.03 PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION 300-2
302.04 DISTRIBUTION METHOD 300-2
302.05 RAILING LOADS 300-2

SECTION 400: PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

401 DESIGN CRITERIA 400-1
401.01 GENERAL 400-1
401.02 ALLOWABLE STRESSESCONCRETE 400-1
401.03 SHEAR 400-1
402 POST TENSIONED BOX GIRDER BRIDGES 400-2
402.01 GENERAL 400-2
402.02 CONCRETE 400-2
402.03 BEARING PADS 400-2
402.04 CREEP AND SHRINKAGE 400-2
402.05 FLANGE AND WEB THICKNESS - BOX GIRDERS 400-2
402.06 DIAPHRAGMS 400-2
402.07 DEFLECTIONS 400-2
402.08 ALLOWABLE STRESSES - PRESTRESSING STEEL 400-2
402.09 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-CONCRETE 400-2
402.10 LOSS OF PRESTRESS 400-3
402.11 FLEXURAL STRENGTH 400-3
402.12 SHEAR 400-3
402.13 FLANGE REINFORCEMENT 400-3
402.14 METHOD OF ANALYSIS 400-3
403 PRECAST PRESTRESSED CONCRETE 400-4
403.01 CONCRETE 400-4
403.02 DEFLECTIONS 400-4
403.03 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-PRESTRESSING STEEL 400-4
403.04 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-CONCRETE 400-5
403.05 LOSS OF PRESTRESS 400-5
403.06 SHEAR 400-5
403.07 METHOD OF ANALYSIS 400-5
404 PRESTRESSED I-GIRDERS 400-5
404.01 GENERAL 400-5
404.02 CONCRETE 400-5
404.03 EFFECTIVE FLANGE WIDTH 400-6
404.04 SHEAR 400-6
404.05 INTERMEDIATE DIAPHRAGMS 400-6
404.06 BEARING PADS 400-6
404.07 CREEP FACTOR 400-6
404.08 FRAMES AND CONTINUOUS CONSTRUCTION 400-6
404.09 DIFFERENTIAL SHRINKAGE 400-7
404.10 METHOD OF ANALYSIS 400-7
405 PRESTRESSSED VOIDED SLABS 400-7
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405.01 END BLOCKS 400-7
405.02 DIAPHRAGMS 400-7
405.03 LATERAL TIES 400-7
405.04 SHEAR KEYS 400-7
405.05 BARRIERS 400-7
406 PRESTRESSED BOX BEAMS 400-7
406.01 END BLOCKS 400-7
406.02 DIAPHRAGM 400-7
406.03 LATERAL TIES 400-7
406.04 SHEAR KEYS 400-7

SECTION 500: STRUCTURAL STEEL

501 DESIGN CRITERIA 500-1
501.01 GENERAL 500-1
501.02 DESIGN METHODS 500-1
501.03 MATERIALS 500-1
501.04 ALLOWABLE FATIGUE STRESS 500-1
501.05 LOAD CYCLES 500-1
501.06 CHARPY V-NOTCH IMPACT REQUIREMENTS 500-1

SECTION 600: EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION

601 MOVEMENT CRITERIA 600-1
601.01 MOVEMENT RATING 600-1
602 DECK JOINTS 600-1
602.01 GENERAL 600-1
602.02 COMPRESSION SEALS 600-2
602.03 STRIP SEALS 600-2
602.04 MODULAR JOINTS 600-2
603 BEARINGS 600-2
603.01 GENERAL 600-2
603.02 NEOPRENE STRIPS 600-3
603.03 ELASTOMERIC BEARING PADS 600-3
603.04 STEEL BEARINGS 600-4
603.05 SLIDING ELASTOMERIC BEARINGS 600-4
603.06 HIGH-LOAD MULTI-ROTATIONAL BEARINGS 600-4
603.06.01 Description 600-4
603.06.02 Rotational Requirements 600-5
603.06.03 Use 600-5
603.06.04 Design Criteria 600-5
603.07 BEARING SCHEDULE 600-7
604 RESTRAINING DEVICES 600-7
604.01 GENERAL 600-7
604.02 VERTICAL FIXED RESTRAINERS 600-7
604.03 VERTICAL EXPANSION RESTRAINERS 600-8
604.04 EXTERNAL SHEAR KEYS 600-8
604.05 INTERNAL SHEAR KEYS 600-8
604.06 KEYED HINGE 600-8

SECTION 700: GEOTECHNICAL

701 FOUNDATIONS 700-1
701.01 GENERAL 700-1
701.02 SPREAD FOOTINGS 700-1
701.03 PILE FOUNDATIONS 700-1
701.04 DRIVEN PILES 700-2
701.05 BORED PILES 700-2

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SECTION 800: RETAINING WALLS

801 DESIGN CRITERIA 800-1
801.01 GENERAL 800-1
801.02 POLICY 800-1
801.03 RESPONSIBILITIES 800-1
801.03.01 Roadway Design Section 800-1
801.03.02 Geotechnical Section 800-2
801.03.03 Bridge Design Section 800-2
801.04 PROPRIETARY RETAINING WALLS 800-2

SECTION 900: MISCELLANEOUS

901 TRAFFIC STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS 900-1
901.01 GENERAL 900-1
901.02 WIND SPEED 900-1
901.03 ALLOWABLE STRESSES 900-1
902 UTILITIES IN STRUCTURES 900-1
902.01 GENERAL 900-1
902.02 POLICY 900-2
902.03 UTILITY AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY 900-2
902.04 BRIDGE GROUP RESPONSIBILITY 900-2
903 FALSEWORK POLICY FOR BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION 900-3
903.01 FALSEWORK REQUIREMENTS 900-3
903.02 FALSEWORK USE 900-3
903.03 FALSEWORK CLEARANCES 900-3
904 CONSTRUCTION JOINT GUIDELINES FOR BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION 900-5
904.01 GENERAL 900-5
904.02 LONGITUDINAL CONSTRUCTION JOINTS 900-5
904.03 PRECAST CONCRETE GIRDER BRIDGES 900-5
904.04 STEEL GIRDER BRIDGES 900-6
904.05 CAST-IN-PLACE BOX GIRDER BRIDGES 900-6

Page -11-
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
PART 1
ROADWAY DEVELOPMENT
SECTION 100
GENERAL INFORMATION
101 PURPOSE
101.01 INTRODUCTION
The Manual is intended to serve as a guide for the
design of the roads and highways that fall under
the jurisdiction of the Road Section, Abu Dhabi
Municipality. The Manual provides a range of
acceptable values for critical dimensions and
outlines parameters that will help designers
conform to the expectations of the Road Section
of the Abu Dhabi Municipality. It is assumed
that the user has the educational and engineering
experience necessary to properly implement its
procedures, guidelines and criteria.
It is perceived that this manual will promote the
following:
1. All designs will be based on identical
criteria.
2. Plans will have a consistent,
well-organized format which will not
vary greatly from project to project.
3. Familiarization of criteria and procedures
will be simplified.
4. The technical review process will be
expedited for both the Road Section and
the Consultant.
5. Cost efficiencies will be realized during
design by an early understanding of
procedures and criteria to be employed.
The manual is presented in loose-leaf form to
facilitate revisions and additions. This manual
utilized established analysis techniques and design
standards from recognized technical associations
that are listed as references in Appendix A.
When the Roadway Design Manual is combined
with the four companion documents listed below,
the standardization of the planning, design and
construction of roadway projects will be
Part 1 100-1
complete. The companion documents to this
manual are:
! Standard Specifications for Roads and
Bridge Construction - 1996
! Consultant Procedures Manual - 1997
! Roadway Standard Drawings - 1996
! Construction Supervision Manual - 1997
Where the Consultant's scope of work and this
manual conflict, the scope of work shall govern.
Revisions and additions to this manual will be
issued from time to time as required. This section
contains information regarding technical
memorandums used to submit future revisions
and additions.
Further contained in this section is an overview of
the layout of the manual content, roadway
classifications, route designations connecting
U.A.E cities and emirates, and streets and place
names as assigned by Abu Dhabi Municipality.
102 CONTENTS AND
ORGANIZATION
The scope of the Roadway Design Manual is
comprehensive, and is divided into three parts.
The three parts are further divided into sections,
each with appropriate sub-sections. The three
parts are:
Part 1 Roadway Development
Part 2 Roadway Design
Part 3 Structures and Bridges
102.01 PART 1: ROADWAY
DEVELOPMENT
The purpose of the Roadway Development part is
to outline the information and data which must be
analyzed to determine a projects scope. This
information and analyses are assembled into a
Design Concept Report, which becomes the basis
for the project design.
The Roadway Development part is divided into
three sections. The first section explains the
formal organization of this manual and the other
two sections, the Design Concept Development
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
and the Design Concept Reports, define the
conceptual design of the project.
The Design Concept Section includes subsections
in Transportation Planning, Socio-economic
Data, and Technical Investigations. Conceptual
Design must be based upon site specific
community considerations that reflect military,
utility, environmental features, physical properties
of the site, and circulation that define the project
design. To support the lands intended use,
procurement of the information from departments
within the Municipality and outside of
Municipalitys organization is required.
All the Project-specific data collected forms the
basis for the Design Concept Report, a summary
of the technical analyses and schematic design
that are to be used for plan preparation and
construction.
102.02 PART 2: ROADWAY DESIGN
The purpose of the Roadway Design part is to
identify the design standards that all roadway
projects are required to meet. The project design
is based on these standards. When used in
conjunction with the Standard Specifications for
Road and Bridge Construction, and Abu Dhabi
Roadway Standard Drawings, the resulting
project plans and specifications for all projects
are completed to the same requirements and
format.
Specifically, the Roadway Design Part provides
details in geometric design standards for each
component of the roadway project. The
information is divided into eleven sections that
include General Design Criteria, Geometric
Standards, Geometric Cross Sections, At Grade
Intersections, Interchanges, Geotechnical
Engineering, Drainage, Utilities, Traffic
Engineering, Lighting, and Roadside
Development.
102.03 PART 3: STRUCTURES AND
BRIDGES
The purpose of the Structures and Bridges part is
to identify the design details with which all
structures are required to comply. As with the
Part 1 100-2
Roadway Design part, this document is intended
to be used in conjunction with the Standard
Specifications and the Abu Dhabi Standard
Drawings for the standardization of details for
structures and bridges.
Uniform design and construction of structures and
bridges promotes efficiency of design,
construction, and maintenance. This part focuses
on features incorporating sound design and cost-
effective design practices to meet this goal.
This part consists of nine sections that cover the
general aspects of structures and bridge design.
Subjects covered include, General Design
Criteria, Design Loads, Reinforced Concrete,
Prestressed Concrete, Structural Steel,
Expansions and Contractions, Geotech and
Retaining Walls. The last section addresses
miscellaneous items such as Traffic Supports,
Utilities and the Falsework Policy and
Requirements.
103 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS
103.01 GENERAL
This manual will be supplemented from time to
time with technical memorandums (TM)
addressed to the Consultants for the purpose of
transmitting and formalizing appropriate revisions
or additions, to the manual. This manual can
only be revised by the issuance of a TM
authorized and signed by the Chief of Road
Section, Abu Dhabi Municipality or his
designated representative. Technical
memorandums will be developed and issued as
two distinct types, general and specific, and are
further defined below.
103.02 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS
- GENERAL
Technical Memorandums - General, deal with
issues or information that must be distributed on a
system wide basis to all consultants. They are
also used to provide advance directives with
respect to imminent revision or additions to the
Roadway Design Manual. Examples are
revisions or refinements to policies, guidelines or
criteria.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

103.03 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS
- SPECIFIC
Technical Memorandums - Specific, deal with
issues or information that is of specific interest to
a particular section (design contract), and as such
have no influence or effect on other design
sections.
The design classes discussed in this section are
applicable to all highway networks in both rural
and urban areas under the jurisdiction of the Road
Section, Abu Dhabi Municipality.
Table 100.01 summarizes the major
characteristics of the first tier classifications, i.e.,
primary, secondary and local roads.

Table 100.02 is a matrix that differentiates the

urban and rural roadway types by their first tier
classifications.

104.02 DESIGN

Roadway design standards are dependent on the

classification of the roadway. The Road Section
will determine the classification. The Design
Concept Report summarizes the design criteria to
be utilized in the design.

The roadway classification system is based on a

hierarchy of roads. Local roads provide access to
adjacent land. Collectors provide a combination
of land access and movement of through traffic.
Arterials and expressways provide for movement
of through traffic. Arterials and Expressways
Examples of such memorandums are: have at-grade or grade-separated intersections.
Freeways shall have only grade-separated
1. Deviations from the Design Procedures crossings and interchanges.
Manual on a project specific basis.
2. Drainage Design Guidelines. 104.03 CRITERIA FOR DESIGN CLASS
3. Lighting Design Guidelines. DESIGNATION
4. Report Transmittals, etc.
Table 100.03 defines the characteristics of the
104 ROADWAY CLASSIFICATIONS second-tier classifications, i.e., freeways,
expressways, arterials, and collectors as they
104.01 ROADWAY SYSTEM relate to design requirements.

Roadways within the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi

Municipality are classified into one of three
functional categories, consistent with the
Transportation Master plan:

! Primary Roads
Freeways
Expressways
! Secondary Roads
Arterials
Collectors
! Local Roads

Part 1 100-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 100.01
Summary of Functional Characteristics for Roadway Classifications*

Primary Roads Secondary Roads Local Roads

Function Regional Regional transportation Local circulation

transportation and/or service to major
land developments

Service Points Connects multiple Connects two regions. Residential,

Population Density
regions. Serves Serves international industrial, and
international connections, military recreational areas
connections and major installations and not served by higher
military installations. seaports not served by class.
Primary Roads. May
connect two Primary
Roads.
Connections to urban Connections to urban None
areas of 100,000 or areas of 50,000 or
more. more.

Access Access is controlled. May be controlled. Minimal control.

Minimum Level of Service C/D C D

Percent of Total Kilometers 35 35 30

Design Speed 120 kph (urban) 60 kph (urban) 50 kph (urban)

140 kph (rural) 60-100 kph (rural) 60-90 kph (rural)

Weather Related Road

Closures - Allowable Once per 100 years. Once per 50 years. Once per 25 years.
Frequency

Minimum Percent of Truck 25 20 30

Traffic (Other Than Pickups)

* See Part 2.0 for further details.

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 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

105 ROUTE DESIGNATIONS 105.02 ROUTE NUMBERS

105.01 INTRODUCTION Figure 100.01 shows the designated route

The purpose of route designations is to provide
the highway user with a consistent expectation of
the:
! relative direction (north, south, east
west)
! design standards (design speeds,
shoulders, etc. resulting from
the highway classification)
! origin/destination of the road.
Route designation and numbering facilitate rapid
and accurate identification of specific locations in
the event of emergencies, accident reporting and
analysis and in the inventory of roadway
appurtenances, i.e., signs, drainage structures,
guardrails, etc. Route assignments are made by
the Municipality and based on the functional
classification of each roadway.
numbers between emirates and cities within the
U.A.E.
Figure 100.02 shows routes designated between
existing primary roads and secondary or local
roads in the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
105.03 ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND
REVISIONS
From time to time, it may become necessary to
assign new route numbers, delete route numbers
for obsolete roads or revise route numbers to
reflect changes to road classifications. Users of
this manual shall advise the Municipality if they
perceive the need for changes to the route
numbering system. Note that all changes of this
nature are subject to the approval of Abu Dhabi
Municipality.

Table 100.02
Roadway Types by Functional Classification

Roadway Roadway Type for Design

Classification Urban Rural
Primary Freeway Freeway
Expressway Expressway

Arterial Collector
Secondary (Main Roads) Major
Frontage Roads Minor

Sector Road Local Access

Local Primary
Local

Part 1 100-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 100.03
Characteristics of Urban/Rural Design Classes
Freeways/ Arterials Collectors Locals
Expressways
Traffic Service:
Urban and Optimum mobility Traffic movement Traffic movement Traffic movement
Rural primary and land access of secondary
consideration equal importance. consideration
Land Service:
Urban and Full control of access Land access Traffic movement Land access
Rural no direct land access secondary in and land access of primary
consideration equal importance. consideration
Traffic Flow Characteristics:
Urban and Free flow Uninterrupted Interrupted flow Interrupted flow
Rural except at
intersections
Private and Commercial Access:
Urban and Not permitted None or limited Permitted Permitted
Rural
Connection Type for Public Roads:
Urban Grade separations & At-grade At-grade At-grade
interchanges intersections, intersections intersections
interchanges,
orslip-ramps
Rural Grade separations & At-grade At-grade At-grade
interchanges intersections or intersections intersections
interchanges
Connects to:
Urban Arterials Arterials Locals Arterials Locals
Expressways Expressways
Freeways
Rural Expressways Locals Collectors Locals Collectors Locals Collectors
Collectors Expressways
Freeways
Vehicle Type:
Urban All types up to 20 All types up to 20 All types Passenger &
percent heavy trucks percent heavy service vehicles
trucks
Rural All types; heavy trucks All types up to All types, up to Predominantly
average 20%-40% 40% trucks 30% heavy trucks passenger cars &
in the 3 mg to 5 light to medium
mg class trucks: occasional
heavy trucks
ADT (20):
Urban Level of Service is C/D 5,000-30,000 1,000-12,000 100-1,000
Rural Level of Service is C/D 2,000-15,000 200-4,000 0 to 300
Average Running Speed for Off-Peak Conditions:
Urban 80-110 kph 50-80 kph 30-50 kph 30-40 kph
Rural 80-120 kph 60-110 kph 50-90 kph 45-80 kph

Part 1 100-6
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 100.01
Route Designations Between U.A.E. Cities and Emirates
Part 1 100-7
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 100.02
Connections Between Primary and Secondary or Local Roads

Part 1 100-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 200
DESIGN CONCEPT
DEVELOPMENT
201 TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING
201.01 INTRODUCTION
Data collection comprises this phase of the pre-
design process. Existing data is collected from
the Abu Dhabi Municipality, other government
departments, landowners, and field surveys. This
data becomes the foundation for project road and
bridge design. The Consultant is responsible for
all data collection.
201.02 ROAD SECTION
The Road Section is the lead department from
which all road and bridge projects are initiated
and approved.
The Consultant shall work with assigned staff to
develop the project scope per the Consultant
Procedures Manual and identify applicable design
criteria from the Roadway Design Manual. The
Consultant is expected to develop the project by
proper application of Abu Dhabi Municipality
policies and standards.
201.03 TOWN PLANNING
The Town Planning Department is comprised of
two sections:
Planning Section - The Planning Section is
responsible for the development and maintenance
of the Master Plan and planning layouts. The
Master Plan is the base document from which the
projects roadway classifications are assigned.
Roadway design standards are identified for each
roadway classification (see Tables 100.01,
100.02 and 100.03, in Part 1, Section 100,
General Information).
The planning layouts are used to identify the
existing and proposed land use and development
intensity.
Part 1 200-1
Utilities Section - The Town Planning Utilities
Section is responsible for the development and
approval of all service reservations.
201.04 MAPPING
201.04.01 General
Current, accurate base mapping is an essential
tool in transportation planning. The specific
mapping requirements depend on the length and
complexity of the project and its location, either
urban or rural. Aerial mapping is normally the
most useful and cost-effective medium for larger
projects. Ground topographical surveys are used
for smaller projects, especially in urban areas and
to supplement aerial mapping at specific locations
where more detail and accuracy is needed.
Three types of aerial maps are used in the
planning and design phases of roadway and
bridge projects:
Uncontrolled Aerial Photography - These maps
are produced directly from the aerial photographs
that normally cover large areas at a reduced scale.
The maps are generally used in route location
studies to define transportation corridors and
alternative alignments. The contact prints from
the aerial photography are assembled to form a
photomosaic of the area under study to reduce
distortion.
Controlled Aerial Photography - Prior to the
flight, horizontal and vertical ground control
points are set and marked in the field. These
points are used to control photomosaic products
that are significantly more accurate and can be
prepared at a specific scale. These maps can be
used at larger scales for preliminary engineering
activities including Design Concept Reports.
Topographic (Aerial) Mapping - These maps
represent the state-of-the-art in highway design
and consist of topographic maps compiled from
controlled aerial photography in a digitized
format that can be input directly to CADD. This
mapping can be used for both design concept
development and final design and is limited to the
broad roadway corridor.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

The Consultant is responsible for providing base
mapping for design concept development.
Specific requirements will be identified in the
Consultants scope of work. Existing aerial and
topographic maps may be available and suitable
for use in consultation with the Department. The
Abu Dhabi Municipality and Town Planning
Department maintain a limited library of existing
mapping which the Consultant shall review for
background information.
Mapping scales and contour intervals generally
suitable for the intended purpose are shown in
Table 200.01.
201.04.02 Topographic Mapping
Coordinate Grid - Coordinate grid ticks shall be
shown on the maps at intervals to suit drawing.
North Arrow - A north arrow shall be placed on
each map sheet. The north arrow shall be
oriented so that north points to the top or to the
right of the map sheet. Match lines shall also be
labeled so that each sheet may be joined
accurately to adjacent sheets.
Map Index - A sheet index diagram shall be
prepared for each mapping project. This diagram
shall show the position and relationship of each
sheet to adjacent sheets. A title block is also
required and shall be placed on each sheet.

Topographic maps for a specific project shall be Table 200.01

prepared in accordance with the following: Map Scales and Contour Intervals for
Highway Development
Survey Control/Field Surveys - The
Purpose Scales Interval
requirements for surveys are included in Section (m)
203.04, Survey Control/Field Survey. Route Location Studies:
Mountainous 1:5000 Max. 5
CADD Standards - Mapping features and Rolling to Flat 1:5000 2
symbology will be prepared in accordance with
the latest CADD Standards, supplemented by the Preliminary Design (DCR):
standard symbols shown in Figure 200.01, 200.02 Rural 1:1250 2
and 200.03. Urban 1:1250 2
Primary Control Points - All primary control Rural Design: 1:1250 0.5
points for mapping which were established during
the initial field survey will be shown on the maps Urban Design: 1:500 0.5
in their proper locations and with the appropriate
symbol, identification number and elevation. A Detailed Site Design: 1:100 0.5
tabulation of the primary control points shall also 1:250 0.5
be shown in the original survey notebook. The
tabulation will show the identification number,
coordinates and elevation of the point.
201.05 PROJECT LIMITS
Supplemental Control Points - All supplemental
control points established for controlling aerial The Abu Dhabi Municipality will determine the
photography will be shown on the maps. These limits of the project. Typically, the limits include
include wing points, analytically bridged points, the roadway/bridge, medians, sidewalk,
and aerial photo centers. See Figure 200.01. parkways, and roadside improvements that
enhance the appearance, maintainability and
Planimetric Features - Natural and manmade safety characteristics of the project. The project
limits may also be determined by phased
features, spot elevations, topographic features and
implementation considerations.
relevant political subdivision lines shall be plotted
on the maps as shown in Figure 200.02 and
Figure 200.03.

Part 1 200-2
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.01
Standard Mapping Symbols - Boundaries and Monuments

Part 1 200-3
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.02
Standard Mapping Symbols - Natural Planimetric Features

Part 1 200-4
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.03
Standard Mapping Symbols - Manmade Planimetric Symbols

Part 1 200-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

201.06 PROJECT IDENTIFICATION This will contribute significantly to public

AND NUMBERING
The Abu Dhabi Municipality Road Section will
assign the Title and Number for each individual
roadway and bridge project. The Consultant will
include this information on all drawings, reports,
correspondence, calculations and other design
documentation associated with the subject project.
201.07 INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COORDINATION
Throughout the development of the project,
coordination with Municipality Sections as well
as other government departments is essential.
The Consultant is expected to identify the
requirements of the involved government
departments, and insure that the project design
addresses these requirements. Table 200.02 lists
the agency or authority responsible for
transportation related functions.
acceptance and the ultimate success of a project.
The following sections describe the various
environmental factors that comprise each of the
two categories. It is the Consultants
responsibility to assess each factor and develop a
functional and compatible design.
202.02 SOCIOECONOMIC/COMMUNITY
RESOURCE DATA
The Consultant shall consider each of the
following factors as part of the development of
project design. The goal is to develop a
functional design that accommodates or maintains
the integrity of each socioeconomic and
community resource with minimal disruption. To
assist with the planning involved with the
development of the design, the Consultant should
map all resources that are capable of being placed
onto a map.
202.02.01 Land Use

Table 200.02 The project plans must accommodate existing and

Municipal Agencies future land use to the extent possible. The
Function Agency/Authority Consultant is required to provide adequate
Road/Bridge parking and access to adjacent land uses,
Construction ADM-Road Section commensurate with the type of land use and the
Planning ADM-Town Planning Dept. roadway classification (see Tables 100.01,
Utilities ADM-Town Planning Dept. 100.02 and 100.03, Part 1, Section 100, General
Parking ADM-Road Section Information). The roadway volumes used to
Right-of-Way ADM-Town Planning Dept. determine the level of service (existing and 20-
Plantation ADM-Agriculture Section year projection) must include the trip generation
associated with the adjacent land uses.

In the urban areas, the Town Planning Master

202 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCING DESIGN
202.01 INTRODUCTION
There are a number of important environmental
factors that influence the design of all roadway
and bridge projects. These factors are both
natural and man-made and have been divided into
two major categories; Socioeconomic/
Community Resource Data and Natural/
Environmental Resource Data. The identification
of these resources enables the project to be
developed to avoid and/or minimize impact to
these resources to the greatest extent practicable.
Plan is the primary document used to identify the
types and locations of designated land uses. In
rural areas, where the land usage is less defined,
the Consultant must conduct a field survey of the
existing land uses adjacent to the project. The
aforementioned information, combined with the
field survey data, will then be used to identify
potential improvements to be designed as part of
the roadway project.
In rural areas, formal information regarding land
use may not be available. In these cases, the
current land use is typically agricultural and will
remain as agricultural unless there is information
stating otherwise.

Part 1 200-6
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

202.02.02 Growth Projections
The Abu Dhabi Municipalitys roadways are
designed to serve the traffic volume anticipated
during the next 20 years. Presently, historical
records of past growth trends do not exist.
Therefore, it is important that a reasonable
growth projection is used to size the project.
The development of all road and bridge projects
typically affects many public services. This can
result from encroachment of the improvement
project beyond the existing roadway, sidewalk,
and bridge. As such, pre-design coordination
with public services is required to incorporate
design approaches and construction phasing that
minimize the project impact.

The growth can be categorized as an increase, The Consultant is responsible for identifying all
decrease or no change. It is anticipated that an public services which may be affected by the
increase will be the most probable scenario in the roadway/bridge project. In addition, the
foreseeable future. The rate of growth can be Consultant is also responsible to compile all
expected to increase linearly each year or relevant design requirements from the affected
exponentially (i.e., an order of growth magnitude public services and incorporate these parameters
each year). into the project design. It is the Consultants
responsibility to assure the Abu Dhabi
The growth projection can dramatically affect Municipality that the design and construction
project sizing. Therefore, the Consultant is phasing meets the approval of the affected public
expected to develop a realistic growth projection service.
which takes into consideration variables such as:
Table 200.03 identifies the various Public
increases in vehicle ownership Services and the responsible agency/authority for
land use each.
population growth rate, i.e. linear or
exponential Table 200.03
Public Services
In urban areas, growth projections are dependent Service Agency/Authority
upon the rate at which the Town Planning Master Road/Bridge
Plan is implemented, as well as the proposed Construction ADM-Road Section
types of land use. The Consultant is expected to Agriculture/Parks ADM-Agriculture
confer with the Town Planning Department to Police Police Directorate/
ascertain the rate at which the Town Planning Traffic Police Dept.
Master Plan is to be implemented. Fire Civil Defense Dept.
Security Defense Dept./CID
In the rural areas, information regarding growth is Schools Town Planning/
less defined. In these cases, it is necessary that Ministry of Education
the Consultant make growth projections. These Sanitation ADM - Health Section
projections should take into account any data Parking ADM - Road Section
concerning growth, including changes in land use Recreational Town Planning/
adjacent to the roadway. As a starting point, it Agriculture
can be assumed that the use of land is primarily Navigable Waters Coast Guard
agricultural, with an average growth of 1% to 2% Mail Service Postal Directorate
per year for a period of 20 years. Public Transportation ADM - Public Transport
Section
The resulting growth projection, along with
supporting data and the rationale used to 202.02.04 Schools
substantiate the project, shall be approved by the
Town Planning Section. Schools are an important national resource. The
design shall accommodate and preserve sufficient
202.02.03 Public Services access to all facilities that are affected by project
design. Therefore, the Consultant is expected to

Part 1 200-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

adapt the projects design to accommodate each establishment and approval of all Service
schools needs. Reservations.

For each school, there are a number of factors Table 200.04 lists the Responsible
that must be considered in the project design. Agencies/Authorities for Utilities. A survey of
These include: existing utilities is required. The purpose of the
school bus traffic utilities survey is to determine which utilities can:
crosswalks remain in place based on field surveys, as-
school yard fencing built plans and other available information:
parking be protected and/or relocated; and,
landscaping affect the horizontal and vertical alignment of
noise attenuation (i.e., insulated windows, the roadway.
soundwalls)
other safety improvement In the case of future or relocated utilities, it may
relocation of affected structures, as necessary be necessary to preserve adjacent land for utility
affects on potential school expansion installation and relocation. The associated costs
for utility work shall be identified as part of the
In the case of new school site development, the design reflected in the project cost estimate for the
Town Planning Master Plan and Town Planning Design Concept Report. Refer to Part 1, Section
staff shall be consulted to identify these sites 321, Cost Estimate.
within and/or adjacent to the project limits.
Table 200.04
As with all other adjacent property improvements, Responsible Agency/Authority for Utilities
the Consultant is required to provide plans which Service Agency/ Authority
can be used to construct the necessary Water ADM-WED Water (Water and
improvements either in conjunction with the Electricity Dept.)
roadway/bridge project or as a separate project. Sewer ADM-Sanitary Drainage
This is intended so that construction can be Network Section
undertaken on the school sites during scheduled Telephone ETISILAT
school closures. Electricity ADM-WED Electrical (Water
and
202.02.05 Mosques Electricity Department.)
Lighting ADM-WED (Water and
Mosques are extremely important to the Islamic Electricity Department)
faith and cannot be relocated or impacted in any
way. The Consultant shall identify all Mosques 202.02.07 Security
within close proximity to a proposed project. The
project design shall avoid impact to Mosques and Nearly every project is affected by some level of
shall accommodate and preserve sufficient access security issue. All embassies, government
to these sites. installations, palaces, schools, banks and VIP
homes are protected by guards with guardhouses,
202.02.06 Utilities and associated channeling devices. As a result,
many of these facilities interfere with road and
Major road and bridge projects typically include bridge projects.
improvements to all affected utility services. This
also includes preparing plans and specifications The Consultant is required to minimize the
for these improvements. Pre-design activities relocation of affected facilities as part of the road
require coordination with many and bridge project. As with all other adjacent
agencies/departments. Final design approval of property improvements, the Consultant is required
the utility improvements by the utility agencies is to provide plans which can be used to construct
also required. The Utilities Section of the Town the necessary improvements either in conjunction
Planning Department is responsible for

Part 1 200-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
with the roadway/bridge project or as a separate
project. This is intended so that construction can
be undertaken outside of the project right-of-way
at the convenience of the affected property owner.
Since each case will vary, the limits of
improvement, access, facility relocation, parking,
etc. requires review by the affected party and the
Abu Dhabi Municipality. The Consultant is also
responsible to assure the Department that the
proposed improvements located outside of the
project right-of-way are agreeable to the affected
property owner.
202.02.08 Commercial Activities
The effects of commercial activities on the road
and bridge design shall be taken into account.
For example, existing access shall be maintained
as well as accommodating special features of the
non-project site. As a result, coordination with
the Town Planning Department, adjacent
landowners and governmental departments is
required to lessen the impact of the road/bridge
improvement project on commercial activities.
202.02.09 Economics
The Consultant shall assess the economic
conditions that exist within the project study area,
including income and employment characteristics,
tax base and property values. The Consultant
shall develop a design that seeks to minimize
adverse impacts on these and other economic
indicators. This will be done through direct
coordination with representatives of the
Municipality.
202.02.10 Local Transportation/Circulation
In order to insure that the project fully
incorporates local transportation/circulation
needs, the Consultant shall address the following:
Need for Public Transit Stops or
Turnouts
Staging areas for Regional
Transportation Hubs
Police Enforcement Pads
Pedestrian Walkways and Islands
Special Landscape Areas
Part 1 200-9
202.02.11 Parking Requirements
Roadway and bridge projects typically can affect
parking. For example, removal of on-street
parking to accommodate road widening may
result in the need for off-site parking.
Each roadway and bridge project requires the
preparation of a parking study. The intent of this
analysis is to establish existing and ultimate
parking requirements.
The components of the study include, but are not
limited to:
calculation and survey to establish
existing parking demand
future growth of parking demand, as a
function of land development intensity,
vehicle ownership/occupancy trends, etc.
opportunity for mixed parking utilization
Both peak and off-peak parking demands should
be included in the analysis.
Table 200.05 identifies the minimum parking
generation rates for Central Business Districts
(CBDs). These rates are to be used in the
parking analysis. However, the parking analysis
should state the rationale used for proposing rates
other than the stated minimum rates. In no case,
shall lower parking generation rates be utilized,
unless approved by the Abu Dhabi Municipality.
In rural areas and for areas outside the CBD, an
appropriate parking demand shall be established
on the basis of existing development needs, as
well as review of the demand for other similar
facilities.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Table 200.05
Existing and Future Parking Generation Rates (CBD)
Use Period Rate
Residential Existing 1 space/1000 SF
Future 1 space/1000 SF
Commercial Existing 1 space/500 SF
Future 1 space/500 SF
202.02.12 Recreation
A variety of recreation and leisure activities are
available to residents of Abu Dhabi. These can
include ball fields, beach access, clubs, golf
courses, movie theaters and entertainment
complexes.
As part of the pre-design activities, the
Consultant is required to identify the potential
effects on adjacent recreational facilities. The
Consultant is required to minimize the relocation
of affected facilities as part of the road and bridge
project. As with all other adjacent property
improvements, the Consultant is required to
provide plans which can be used to construct the
necessary improvements either in conjunction
with the roadway/bridge project or as a separate
project.
202.02.13 Historical Site Identification and
Preservation
The government recognizes the importance of all
historical sites and structures that relate to Abu
Dhabis cultural development. The goal of the
government is to identify these sites as they are
discovered, and, where appropriate, preserve the
sites.
During the pre-design process, information
regarding historical sites shall be compiled from
available sources as well as conducting an initial
site survey. The Consultant shall also meet with
representatives of the Municipality to determine
the significance of the site and present
recommendations as to appropriate preservation
procedures.
Part 1 200-10
Vehicle Occupancy Vehicle Ownership
Factors Factors
.80 .67
.85 .80
.85 1.00
.90 1.00
202.03 NATURAL/ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCE DATA
Natural/Environmental resources within a project
study area shall be assessed and considered
during development of the project design. The
goal is to develop a functional design that avoids
or minimizes impact to the natural environment to
the greatest extent practicable. To facilitate the
planning process involved in the development of
the design, the Consultant should map all
resources capable of being placed on a map.
202.03.01 Landscape Preservation
Preservation of existing landscaping, agricultural
areas and trees adjacent to proposed roadway
projects is extremely important.
Pre-design activities include a survey of existing
vegetation as part of the design survey stage. The
results of this survey are to be discussed with the
Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Agriculture
Section. Road/bridge improvements including
utility locations shall be designed to minimize
removal of vegetation.
The landscaping survey includes the identification
of the number, size, type, condition, and location
of all trees, shrubs, succulents, flowers, and
grasses. The presence of any vegetation that is
specifically protected by decree, or that is
considered rare, threatened, or endangered, shall
also be identified during the survey. The survey
information should then be presented on a scaled
plot plan. The scale of each sheet should be
adequate to clearly convey the information
contained on it. Each sheet should contain a
legend, which lists the botanical name of the
plant, and its common name. For trees, the size
of the tree shall also be listed.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
All urban area projects include landscaping in the
medians and other designated areas within the
project limits. The landscaping design is
normally undertaken by the Agriculture Section.
However, the Consultants design, shall ensure
the following are provided as part of the project,
if so required:
Irrigation Service
Sidewalks
Walls
Fences
Water for irrigation is reclaimed water from the
sewage treatment plant, therefore all large
distribution lines require design input from, as
well as approval by, the Sanitary Drainage
Network Section.
The Agriculture Section will assume
responsibility for plantings and other special
features.
Maintenance and operation of the irrigation
systems are the responsibility of the Agricultural
Section.
202.03.02 Topography
Topographic data is important to the development
of the Design Concept. Roadway profiles,
horizontal alignment, and drainage, are directly
affected by topography, which, in turn, affect the
project cost. As discussed in Section 201.04,
Mapping, the Consultant is expected to review
existing maps. In addition, new surveys shall be
required to establish the topography for the
project.
202.03.03 Water
The Consultant shall identify and determine the
importance of all freshwater and saltwater
features within the study area. Aquifers and
wells, especially those that supply drinking water,
shall also be identified within project limits. In
developing the design, the Consultant shall avoid
impacts to water resources to the greatest extent
possible. If avoidance is not an option, the
Consultant shall develop a design that minimizes
impact to water resources.
Part 1 200-11
202.03.04 Wildlife
The Consultant shall describe any existing
wildlife habitat within the project study area. The
Consultant is responsible for identifying the types
of wildlife species, if any, that are likely to utilize
the habitat. The Consultants design shall avoid,
where possible, those habitat areas that support
rare, threatened or endangered wildlife species.
202.03.05 Air Quality
The Consultant shall assess a projects affect on
existing air quality to determine whether or not it
will result in significant deterioration due to
increased air emissions.
202.03.06 Noise
The Consultant shall assess a proposed projects
affect on ambient noise levels to determine
whether or not it will result in a significant
deterioration from the existing condition. Noise
sensitive receptors, such as Mosques, schools and
residential dwellings, shall be identified within the
project limits. The Consultant shall strive to
develop a design that will have the least increase
in noise levels to these receptors.
202.03.07 Visual/Aesthetic
The Consultant shall assess the existing visual
and aesthetic appearance of the project study
area. In developing the design, the Consultant
should consider the effect that the project will
have on the visual and aesthetic environment upon
build-out. Views from the project of the
surrounding environment as well as views of the
project from adjacent vantage points shall be
considered. The objective of the design is to
develop a project that compliments rather than
contrasts the existing visual and aesthetic
character of the area.
202.03.08 Hazardous Materials
The Consultant shall conduct a survey to identify
the actual presence of or likelihood of hazardous
material sites within the project study area.
Ideally, the project design should be developed to
avoid impacting such hazardous sites. This will
reduce the health and safety risk and overall
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
project cost. If a hazardous materials site cannot
be avoided, the Consultant shall take appropriate
steps to remediate the hazardous site prior to
construction in order to reduce the potential
health/safety risk.
202.04 ENVIRONMENTAL
CHECKLIST
All of the environmental factors described in
Sections 202.02 and 202.03 are included in the
Environmental Checklist located at the end of this
section. Where appropriate to this project, the
Consultant shall use the Environmental Checklist
as an initial tool to identify those environmental
factors that may influence the design of
alternatives
The checklist is designed as a question and
answer exercise that will aid in the comparison of
project alternatives. A response of No to a
specific question means the environmental factor
in question is not applicable to the project. A
response of Yes or Maybe indicates to the
Consultant that the environmental resource exists
and may be affected by the proposed project. In
this case, the resource should be assessed further
during the development of alternative designs to
determine the exact nature and extent of impact
that will be incurred on that resource. The
objective is to design a project alternative that has
the least amount of adverse impact to the
environmental factors on the checklist. An
alternative design that yields all No answers on
the Environmental Checklist is considered to be
the ideal design. However, this ideal situation is
seldom achieved as there is always some level of
impact to the listed environmental considerations.
203 TECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS
203.01 INTRODUCTION
All roadway and bridge projects require technical
investigations, to establish the basic building
blocks of the design. These technical
investigations are initiated in the data collection
phase and continue through the development of
the Design Concept Report. This subsection
identifies the initial activities associated with
these investigations. The basic technical
investigations include:
Part 1 200-12
Geotechnical
Traffic Data Collection
Survey Control/Field Surveys
Drainage Surveys
203.02 GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
The objective of highway geotechnical work
should be to seek, interpret, and evaluate
subsurface and surface data in order to predict the
behavior of the soils and materials along, and
adjacent to, the alignment. The resulting
information is to be presented in a technical report
to be used in the project design.
Data collection includes research of existing
geotechnical reports which were prepared for
other projects in the geographic area as well as
field reviews and preliminary testing. For review
of existing geotechnical reports, the Abu Dhabi
Municipality Road Section as well as other
Municipality and Government agencies should be
contacted. The existing data will be used to
define the number of additional soil borings and
the testing requirements for the boring program as
described in Part 1, Section 300, Design Concept
Report and Part 2, Section 600, Geotechnical
Engineering. The Consultant shall obtain
approval from the Road Section, Traffic Police
and any other concerned agencies prior to
commencing geotechnical investigation.
203.03 TRAFFIC COUNTS
203.03.01 Introduction
Traffic counts are basic to all phases of highway
development and operation. An important
component of traffic counts is existing and future
traffic volumes. Traffic volumes are needed for
highway planning, project cost-benefit
comparisons, priority determinations, analyzing,
monitoring and controlling traffic movement on
the highways, traffic accident surveillance,
research purposes, highway maintenance, public
information, highway legislation and for many
other purposes. However, it should be noted that
the traffic data collection and projection
techniques described herein are specifically
intended for providing traffic volume data
required for roadway and bridge design. It is the
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

goal of the Abu Dhabi Municipality to establish a next 20 years will increase exponentially.
permanent automated traffic data collection Formula B shall be used when the Engineer
system for the Municipality. However, until this judges that the traffic volume will increase
system is fully developed and implemented, the linearly.
specific procedures outlined in this section shall
be followed in the collection of traffic data for Formula A:
roadway and bridge projects. ADT (20) = ADT Present Growth Factor (GF)
20
The procedures which follow establish the Where GF = 1 + Annual % Traffic Growth
minimum requirements; however, this does not 100
preclude the Engineer from using more
sophisticated procedures if available. Formula B:
ADT (20) = ADT present +
203.03.02 Traffic Projections Annual % Traffic Growth ADT Present 20
100
The Abu Dhabi Municipalitys roadways are
designed to serve the traffic volume anticipated Examples:
during the next 20 years. Therefore, the existing The following is an example of the use of the two
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) must be projected formulas when the annual percent of traffic
over a 20-year time frame. For the 20-year travel growth is anticipated to be 10 percent and the
forecast, variables such as an increase in auto ADT at present is 4,000.
ownership and vehicle registration, population,
employment, and residential/ commercial/ Formula A:
industrial land uses which strongly influence the ADT (20) = 4,000 1 + 10 20

future traffic volume shall be taken into 100

consideration. Presently, a long historical record = (4,000) (6.73)
of past growth trends does not exist. The Abu = 26,920
Dhabi Municipality will use the transportation
modeling software for the City of Abu Dhabi. Formula B:
This model shall be the primary source for ADT (20) = 4,000 + 10 4,000 20
projected traffic volumes over different time 100
frames. The projected traffic volumes of this = 4,000 + 8,000
transportation modeling software will be based on = 12,000
changes in socioeconomic data for the concerned
time period. The following is an example of the use of the two
formulas when the annual percent of traffic
In case the transportation modeling software is growth is anticipated to be 15 percent over the
unavailable, then the following formulas shall be first 5-year period and 10 percent over the last
used to determine the ADT for a 20-year time 15-year period. The ADT present equals 4,000.
frame ADT (20). The Engineer is required to the
collect data to determine the current ADT. In Formula A:
addition, the Engineer must provide his rationale ADT (20) = 4,000 1 + 15 5
+ 1 + 10 15

for the estimated traffic growth anticipated for the 100 100
next 20 years by considering all previously
acquired data regarding all activity growth in the = 4,000 [(1.15) 5 + (1.10)15]
proximity of the highway improvement. = 4,000 [(2.01) + (4.18)]
= 24,760
The following formulas may be applied under
assumptions of increasing, decreasing, or equal
percentages of traffic growth over the 20-year
projection. Formula A shall be used when the
Engineer judges that the traffic volume over the

Part 1 200-13
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Formula B:
ADT(20) = 4,000+ 154,000 5 + 104000 15
100 100
= 4,000 +3,000 + 6,000
= 13,000
203.03.03 Procedures for Traffic Volumes
Table 200.06 specifies the minimum procedures
that shall be met when traffic studies are
conducted to identify the present ADT.
Collection of traffic volumes for three functional
classes of highways (Primary, Secondary, and
Local) and five types of improvements (up-
grading existing Primary or Secondary Roads;
new Primary or Secondary Road on new
alignment/location; upgrading existing
intersection/interchange on Primary or Secondary
Roads; new intersection/interchange on existing
Primary or Secondary Roads; and new Local
Streets are considered.
203.04 SURVEY CONTROL/FIELD
SURVEYS
203.04.01 Introduction
Each project requires initial field surveys to
establish baseline topographic information for
project scoping and design. Setting horizontal
and vertical control is of great importance in
mapping. Relative position in the horizontal
plane is maintained by horizontal control.
Horizontal control consists of a series of points
accurately fixed in position by distance and
direction in the horizontal plane.
For most topographic surveying, traverses furnish
satisfactory control. For strip maps, the open
traverse is used. The open traverse can be tied to
fixed points at each end. For area maps, the
closed traverse is used. The closed traverse can
be closed to form a net which is accurate to the
degree required.
Relative position in the vertical plane can be
maintained by a series of benchmarks in the map
area. These benchmarks are referred to a known
datum, usually mean sea level.
Part 1 200-14
203.04.02 Horizontal Control
The current inventory of horizontal control points
established in the vicinity of the project will need
to be investigated. The Abu Dhabi Municipality
and Town Planning Department should be
consulted on the order of accuracy and status of
existing primary and secondary control points.
The need for setting new horizontal control points
will be ascertained from the existing data. A
discussion of surveying methods and procedures
used to establish new horizontal control points is
beyond the scope of this manual and will be
covered in a companion Technical Manual on the
subject of surveying and mapping.
203.04.03 Vertical Control
There are several vertical datum currently being
used for construction in Abu Dhabi. Table
200.07 summarizes the most common vertical
datum and the relationship between them. In
addition, some Sewerage Projects Committee
projects use their own datum, in which + 100.00
meters equals 0.00 meters, New Abu Dhabi
Datum. All design work will be referred to the
New Abu Dhabi Datum.
203.04.04 Coordinate System
A Coordinate System has been established by
Abu Dhabi Municipality Town Planning
Department. This Coordinate System shall be
used for all surveys.
203.04.05 Field Surveys
Field Surveys will be required on nearly every
project to supplement the aerial topography,
record underground utility or drainage features,
reflect new existing features, provide cross-
sections and existing pavement elevations at the
limits of improvement, obtain building floor
elevations and other related information needed
for preliminary and final design.
Once the horizontal alignment, including
applicable alternative alignments, has been
established, the roadway centerline will be staked
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

in the field to enable close examination of the
roadway location by Department representatives
and Consultants staff. The staking interval and
definition of the project geometrics required will
be determined on a project specific basis in
consultation with the Municipality
Representative.
A detailed survey of the existing greenery
impacted by the project will be required. The
survey will record the location, size and limits of
all trees shrubs and flower beds within the limits
of improvement. Photographs should be taken to
supplement the data. This information will be
recorded on drawings and used to investigate
alignment adjustments or alternatives that will
minimize the removal of greenery.
In absence of drainage master plans or other
pertinent studies to establish area hydrology, the
Consultant is responsible to develop/collect
hydrologic data. This data is to include:
rainfall measurement (volume and time) at a
suitable collection site, such as the airport
measurement of area run-off
miscellaneous basic data such as soil type,
land use, aerial photographs, infiltration,
evaporation, solar radiation and
oceanography
Note that sources for miscellaneous data are
scattered. The Consultant must rely upon the
collective experience of design in other similar
areas to compile this information.

203.05 DRAINAGE SURVEYS

The Consultant is responsible for a

comprehensive survey of drainage facilities and
conditions and data collection during the pre-
design activities. The data collection consists of
three activities:

field review of existing drainage facilities and

identification of flood plains within the
projects zone of influence
field testing including particle size analysis,
scour, etc.
review of existing drainage master plans
(urban areas), hydrologic studies/data
collection (urban and rural areas), and other
pertinent studies

The review of the existing drainage facilities

should include:

pump stations
outfalls
reinforced concrete box structures
channels
ditches
large diameter pipes
pumps, etc.

Part 1 200-15
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 200.06
Procedures for Traffic Studies
EXISTING ROADS
Primary or 24-hour counts for 7 continuous days for each of four yearly periods:
Secondary Roads March, April, May
June, July, August
September, October, November
December, January, February
24-hour manual traffic counts for trucks classified by axle for any three days from the following four days:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Intersections Afternoon (or morning) and evening intersection peak hour counts summarized in 15-minute increments by direction (left turn, right turn
and through movements). Counts taken on Sunday or Wednesday, Monday and Tuesday. Hourly summary of same includes separate totals
for:
Passenger vehicles, vans, pick-up trucks
Buses
Trucks by axle count
Local Streets 12-hour manual counts taken from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, (or Wednesday), Monday and Tuesday. Total hourly volumes shall be
recorded.
Convert to 24-hour ADT by multiplying the 12-hour volume by 2. This will provide a conservative estimate of the 24-hour ADT. If more
accurate volumes are required a 24-hour count should be made.
NEW ROAD
Primary and Determine/analyze the design ADT for new road using area demographics and travel patterns, determine the redistribution of existing traffic
Secondary Roads volumes and traffic volumes generated by new development that will use the new road(s).
Conduct Roadside Interview Origin Destination Surveys to estimate the directional distribution of traffic.
Local Streets 12-hour manual counts taken from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday or Wednesday, Monday and Tuesday. Total hourly volumes shall be recorded.
Convert to 24-hour ADT by multiplying the 12-hour volume by 2. This will provide a conservative estimate of the 24-hour ADT. If more
accurate volumes are required a 24-hour count should be made.
FOR ALL TRAFFIC COUNTS
1. Counts shall not be taken on special holidays or during events which occur once per year.
2. Counters shall be placed at points of obvious traffic volume changes
3. Manual counts shall be taken at the same place(s) as machine counts. Manual counts shall be used to verify machine counts.
4. Manual and machine counts shall be performed for each direction.

Part 1 200-16
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 200.07
Summary of Datums Used In Abu Dhabi
Reference Level Admiralty Chart Admiralty Chart Abu Dhabi Datums Abu Dhabi Datums Sauti Datums
Datums Datums Old New
Existing Corrected
Meters Feet Meters Feet Meters Feet Meters Feet Meters Feet
Bench Mark on Plinth of ADPC 3.20 10.50 3.50 11.48 2.15 7.05 2.20 7.22 1.90 6.23
Building
Mean Higher High Water at 1.89 6.20 2.19 7.18 0.84 2.76 0.89 2.92 0.59 1.94
Springs near Solstices
Mean Higher High Water 1.56 5.12 1.86 6.10 0.51 1.67 0.56 1.84 0.26 0.85
Sauti Datums 1.30 4.27 1.60 5.25 0.25 0.82 0.30 0.98 0.00 0.00
Mean Lower High Water 1.19 3.90 1.49 4.89 0.14 0.46 0.19 0.62 -0.11 -0.36
Mean Sea Level 0.95 3.12 1.25 4.10 -0.10 -0.33 -0.05 -0.16 -0.35 -1.15
Abu Dhabi Old Datums 1.05 3.44 1.35 4.43 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.16 -0.25 -0.82
Abu Dhabi New Datums 1.00 3.28 1.30 4.26 -0.05 -0.16 0.00 0.00 -0.30 -0.98
Mean Higher Low Water 0.80 2.62 1.10 3.61 -0.25 -0.82 -0.20 -0.66 -0.50 -1.64
Mean Lower Low Water 0.25 0.82 0.55 1.80 -0.80 -2.62 -0.75 -2.46 -1.05 -3.44
Admiralty Chart Datums Existing 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.98 -1.05 -3.44 -1.00 -3.28 -1.30 -4.27
Mean Lower Low Water at -0.18 -0.59 0.12 0.39 -1.23 -4.04 -1.18 -3.87 -1.48 -4.86
Spring Near Solstices
Admiralty Chart Datums -0.30 -0.98 0.00 0.00 -1.35 -4.43 -1.30 -4.27 -1.60 -5.25
Corrected

Part 1 200-17
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST
Project: Date:

Page 1 of 4 Yes No Maybe

1 Water: Will the proposal result in:
Changes in currents, or the course of direction of water movements,
in either marine or fresh waters?
Changes in absorption rates, drainage patterns, or the rate and
amount of surface water runoff?
Alterations to the course or flow of flood waters?
Change in the amount of surface water in any water body?
Discharge into surface waters, or any alteration of surface water
quality, including but not limited to temperature, dissolved oxygen
or turbidity?
Alteration of the direction or rate of flow of ground waters?
Change in the quantity of ground waters, either through direct
additions or withdrawals, or through interception of an aquifer by
cuts or excavations?
Deterioration in ground water quality, either through direct injection,
or through the seepage of leachate, phosphates, detergents,
waterborne viruses or bacteria, or other substances into the ground
waters?
Reduction in the amount of water otherwise available for public
water supplies?
2 Landform: Will the proposal result in:
Unstable earth conditions or changes in geologic substructures?
Disruptions, displacement, compaction or overcovering of the soil?
Change in topography or ground surface relief features?
The destruction, covering or modification of any unique geologic or
physical features?
Any increase in wind or water erosion of soils, either on or off the
site?
Changes in deposition or erosion of beach sands, or changes in
siltation, deposition or erosion that may modify the bed of the
ocean, bay, or inlet?
Changes in deposition or erosion or changes in siltation, deposition
or erosion that may modify the channel of a wadi or stream, or the
bed of a lake?
Placing fill below the ordinary high water mark of wadis and
streams?
Cut or fill placement through swamps, marshes, bogs, and other
similar areas that are frequently inundated or saturated by ground
water?

Part 1 200-18
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Page 2 of 4 Yes No Maybe

3 Vegetation: Will the proposal result in:
Change in the diversity of species, or numbers of any species of
flora (including trees, shrubs, grasses, crops, microflora, and
aquatic plants)?
Reduction of the numbers of any unique, rare, or endangered
species of flora?
Introduction of new species of flora into an area, or a barrier to the
normal replenishment of existing species?
4 Wildlife: Will the proposal result in:
Changes in the diversity of species, or numbers of any species of
fauna (birds, land animals including reptiles, fish and shellfish,
benthic organisms, insects, or microfauna)?
Reduction of the numbers of any unique, rare, or endangered
species of fauna?
Introduction of new species of fauna into an area, or result in a
barrier to the migration or movement of fauna?
Deterioration of existing fish or wildlife habitat?
5 Agricultural Lands: Will the proposal result in:
Reduction in the quality or quantity of usable farm land?
Reduction in the quality or quantity of usable grazing land?
6 Natural Resources: Will the proposal result in:
Increase in the rate of use of any natural resources?
Depletion of any nonrenewable natural resource?
7 Economics: Will the proposal affect local employment,
taxes, property values, etc.?
8 Public Services: Will the proposal have an effect upon, or
result in a need for new or altered services
in any of the following areas?
Mosques?
Cemeteries?
Fire protection?
Police protection?
Schools?
Parks or other recreational facilities?
Maintenance of public facilities, including roads?
Health Services?
Other Services?

Part 1 200-19
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Page 3 of 4 Yes No Maybe

9 Antiquities/Historical: Will the proposal result in an
alteration of a significant archaeological or
historical site, structure, object, or building?
10 Air Quality: Will the proposal result in:
Increased air emissions or deterioration of ambient air quality?
The creation of objectionable odors?
11 Noise: Will the proposal increase existing noise levels?
12 Light & Glare: Will the proposal produce new light or
glare?
13 Land Use:Will the proposal result in the alteration of the
present or planned land use of an area?
14 Hazardous Conditions: Does the proposal involve a risk of
an explosion or the release of hazardous
substances (including, but not limited to, oil,
pesticides, chemicals or radiation) in the event
of an accident or hazardous condition?
15 Population: Will the proposal:
Alter the location, distribution, density, or growth of an area?
Affect racial or ethnic groups including minority, elderly, or low
income?
Split neighborhoods, or separate residences from commercial
facilities?
16 Housing: Will the proposal:
Affect existing housing (including, but not limited to, rural or urban
residences and business or commercial buildings)?
Create a demand for additional housing?
17 Transportation/Circulation: Will the proposal result in:
Generation of additional vehicular movement?
Generation of additional movement of bicyclists or pedestrians?
Impact on existing parking facilities, or demand for new parking?
Impact upon existing transportation systems?
Alterations to present patterns of circulation or migration of people
and domestic animals?
Alterations to waterborne, rail, or air traffic?
Increase in traffic hazards to motor vehicles, bicyclists, or
pedestrians?

Part 1 200-20
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Page 4 of 4 Yes No Maybe

18 Energy: Will the proposal result in:
Use of substantial amounts of fuel or energy?
Require the development of new sources of energy?
19 Utilities: Will the proposal result in a need for new systems,
or alterations to the following utilities:
Power or natural gas?
Communications systems?
Water?
Sewer or septic tanks?
Storm water drainage?
Solid waste collection and disposal?
20 Human Health: Will the proposal result in the creation of
any health hazard or potential health
hazard?
21 Aesthetics: Will the proposal result in:
The obstruction of any scenic vista or view open to the public?
The creation of aesthetically offensive site open to the public view?
22 Recreation: Will the proposal impact upon the quality or
quantity of existing recreational
opportunities?
23 Severance: Will the proposal disrupt the cohesive nature
of the community it resides in?
Will public services be severed from a particular physiographic
segment of the community or a particular population?
Will emergency service routes be disrupted by the proposal? Will a
particular segment of the community be without service or suffer
from longer response times due to rerouting of emergency
assistance?

Part 1 200-21
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 300 The preliminary engineering activities associated

DESIGN CONCEPT REPORT
301 CONTENTS
The Abu Dhabi Municipality Road Section
requires the preparation and approval of a Design
Concept Report (DCR) prior to commencing final
project design. The report is to be prepared under
the direction of an experienced engineer
designated by the Municipality. Part 1, Section
200, Design Concept Development, includes a
discussion of the background information and
data collection activities necessary to develop the
design concept. Part 1, Section 300, Design
Concept Report, contains a discussion of the
specific requirements and content of a DCR.
with the DCR involve preparation of numerous
technical studies and reports, many of which are
initiated in the data collection phase as described
in Part 1, Section 200, Design Concept
Development. These are prepared as stand alone
documents and are included as an Appendices to
the DCR. The DCR will summarize the results of
these individual reports under the respective topic
included in the DCR Table of Contents (See text
box). Furthermore, the discussion under each
topic will address interdisciplinary relationships
necessary to coordinate all technical aspects of
the design concept. The sections that follow
provide guidance for the development of the
technical studies and requirements for
presentation of the material in the DCR.

The role of a DCR is to summarize the needs, 301.01 FORMAT

alternatives, costs, and overall impacts of the
proposed roadway or bridge project. The scope The DCR will prepare and packaged as follows:
of the project is defined and the design criteria
identified. The DCR is the project scoping DCR (Volume I) - Written portion of the
document and the basis for selecting the project report bound separately in A4 size.
design. The basic roadway configurations shown DCR (Volume II) - Drawings that accompany
in the DCR will be carried forward to the final the report bound separately in A3 size.
design phase.
DCR (Appendices) -
Technical Memorandums, Studies and
DCR Reports bound in A4 size. For smaller
Table of Contents projects the documents should be bound
Executive Summary together. Larger projects may require
Introduction separate packaging of the reports, titled as
Traffic Analysis Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
Description of Alternatives
Design Data Each document will include the following
Typical Sections information on the cover:
Geometrics
Interchange/Intersection Configurations Municipality of Abu Dhabi, Road Section
Parking Study
Design Concept Report
Hydrology and Hydraulics
Subsurface Investigations
Volume No. or Appendix No.
Bridge Type Selection Project Name and Route No.
Utility Impact Analysis Project Number
Socioeconomic Analysis Vicinity Map Schematic with Project Termini
Agriculture Impact noted
Public Feedback Consultant Identification
Signing and Pavement Markings
Lighting See Figure 300.01 to be used as the standard
Construction Staging cover sheet for the DCR.
Cost Estimate
Conclusion/Recommendations
Drawings, Plans, Profiles, Typical Sections and
Architectural Features

Part 1 300-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Location / Design Concept Study

Project Location

Final Report
Project No.

15 May 1997

Prepared by
De Leuw Cather & Co. Client Prepared for
Preparers th
3875 N. 44 Street, Suite 250 Logo
Logo
Phoenix, AZ 85018 Abu Dhabi Municipality
Figure 300.01
Standard Design Concept Report
Cover Sheet

Part 1 300-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
302 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Executive Summary is a short (2-4 pages)
recapitulation of the DCR document. The
Summary should address the following key
topics:
Purpose and Need of the Project
Alternatives Evaluated
Recommended Design Concept
Major or Controversial Issues
Estimated Cost
Conclusion
It is not necessary to address every aspect or
technical consideration that is discussed in the
main body of the report. The summary should
focus on items presented in the report that are of
critical interest to the Municipality such as an
accurate concise description of the recommended
design concept and the estimated cost. It should
be clearly stated how the recommended design
responds to the purpose and need of the project.
Both the major benefits (i.e. improve traffic
circulation, improve intersection safety) and the
adverse impacts (i.e. displacement of coastal
vegetation) should be summarized.
303 INTRODUCTION
The introduction is to prepare the reader for the
subject matter that will follow in the body of the
report. It should only be a few paragraphs in
length and should provide a brief description of
the project as well as the reason for preparing the
Design Concept Report. The project description
should be very general and should identify the
projects location, the agency/municipality in
charge of its implementation, and the source of
funding that will be used for its design and
construction. A statement can also be included
that identifies how the project fits into the overall
transportation infrastructure of the area.
304 TRAFFIC ANALYSIS
The collection of traffic data and the traffic
projection procedures are discussed in Part 1,
Section 203.03, Traffic Counts. The data will be
used to analyze and shape the various alternatives
and geometrics. This is an iterative process that
results in identification of the number of through
Part 1 300-3
lanes, auxiliary lanes, turning lane requirements
including storage lengths, signal warrants, level of
service and capacity. Schematic diagrams of the
roadway segments and intersections should be
used to display the data. This information will be
presented in the DCR along with a summary of
the project traffic data including current and
forecasted ADT values, peak hour and peak hour
directional splits and percent of trucks.
Traffic signal recommendations will be included
in the report. For each signal location, the
following information should be provided:
Phasing Diagram
Controller Equipment
Detection requirements
CCTV
Interconnection
Power Source
On all projects where the primary justification, or
an important justification, of the project is to
improve safety, the DCR should include accident
history data and an analysis of the causes of the
accidents as well as a collision diagram.
Estimates should be made of the accident
reductions expected if the improvement proposal
(or alternatives) is built. The monetary value of
the accident savings should be calculated over the
design period of the project (normally 20 years
where geometric improvements are proposed).
A summary of the traffic analysis shall be
included in the body of the DCR. The complete
report is also included as a separate Appendix.
305 DESCRIPTION OF
ALTERNATIVES
In consultation with the Municipality, the
engineer shall develop alternatives to be evaluated
that respond to the project purpose and need to
varying degrees. The alternatives identified may
include separate horizontal alignments, profile
variations, typical section concepts etc., that can
be evaluated in a matrix form to qualitatively and
quantitatively review the alternatives to identify
major differences. The engineering, social,
economic and natural environmental impacts for
each alternative under consideration must be
addressed.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
The horizontal alternative alignments will be
displayed on aerial photographs for evaluation of
associated impacts. The sheets will show the
proposed centerline, stationing, proposed
structures, edge of pavement lines and affected
properties, at a scale that is appropriate to the
project length and character.
A cost estimate will be prepared for each
alternative and include:
Construction costs
Utility relocation works costs
Land acquisition costs
At this point, meetings will be held with various
Municipality and Government Departments that
have a vested interest in the project. The engineer
will present the alternatives, review the evaluation
criteria and matrix form and discuss merits and
adversities of the different alternatives.
Comments and direction received at the
meeting(s) will be factored into the alternatives
evaluation matrix.
Finally, the analysis will conclude with a
discussion of the evaluation criteria for each
matrix parameter, input/direction received
concerning the project and a summary discussion
of the advantages and disadvantages of each
alternative studied. This will be followed by the
engineers recommended alternative with
supporting justification for the selection.
306 DESIGN DATA
This section will document the design criteria
associated with the recommended design concept
and specifically identify any exceptions from the
minimum criteria established for the roadway
classification.
It is very important that sufficient detail is
included in the DCR so that future revisions to
basic design features and project scope are held to
a minimum.
The following basic design criteria established in
Part 2, Roadway Design, shall be included:
the functional classification of the road per
Part 1, Section 100, General Information.
Part 1 300-4
the minimum design speed(s), min.
horizontal/vertical curve radii, sight min.
distance (passing and stopping), max.
superelevation and other design requirements
associated with the classification of the road;
the actual design speed(s), horizontal/vertical
curve radii, sight distance (passing and
stopping), superelevation, etc. used for the
project;
lane width, shoulder width, and bridge width;
on the project
cross slope;
grade;
horizontal and vertical alignment (actual);
horizontal and vertical clearance; and,
bridge structural capacity.
The design exceptions identified shall be prepared
in a Fact Sheet format as described in Part 2,
Section 100, General Design Criteria.
307 TYPICAL SECTIONS
The typical roadway cross sections and the
dimensions of the lanes, shoulders, median(s) for
both the mainline and all ramps are to be
identified. The number of typical sections will
depend on the number of significantly different
roadway/pavement structure conditions. At a
minimum, at least one section should be provided
which depicts all facilities within the limits of the
right-of-way (i.e., ramps, frontage roads, drainage
channels, etc.).
The type of roadway section, i.e., cut or fill,
number of lanes, shoulders, pavement structural
section, cross slopes, and any retaining walls are
also to be included. Drawings that illustrate this
information are to be included in the Appendix to
the DCR.
308 GEOMETRICS
The alignment, profile, and number of traffic
lanes, including through lanes, auxiliary lanes,
turning lanes and ramp lanes are to be plotted on
an appropriately scaled plan. A scale of 1:500
should be used for urban projects and 1:2500 for
rural projects. The alignment should be displayed
on an aerial base and the corresponding roadway
profile shown below in a split sheet format.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
The text in this section should include a narrative
description of the geometrics, constraints,
controlling factors, drainage considerations and
reference to the design exceptions. The plans are
to be attached as an appendix to the DCR.
309 INTERCHANGE/
INTERSECTION
CONFIGURATION
The various types of traffic interchanges are
described in Part 2, Section 500, Interchanges.
The discussion in this section should identify the
site and project considerations which led to the
selection of the interchange and intersection type.
The site considerations include:
the constraints imposed by the existing and
nearby transportation facilities
proximity of adjacent interchanges
the standards and arrangement of the local
street system including traffic control devices
right of way controls
local planning
community impact, and cost topography.
The project considerations include:
the speed, volume, and composition of traffic
to be served
the number of intersecting legs
crossing and turning conflicts
safety considerations
cost
The interchange/intersection alternatives should
be evaluated as a part of the alternatives analysis
described in Part 1, Section 305, Description of
Alternative, when viable options are identified for
the particular project. This is especially true for
freeway and expressway projects where the
Interchange/Intersection type has a significant
impact on the project character, capacity and
cost.
310 PARKING STUDY
In accordance with Part 1, Section 202.09,
Parking Requirements, a parking study shall be
prepared and included as part of the DCR.
Part 1 300-5
The results of the study shall be summarized in
the body of the DCR, with the entire study
included in the Appendix.
The summary of the results shall include:
the existing parking demand
the anticipated parking demand
the resulting parking shortfall (or excess)
the alternatives as to how the project can
provide adequate parking
cost comparison of parking alternatives
economic impact of inadequate parking
if required by the roadway classification, the
need for off-street parking facilities
the costs and right-of-way requirements
associated with each of the above alternatives
the recommended alternative to meet the
anticipated parking demand,
the conceptual design of the recommended
alternative (see Part 2, Section 211, Parking).
311 HYDROLOGY AND
HYDRAULICS
The Design Concept Report shall include a
separate section (study) for drainage design
concepts, which shall also include, when required,
separate reports for flood plain encroachment and
major waterway crossing studies.
The drainage design concepts section shall
address the following items:
Planning consideration for the overall
watershed considering the project and other
existing and future development
Assessment of existing and future conditions
affecting drainage areas, flow patterns, and
flood levels
Estimate of future development and its effect
on flows and flood levels
Drainage map showing topographic features,
watershed boundary, slope contours, drainage
areas, existing drainage systems, proposed
cross-drain locations (including peak flow
volume, design high water elevation and
culvert size) and proposed conveyance
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
systems (pipes and channels including flow
direction, sizes and peak flow volume)
Hydrology calculations for drainage area
intercepted by the project to include peak
runoff volume flow rates from each drainage
area
Proposed concepts for disposal of storm
water.
Design criteria, procedures, methodology, and
assumptions for analysis and design.
Proposed concepts for handling and disposing
of storm water during construction.
Recommended size and location of cross
drainage structures and channels, including
design high water elevation that might affect
the road profile grades or the roadway
location.
Proposed concepts for on-site roadway
drainage collection, detention, and outfall
locations.
Separate Flood Plain Study Report where the
roadway encroaches on flood plains either
longitudinally or transversely.
Bridge Location and Hydraulics Report for
bridge or large box culvert waterway
crossings.
311.01 PURPOSE
The purpose of the drainage design concept study
is to document the methodology and results of the
hydrologic analysis and the rationale used in
developing the roadway drainage system. It shall
define the type, size, and location of cross
drainage structures and channels, and determine
flood level elevations.
The drainage design concept study shall determine
the initial type, size and location of the onsite
roadway drainage system and determine outfall
location(s). It shall also address any floodplain
encroachments and the overall watershed
planning.
Part 1 300-6
311.02 PLANNING & PREPARATION OF
THE DRAINAGE DESIGN
CONCEPTS
The Municipality often is and should be perceived
as a developer of transportation facilities that
have the potential to stimulate secondary activity
along the transportation corridor just as a major
residential development can stimulate commercial
activity. Accordingly, there is a requirement to
address overall stormwater management needs in
conjunction with existing and future developments
planned for the foreseeable future. Because the
transportation corridor often traverses several
watersheds, the development of an adequate
stormwater management plan can be severely
fragmented and significant problems created if
there is a lack of coordinated planning among
concerned parties.
To be truly effective, a stormwater management
plan should consider the total scope of
development (i.e. transportation, residential,
commercial, industrial and agricultural).
Department coordination with responsible
Agencies and other Departments is essential to
ensure that proposed facilities match existing
ones, and that they are consistent with the long-
term needs of the area. Significant savings can
often be realised by planning overall combined
stormwater management facilities, even though
the roadway development is only a small part of
the total system. In addition, the Municipality can
provide important information to other Agencies
and private developers wishing to develop a
comprehensive stormwater management plan
without assuming responsibility for the planning
and decision making process for the entire
watershed.
Accordingly, prior to design, a level of planning
and coordination shall be undertaken by the
designers that will properly locate facilities and
adequately address the overall drainage needs of
the overall watershed(s) in regards to existing and
future (foreseeable planning) development. This
section provides general guidelines and major
considerations for evaluating these factors during
the planning process.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

311.02.01 Problem Categories aesthetically objectionable, and disrupt flow

and navigation.
Planning for drainage and stormwater
management facilities should include a Nutrients: Accelerated eutrophication that
consideration of the potential problems associated stimulates growth of aquatic vegetation can
with stormwater quality and quantity. Several cause a water body to become aesthetically
categories of data should be obtained and objectionable, deplete dissolved oxygen, and
evaluated including: decrease recreational value by creating odor
and overgrowth. Advanced eutrophication can
Runoff quality provisions lead to sediment build-up, which reduces
Runoff quantity determination storage capabilities.
Flood plain delineation
Inventory of problem and future Toxicity: The two types of toxics generally
developments found in stormwater (metals and
Development of alternative plan concepts pesticides/persistent organics) may build up
Consideration of multipurpose opportunities in sensitive areas over the long term. At high
and constraints levels, they can have serious shock effects on
Hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of aquatic life. Low levels can become
alternative concepts significant by accumulation up the food
Benefits analysis and evaluation chain.

These are further defined as follows: Quantification of the levels of contaminants that
are being washed off a roadway is complicated by
A. Quality: Several broad categories of the variable effects of and the periods between
degradation have been developed to delineate or storm events. The contributory factors are rainfall
describe levels of stormwater impacts: intensity, street surface characteristics, and
particle size. The varying interaction of these
Aesthetic deterioration: Undesirable general factors makes it difficult to precisely estimate the
appearance features (dirty, turbid, or cloudy) impact that discharge will have on water quality.
and actual physical features (odors, floating
debris, oil films, scum, or slime) are present. However, where it is suspected that periodic
runoff may have a serious quality effect upon the
receiving area, further investigation, analysis and
Dissolved oxygen depletion: When the oxygen
methods for solving the problem should be
demand of bacteria is stimulated by the
presented for review and approval.
organics, the subsequent reduction in oxygen
levels can disturb the balance between lower
The quality control management procedure
forms and the food chain. Unoxidized
particularly applicable to this region would
nitrogen compounds (ammonia) can also
consist of diverting the first 8 to 10 millimeters of
cause problems. This is of concern when
runoff into retention (often combined with
discharging into reservoirs, small, limited
detention for peak quantity control) basins where
flush, tidewater areas, and freshwater
the more concentrated contaminates and
streams.
sediments can be contained. The volume of
stormwater is then allowed to dissipate slowly by
Pathogen concentrations: High concentrations
seepage and evaporation, effectively trapping the
of several pathogens can reduce the
contaminates in the basin for periodic cleanout
acceptable users of the receiving waters. A
and disposal in a sanitary land-fill as needed.
concern where discharge may be accessed for
domestic use and discharge near public use
An exception is erosion and sediment control,
areas (bathing beach).
which is often a significant component of
stormwater quality. In general, erosion and
Suspended solids: The physical build-up of
sediment transport should be limited by
solids can cover productive bottoms, be
Part 1 300-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
developing and implementing an erosion and
sediment control plan which addresses both
temporary and permanent control practices.
B. Quantity: Determinations of stormwater
quantity are primarily useful for evaluating and
mitigating the impact of a project. Without
detention, land development increases peak runoff
rates and volumes from storm events, which can
lead to higher flood elevations. Appropriate
hydrologic and hydraulic calculations presented in
various chapters of this manual should be made to
determine the required conveyance through the
Municipalitys project limits, and to aid in
mitigating impacts to downstream structures and
development.
Procedures contained in Part 2, Section 700,
Roadway Drainage Design, should be used to
evaluate the ability of a facility to accomplish the
following controls for a particular area:
Provide positive drainage and runoff
collection to the minimum criteria for safe
passage of traffic on the project roads and
parkings.
Reduce runoff rates when applicable by
increasing infiltration, and by storing
precipitation and runoff where it falls and
releasing it slowly.
Protect areas subject to flood damages by
keeping runoff confined to drainage facilities
such as pipes or channels and by building
appropriate flood control facilities.
Maintain offsite flows, through the project
area.
Limit flood plain enroachment to acceptable
upstream/downstream flooding impacts.
The following questions should be considered
when selecting the plan for disposal of stormwater
runoff:
1. Are existing drainage systems large enough to
handle runoff?
2. Are runoff estimates consistent with adopted
drainage plans and Municipality criteria?
Part 1 300-8
3. Will the project require retention or detention
storage areas to mitigate the impacts of
increased runoff, or can the increase be
handled by other project features?
4. Is there sufficient area to construct a retention
or detention storage within the project limits?
Are alternative sites available for storage of
stormwater?
5. What are the groundwater and soil
conditions? Is there a high groundwater
table, or are there impermeable soil layers?
C. Flood Plain Encroachment: The primary
drainage consideration for facility location in
highway planning is the evaluation of the impact
of flood plain encroachment for a steam or wadi
crossing or where the road embankment
longitudinally encroaches into the flood plain
area.
The following factors for locating a stream
crossing that involves encroachment within a
flood plain area:
Waterway characteristics (stable or
unstable)
Geometry
Hydrology
Hydraulics
Alignment
Flood plain flow
Needs of the area
Economic and environmental concerns
A detailed evaluation of these factors is part of
the bridge location and hydraulics study. When a
suitable crossing location has been selected,
specific crossing components can then be
determined. When necessary, these include the
geometry and length of the approaches to the
crossing, the probable type and approximate
location of the abutments, the probable number
and approximate location of the piers, the
estimated depth to the footing supporting the piers
(to protect against local scour), the location of the
longitudinal encroachment in the flood plain, the
amount of allowable longitudinal encroachment
into the main channel, and the required river
training works, to ensure that river flows
approach the crossing or the encroachment in a
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
complementary way. Exact information on these
components is usually not developed until the
final design stage.
Where the roadway embankment encroaches
significantly in a longitudinal direction into the
flood plain, a separate floodplain encroachment
study must be made to evaluate the increased
flood depths and velocities that may impact,
upstream and down stream properties.
Further details defining flood plain encroachment
are provided in Section 311.02.02.
D. Other Departments Coordination:
Coordination between concerned agencies during
the project planning phase will help produce a
design that is more satisfactory to all. Substantial
cost savings and other benefits frequently can be
realized for both the roadway and other
development projects through coordinated
planning between the various Government
Departments and private developers.
311.02.02 Flood Plain Encroachment and
Risk Evaluation
When a highway project will encroach on a flood
plain, careful consideration must be given to the
potential risks from the encroachment. Any
proposed project that encroaches on a flood plain
either transversely or longitudinally, and is
predicted to result in a significant adverse impact
on natural flood plain values, a significant
increase in flood risk, or a significant change in
the potential for interruption of main access
roadways, emergency service or major services,
must be evaluated with a complete hydraulic
analysis and a risk analysis, to be included in a
separate flood-plain study or a bridge location
and hydraulics study for transverse crossings.
These separate reports must document
considerations of alternatives which do not
include such encroachments. Significant
encroachments will not be approved unless there
is no practical alternative.
The flood plain study (and/or bridge location and
hydraulics study) shall include the following:
A. Hydraulic Analysis: The hydraulic analysis
must provide the water surface profile elevations
Part 1 300-9
before and after the proposed project in both the
upstream and downstream directions for a
distance to where it can be shown that no further
impact over pre-project conditions is influenced
by the project for: (i) the design event storm, (ii)
for the 100 year storm, and (iii) the maximum
probable storm (usually the 500 year event).
Besides the peak water surface profile, the
analysis shall include the flow volumes, velocity
profiles (velocity at various points in the cross-
section), and hydraulic structural alternatives that
were evaluated to mitigate significant
encroachment.
The frequency with which the highway or
watershed divide is likely to be overtopped should
be stated. If the overtopping flood is a 500-year
flood or greater, it should be stated. The location
of the overtopping should be indicated.
B. Economic Analysis: An economic analysis
should include a comparison of design
alternatives, using expected total costs
(construction costs plus risk and damage costs) to
determine the alternative with the Least Total
Expected Cost (LTEC). The comparison will
include probable flood-related costs during the
service life of the facility for: highway operation,
maintenance, and repair; highway-aggravated
flood damage to other property; and additional or
interrupted highway travel. Other costs include
crop damage, structure damage and public
inconvenience.
C. Study of Flooding Encroachments: The
flood plain study should include an inspection of
the flood plain to determine the increase in the
number of flood receptors and the increase in the
damage to present flood receptors that will result
from the expected increase in flood heights.
Consultation with local citizens and other
Departments should be initiated where necessary
to adequately assess encroachments.
D. Risk Assessment: All designs with flood
plain encroachments should include an evaluation
of the inherent flood-related risks to the highway
facility and to the surrounding property. In the
traditional design process, the level of risk is
seldom quantified, but is instead implied through
the application of predetermined design standards.
For example, the design frequency, backwater
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
limitations, and limiting velocity are parameters
for which design standards can be set.
Two other approaches, however, are available
that quantify risk on projects that involve
highway facilities designed to encroach within the
limits of a flood plain. These are risk assessment
and economic analysis. Risk assessment is a
subjective analysis of the risks engendered by
various design alternatives, without detailed
quantification of flood risks and losses. It may
consist of developing the construction costs for
each alternative and subjectively comparing the
risks associated with each alternative. Economic
analysis (sometimes called risk analysis)
encompasses a complete evaluation of all
quantifiable flood losses and the costs associated
with them for each structure alternative. This can
include damage to structures, embankments,
surrounding property, traffic-related losses and
scour or stream channel change. The level of
expense and effort required for an economic
analysis is considerably higher than for a risk
assessment, and selection of the process to be
used should be based on the size of the project
and the potential risk involved. A risk assessment
is usually more appropriate for small structures
or for structures whose size is highly influenced
by non-hydraulic constraints.
Policy dictates that hydraulic facilities be
designed so that highway facilities will perform
without significant damage or hazard to people or
property during the appropriate standard design
frequency flood. Risks associated with floods of
magnitudes greater than the standard design
frequency flood should be evaluated in
accordance with the risk evaluation levels
presented in this section. If warranted, a design
based on a lower or higher frequency flood may
be used. The minimum design frequency for
bridges on main highways, however, is 50 years.
A typical example would be a major cross drain
box culvert for a primary highway. The standard
design frequency would be a 50-year frequency
flood. A design based on this frequency should
be produced in the "traditional" manner, including
development of feasible alternatives. The
alternatives would be compared for cost and for
risks associated with the 50-year frequency flood.
The lowest total cost structure that met the design
Part 1 300-10
constraints would be the preferred design. This
design should then be investigated for the 100-
year flood.
311.02.03 Data Collection
Identification of drainage data needs should be a
part of the early planning phase of a project,
when appropriate procedures for performing
hydrologic and hydraulic calculations are
selected. Several categories of data may be
relevant to a particular drainage project, including
published data such as precipitation, soils, land
use, topography, streamflow and flood history.
Published mapping is usually inadequate, so field
investigations and surveys are necessary to
determine drainage areas, identify pertinent
features, obtain high water information, survey
lateral ditch alignments and survey bridge and
culvert crossings. In addition, hydrology
calculations for a watershed or larger drainage
area will usually require some sort of topographic
mapping. The preferred mapping is using aerial
photography showing contour elevations using
digital techniques is preferred. Manual ground
surveys are usually adequate for smaller areas.
The requirements in more detail are as follows:
A. Data Collection Procedure: Drainage data
should be collected before calculations are
initiated, under the following general guidelines:
1. Identify data needs, sources, and uses. Much
of this information will have to be provided in
the concept report and kept in the supporting
files.
2. Collect published data, based on sources
identified in Step 1.
3. Compile and document the results of Step 2,
and compare data needs and uses with
published data availability. Identify any
additional field data needs.
4. Collect field data based on needs identified in
Steps 1 and 3.
5. Compile and document the results of Step 4.
B. Published Data: At present, there is limited
published data with regards to soils, land use,
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
streamflow, flow histories, etc; however, a
thorough search for soils investigation records
and existing utility/drainage systems should be
made from as-builts of other projects in the
vicinity. Old newspaper records may also be a
source of timing and pictures of past flooding
events.
C. Drainage Areas: If there is sufficient
topographic information for a project site from
readily available sources (aerial mapping), a field
determination of drainage area may not be
necessary, but spot-checking selected control
elevations is always advised. For those project
sites for which detailed information is not
available, field survey work or aerial photo
mapping should be performed. In all cases, a site
visit by the designer is mandatory to confirm
drainage area conditions.
Drainage areas shall be outlined on the drainage
map (preferably on a contoured photo base map).
Drainage area boundaries should connect with the
job centerline, typically at high points in grade or
at other locations where there is a definite division
in the direction of storm runoff flow. After the
overall areas are plotted, the drainage area should
be sub-divided to show how the various sections
contribute to the structures in the proposed
drainage or storm drain system.
All drainage area boundaries should be followed
from project centerline around the area being
covered and closed again to the roadway
centerline. Ridges that do not establish an area
draining to the project should not be shown unless
pertinent to determination of runoff concentration
points or flow path segments. Exceptions to the
rule for closing all drainage area boundaries to
centerline are to be indicated clearly on the map
by notation. These notations should show
location and elevation of breakover or diversion to
or from the drainage area.
Typically, a drainage area should close to each
existing culvert along the project, for each
probable cross drain location to each inlet for
piped system, and protected overland flow
entrances to channels. As an exception, where
two or more structures operate conjunctively to
drain a single area, flow distribution information
should be noted.
Part 1 300-11
For urban type construction surveys, appropriate
city maps or specially prepared maps should be
marked to show the boundaries of total areas
contributing to the project. Streets or other
drainage facilities in these areas should be marked
with flow arrows. In many instances, elevations
may have to be determined to accurately delineate
direction of flow in gutters or side of road
channels.
All areas contributing to existing storm drains
which drain to or across the project should be
shown. In very flat terrain, it is often necessary
to develop profiles for cross streets and parallel
streets to make a definite determination of
drainage areas.
Specially flown aerial photography should be
obtained for most construction projects.
Elevation contours and ridge lines usually can be
indicated on the photographs utilizing digitized
cartography combined with ground based control
surveys. When photographs are used, the field
survey party should verify questionable points
and supplement the information with structure
sizes, elevations, and elevations as required.
Drainage areas can also be determined by stereo
interpretation of stereo paired photographs with
spot field survey work as appropriate (usually
sufficient for smaller areas).
D. Drainage Maps: For roadway projects, the
drainage maps should be prepared on pre-
formatted sheets that use a cross section grid
printed across the lower portion for plotting the
project profile. The profile is plotted to some
convenient scale according to need. For projects
involving interchanges, rest areas, urban streets
and the like, a supplemental drainage map that
shows only the plan portion on a sheet without a
profile grid is required. The supplemental map is
provided to show the small areas needed to
calculate pipe sizes for the tabulation of drainage
structures within these special areas.
The following data should be provided on the plan
portion of the map:
1. Physical land features affecting drainage,
such as elevation contours, land use,
vegetation cover, streams, wadis, reservoirs
and tidal areas, together with past high water
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

and date of occurrence, if available, and
present water elevations with the dates of the
readings, as appropriate.
2. Existing drainage structures, showing type,
size, flow line, flow direction, and any other
pertinent data.
3. Drainage divides and information, where
applicable, to indicate the overland flow of
water. Drainage areas on maps of urban and
rural sections should be shown to the
accuracy necessary, depending on the system
involved. A guide to the appropriate
accuracy for a non-critical system is
provided. Critical systems usually require a
drainage area determination within 2 to 3
percent.
6. In the report, the various cross-drain
culverts should be summarized by station,
size, invert elevation and minimum culvert
backfill values for pH, resistivity, sulphates,
and chlorides for the various alternate
culvert materials.
The profile portion of the map should include the
following data:
1. Plot of the existing ground, done in a light
solid line to the same horizontal scale as was
used for the plan portion.
2. Drainage map sheets with the profile blocks
deep enough to sufficiently show the
necessary profiles and cross-drain profiles.
3. Plot of the proposed profile grade line.

Size Accuracy 4. Plots of all proposed special ditches, except

median, when horizontal and vertical scales
Drainage Mainly Mainly permit.
Area Impervious Pervious
(Hectares) (Hectares) (Hectares) 5. Plots of proposed cross drains, except
0.0 - 0.2 0.02 0.04 median drains. Skew and pipe slope are not
0.2 - 2 0.04 0.08 shown.
2-4 0.08 0.2
4-8 0.2 0.4 6. For urban projects, plot only the storm drain
8 - 20 0.4 0.8 and mainline structures. Laterals are not
20 - 40 0.8 2 plotted. Flow line elevations are posted
40 - 80 2 4 along the main.
>80 4 10
E. Existing Features Survey: In areas draining
Inserts are used to show areas of such to a project site, all streams, wadis, ditches,
magnitude that the boundaries cannot be reservoirs, drainage structures, and other possible
plotted at the regular scale. Proposed conflicting utilities should be shown. Flow lines,
drainage structures are plotted by symbol controlling grade elevations, and high water
only in the plan portion and noted by stages should be documented for existing
structure number. structures. The concept report should note record
the estimated reliability of flow and high water
4. Aerial photography is desirable because it observations.
will document the development and often the
drainage pattern which existed at the time of 1. Survey Notes: The drainage survey notes
design. should show all pipe lines, culverts, and bridges
in place on the existing roadway. Pipe length,
5. Design, base, and overtopping (or maximum size, type, and conditions should be given. The
probable flood) discharge and stage values design for alternate culvert materials requires
are required on all expressway and mainroad accurate information on the condition and length
projects for all cross structures that would of service for existing culverts. Data on
back floodwater outside the project limits, corrugated pipe should include material (steel or
regardless of structure size. aluminium), coatings, size, and type (annular or

Part 1 300-12
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
spiral) and size of corrugation. Flow line
elevations of pipes should be shown at both inlet
and outlet. For box culverts to be extended, an
accurate sketch should be made showing the size
and length of the culvert, thickness of all walls,
wings, and slabs, and the angle of the barrel with
the survey centreline. Elevations should be given
on the top of the bottom slab, top and bottom of
top slab, parapet walls, wings, etc., on each end
of the culvert.
The type, length and width of roadway, location
of bents, number of piles per bent and type of
footings should be shown for bridges in place.
Profiles should be shown as centerline of
roadway, from the edge of pavement left and right
of centerline of survey, and under the bridge on
centerline of survey. The profiles should
accurately define the top and bottom of channel
banks and the channel bottom.
2. High Water Information: Reliable high
water information is necessary to evaluate flood
elevations and establish roadway grades. High
water elevations should be shown upstream of the
proposed project, upstream of significant existing
structures, and at some point along or at the end
of outfall ditch surveys. The location at which a
high water elevation is taken should be clearly
recorded in the field notes, along with the date and
time if available.
At many locations, it is not possible to obtain
documents information on high water. In such
cases, elevation may be estimated by observation
of natural growth, evasion marks or by other
means. The survey crew should provide complete
information on the methods used. The crew chief
should attempt to obtain information from local
residents or maintenance personnel.
The soils investigation usually supplies water
table information within the project limits;
however, the survey crew should note information
pertaining to standing water, areas of heavy
seepage, or springs within the basin area.
3. Lateral Ditch Surveys: Most highway section
projects should routinely include lateral ditch
surveys at the locations of existing ditches,
streams, wadis, swales, etc. The surveys should
provide a clear picture of existing conditions at
Part 1 300-13
any location where water comes to and/or leaves a
proposed project. They should clearly show the
path and approximate elevations of flow for
existing ditches and natural streams. Inflow data
should be provided for a distance sufficient to
indicate the degree of channelization and the
direction of flow, usually a distance of 30 to 100
meters.
Data on the outfall portion should extend far
enough to determine the direction and degree of
channelization and the rate of fall in water
surface, and to reach a point of positive and safe
disposal. If ditch or channel work appears
necessary, collection of topographic data should
continue downstream to a point at which damage
to adjacent property appears to be insignificant.
If the length of an outfall raises serious doubts
about its usefulness, the field party should
terminate the survey at 150 meters and note the
approximate distance to a suitable disposal point.
This note should give the distance, the water
elevation at the approximate end, and a brief
description of the topography (i.e., tidal bay,
reservoir, wadi, etc.) into which the outfall will
drain if extended. The designers can then
determine if a further detailed outfall survey is
required.
The field survey for a lateral ditch should always
include property boundaries or plot walls/fences,
which are often the determining factors in the
ultimate location of outfalls. With property
boundaries marked, the design engineer is in a
much better position to determine the extent of
cross-sectioning needed to cover possible
alterations in alignment, and the design engineer
is aware of the limitations in changes he may
consider.
4. Bridge and Large Culvert Surveys:
Locations of larger culverts and bridges often
must be detailed. The meander of both banks of a
stream for a sufficient distance upstream and
downstream to determine the approximate extent
of any probable channel relocation should be
obtained. This ordinarily can be shown within
150 meters upstream and downstream from the
project. Any major overflow channels also should
be indicated within approximately the same limits
or within the limits that these channels leave and
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
return to the main channel. Meandering channels
close to and approximately parallel to the project
centerline should be located carefully and cross-
sectioned.
Across flood plains where the proposed project
follows an existing fill, cross-sections should
extend far enough to provide a record of natural
ground profiles right and left of the project. Any
washouts or significant swales, side wadiis,
sloughs or ditch outlets should be noted clearly in
the topography.
Recommendations for significant realignment or
improvement of an existing channel often will
come as part of the structure design, making it
necessary to survey a designated location. For
this reason, specific channel location surveys
should not be made during the initial location
survey unless the need for and logical location of
such changes are apparent.
Required data on existing roadway and railroad
structures upstream and downstream should be
identified by the drainage engineer so it can be
included in the survey. For fills and structures in
reasonable proximity to the project, a profile of
the existing roadway showing structure openings
should be established relative to the project data.
For structures farther removed, it is often
adequate to include only a profile and high water
information. The information should include
observations on scour, washouts, or other
pertinent hydraulic factors. Where scour is
significant, cross-sections should be taken to
determine the depth and extent.
Appropriate flood elevation data should be
obtained for bridges. If reliable data is not
available, that fact should be noted by the field
party. The extreme high water, its location, and
the approximate date of its occurrence should be
recorded, if available. Other elevation high water
that can be dated should also be recorded when
practical. If possible, a "normal" high water
elevation, or one which can be expected to recur
about every 2 to 3 years, should be determined.
A normal elevation that would be expected to
prevail through seasons of average rainfall should
be recorded.
Part 1 300-14
Field surveys at existing bridges should include
three profiles: the first on the survey centerline,
the second approximately 10 meters right of the
survey centerline, and the third approximately 10
meters left of the survey centerline. The purpose
of the second and third profiles is to provide data
at the edge of the bridge. The centerline profile
should show the roadway grades and the ground
line under the bridge. Cross-sections should be
taken across the bridge area to furnish elevations
for plotting the face of the slopes and for accurate
plotting of low water channels. All profiles
should include points indicating the top of the low
water banks (the edges of the low water channel),
water level at the date of the survey, and the
profile of the stream bed along the survey lines.
Where new lanes for the roadway are to be
located at bridges from a survey along the old
roadway using cross-sections for approximate
elevations, it is necessary that the three profiles be
run along each side of the new roadway,
furnishing complete channel limits and elevations
on each profile. These surveys should include
corrected stationing referenced to the road survey,
showing station and elevation equalities if
necessary. At expressways, where a single profile
is run along the centerline of the median for the
roadway survey, the three profiles and cross-
sections should be performed for each lane at all
bridges.
5. Documentation: Documentation involves the
compilation and presentation of all pertinent
watershed data collected for the project. It should
include (but is not limited to) basic items such as
drainage area and other maps, field survey
information, published data references,
photographs, and narratives from witnesses of
historic floods. This data should be maintained in
the permanent records. The orderly compilation
and presentation of watershed data will expedite
the design, review, and evaluation phases of a
drainage project
311.03 STORM WATER HYDROLOGY
To convert precipitation to stormwater runoff,
hydrologic calculations are generally used to
quantify the abstractions (precipitation losses)
which occur as part of the hydrologic cycle.
Virtually all drainage and flood plain calculations
only consider infiltration, interception, and
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
surface storage losses, since short time scales will
usually render losses from evaporation and
transpiration insignificant. A possible exception
to this usage is for land-locked watersheds.
Since the governing relationships of hydrology are
complex and, unlike problems in engineering
mechanics, are not easily solved through direct
use of the fundamental laws of physics, a wide
variety of hydrologic procedures have been
developed. Procedures for making time of
concentration and rainfall excess calculations,
procedures for estimating peak runoff rates at
gaged and ungaged sites, procedures for
developing design storm hyetographs, and flood
hydrograph and hydrologic channel routing
procedures are contained in the drainage volume
of the design manual.
Drainage studies often follow a similar sequence
of calculations for all procedures, because
precipitation must be routed through watersheds,
channels, and reservoirs. In most cases,
stormwater runoff will be estimated using the
following general procedure:
1. Divide the watershed into appropriate
subareas to correspond with homogeneous
land use conditions and the placement of
drainage facilities such as inlets, reservoirs,
and open channels.
2. Collect and analyze watershed data.
3. Establish design storm conditions as
appropriate for the procedure selected.
4. Calculate the peak runoff rate or determine
the time distribution of rainfall excess. No
further calculations are generally required if
only the peak runoff rate is desired.
5. Develop a unit hydrograph for the
watershed, if a runoff hydrograph is desired
and the procedure selected uses a unit
hydrograph.
6. Develop the direct runoff hydrograph, using
the unit hydrograph and rainfall excess
determined above, as appropriate.
Part 1 300-15
7. Perform downstream channel and reservoir
routings, as appropriate.
8. Record the necessary calculation process
and the results on the appropriate drainage
maps, and in the drainage section of the
Design Concept Report, as appropriate.
311.04 OPEN CHANNEL HYDRAULICS
The consideration of open channel hydraulics is
an integral part of roadway projects in which
artificial channels and improvements to natural
channels are a primary concern. Procedures for
performing uniform flow calculations that aid in
the selection or evaluation of appropriate channel
linings, depths, and grades are included in the
drainage volume of the design manual. For most
artificial channels, the most desirable lining is
natural, emerging vegetation, with grass used to
provide initial and long-term erosion resistance.
If natural vegetation, usually grass, is unfeasible,
concrete lining is used. Also, flexible linings
comprised of rock riprap asphalt or articulating
concrete grids can be used for preventing erosion.
Allowable velocities and permissible depths of
flow are provided in the drainage volume of the
design manual, along with various adaptations of
Manning's Equation suitable for evaluating
channel capacity.
Open channels can be generally classified as those
which occur naturally and those which are man-
made or improved natural channels. The later,
called artificial channels, include the following
types in use on most roadway project:
1. Right-of-way ditches which usually acts as
an overland flow interceptor ditch collecting
water before it reaches the roadway.
2. Roadside or roadway ditch and (sometime
called the borrow ditch)
3. Median ditches on divided highway.
4. Outfall ditches for connecting and carrying
flows from ditch types 1, 2 and 3, a short
distance to a natural outlet or to another,
larger conveyance channel.
5. Lateral ditches are a larger size channel,
usually used for continuing upstream flows
past the project area.
6. Canals are large size conveyance channels.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Each of these channel types are artificial systems
designed to provide specific drainage capacities.
The right-of-way ditch functions as a type of
relief ditch, handling drainage needs other than
those for the roadway and thus freeing roadside
ditches from carrying anything except roadway
runoff. Right-of-way ditches can also act as
interceptor ditches to provide a method for
intercepting offsite flows or subsurface
groundwater flows above cut slopes, thereby
controlling slope erosion.
In general, roadside or median ditches are
relatively shallow trapezoidal channels or swales
(which are shallow triangular channels). Both
types are designed to handle local surface runoff
from roadway surfaces, or to lower water table
elevations by intercepting groundwater. In some
cases, they may also handle other than project
drainage. Outfall ditches or canals are designed
in most cases as receptors of runoff from
numerous secondary drainage facilities, such as
side ditches or storm drains. The use of a
roadside ditch as an outfall ditch is not
recommended, since its probable depth and size
could create a potential hazard.
311.05 BRIDGE HYDRAULICS
Bridge hydraulic designs shall be documented in
the Bridge Location and Hydraulics Report
(BLHR). Design information shall be
summarised on the Bridge Hydraulics
Recommendations Sheet (BHRS). The format for
the BHRS is provided in Section 3.11.
BLHR and the BHRS shall be prepared for the
projects listed below:
1. Bridges and large culverts (culverts larger
than 1800 mm dia pipes or 1200 mm x
1200m box culverts) on new alignments
2. Bridge and large culvert replacements on
existing alignments
3. For other bridge and large culvert projects
involving actions within the Base Flood
Plain (work within the 100 yr. Flood
elevation) e.g., bridge widening and large
culvert extensions.
Part 1 300-16
311.05.01 Bridge Location and Hydraulics
Report
A. Documentation: Documentation shall be
provided in detail commensurate with the
complexity of the project. Documentation shall
be sufficient enough so that an independent
engineer with expertise in bridge hydraulics, but
not involved with the design, can fully interpret,
follow and understand the logic, methods,
computations, analysis and considerations used to
develop the final design.
Documentation for bridge and large culvert
designs shall include as a minimum the following:
1. Hydrologic analysis including sources of data
and methodology.
2. Alternative analysis or evaluation of structure
sizes (length and vertical height/clearance).
This evaluation shall be done consistent with
Department criteria for bridge hydraulic
design and shall include consideration of:
a. cost
b. design standards
c. structure hydraulic performance,
including backwater, velocity and scour
d. Impacts of the structure on adjacent
property
e. environmental impacts
3. The alternative analysis shall include the
reasons for selecting the recommended
structure and a clear explanation as to why it
is the most economical structure for the site in
question. As a minimum, the following
structure sizes shall be evaluated:
a. The minimum structure size required to
meet hydraulic standards for vertical and
horizontal clearance, scour and
backwater.
b. Existing structure size if applicable.
c. The recommended structure size if
different from (a) or (b).
4. Design recommendations for bridges
recommendations shall include:
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

a. Bridge length, and justification for the
length, including locations (stations) of
abutments
b. Channel excavation requirements
c. Minimum vertical clearance
d. Minimum horizontal clearance
e. Abutment type and orientation
f. Pier orientation
g. Scour depths for the design flood, 100-
year flood and maximum probable flood
(usually the 500-year flood).
h. Scour protection requirements for
abutments, piers and channel
i. Deck drainage
5. Documentation of large culvert hydraulic
designs shall include hydraulic calculations
and recommendations for the following:
the subsections identified below. Rather than a
formal item by item approach, a narrative
description of the site and the hydraulics
recommendations is suggested.
Preliminary Information
A. General Site Location
1. Highway Description
a. Type (expressway, main, secondary,
rural, urban, etc.)
b. Lanes (two, four, divided, limited across,
etc.)
c. Importance (main access between towns
and borders, military route, alternate
routes available, etc.)

a. Culvert Size, and justification for the 2. Topography of site and basin
size, barrel length and location 3. Location: small scale map with site located
b. Peak water surface profiles and cross-
section velocity profiles for the design B. Potential Site Problems
flood, the 100 yr flood and the maximum
probable flood for a distance 150 meters 1. Land Use (obtain from responsible
upstream, through the culvert to a Department)
distance 150 metres downstream.
c. Upstream and downstream invert a. Encroachment on the flood plain
elevations. b. Recreational use
d. Endwall type for entrance and outlet, c. Domestic water supply
including the need for an improved inlet. d. Security area
e. Skew
f. Inlet end and outlet end scour protection 2. Channel Stability
requirements
a. Bank stability
6. Final project plans shall show the peak b. Bends and meanders
stages, peak discharges, peak velocities, and c. Potential for natural change of channel
peak scour predictions for the design flood, d. Aggradation or degradation of bottom
the 100 year flood and the maximum e. Scour history
probable flood that can be expected to flow
through the structure. 3. Potential Water Stages

B. Report Outline: An outline of items that a. Flood history (dates; stages; source of
should typically be considered in the preparation information; extent of flooding;
of a BLHR is given below. Non-applicable items approximate frequency; damage to
should be so indicated rather than omitted without structure, embankment or highway)
comment. Additional information may be b. Potential backwater from other streams
appropriate at unusual sites. or rivers
c. Reservoirs of flood control projects
The BLHLR should be divided into two basic (Department and status)
sections: Preliminary Information and Design d. Tidally affected (mean high and low
Data. These sections are then broken down into water)

Part 1 300-17
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
e. Other controls, if any
f. Normal high and mean high water stages
4. Clearances (horizontal and vertical)
a. Drift at flood stage (not necessarily at
peak backwater stage)
b. Navigation at mean high water or normal
high water stage
Final Design Data
A. Inventory of Existing Crossing(s)
1. Location in relation to crossing(s)
2. Determination of drainage area (when
significantly different)
3. Physical data on structure(s) (size, type,
spans, foundation type, low member,
available waterway area)
4. Flood history
5. Evaluation of hydraulic adequacy of
structure(s) (Note: This data should be
obtained not only for the site under
consideration, but upstream and downstream
crossings as well)
B. Selection of Design Flood
1. Importance to highway system
2. Importance to life and property
3. Conveyance of design, 100-year and
maximum probable flood (under or
over/under the highway)
C. Hydrologic Analysis
1. Site review (extremely important)
2. Interview with persons providing flood
history data
3. Review of available flood records
(Department, newspapers)
4. Review of available stream gages in vicinity
5. Definition of drainage area above site
6. Evaluation of potential watershed basin
changes (20-year minimum)
a. Urbanization
b. Channelization
c. Water management practices
Part 1 300-18
7. Determination of design discharge and
development of discharge-frequency curve
8. Determination of design flood stage and
development of stage-storage-frequency curve
D. Hydraulic Analysis
1. Bridges
a. Determination of permissible upstream
water surface
b. With bridge length set to minimum
criteria or environmental controls,
determination of backwater
c. Adjustment of (b) if required to satisfy
(a)
d. Check of conveyance for 100-year flood
and maximumbable flood; adjustment of
bridge length if required
e. Evaluation of scour potential
f. Evaluation of need for channel changes
g. Evaluation of need for bank protection
including limits of protection, type,
materials, and specifications
h. Evaluation of need for spur dikes and
other training devices
i. Evaluation of effects of construction and
temporary activities
j. Evaluation of effect on downstream
structures and properties
2. Large Culverts (any cross-drain culvert larger
than 1800 mm dia pipe, or 1200mm x 1200
mm box culverts)
a. Determination of allowable headwater
(AHW) and design storm tailwater
elevations
b. Selection of trial culvert size
c. Evaluation of culvert for abrasion,
corrosion, debris, scour, suitability for
improved entrance, etc.
d. Design of inlet and outlet scour
protection, if necessary
e. Check of conveyance of 100-year flood
and max. probable flood
f. Evaluation of effect on stream stability.
g. Evaluation of effect on fish and wildlife,
if applicable
h. Evaluation of effect of channel change
i. Evaluation of effect on downstream
properties and structures
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
E. Additional Survey Data of Proposed Site
1. Data sufficient to prepare a contour map
(intervals at 30 cm or 60 cm depending on
scale); required distance upstream and
downstream will vary with site
2. In lieu of (1), a minimum of three cross
sections will suffice for some cases
(upstream, at, and downstream of site)
3. Vegetation, estimated bed load, bottom soil
material and soil properties, and other general
site parameters
F. Departmental Coordination
1. Contact Departments involved and identify
what other projects may be affected by the
culvert/bridge
2. Investigate possibility or necessity for a
cooperative project
It is also suggested that a checklist of required
items for each site be prepared and given to the
survey crew to ensure complete data will be
obtained with a minimum of supplemental or
unnecessary effort.
311.05.02 Bridge Hydraulics
Recommendations Sheet (BHRS)
The BLHR is a full size drawing, to be included
with the BLHR. It is divided into several
information blocks, which must be as completely
filled out as is appropriate for the design and
location. The BHRS must always include the
Project Number and the Bridge Number as per
the drainage map in the title box.
The information requested for existing bridge or
large culverts near the site includes foundations,
overall length, span length, type of construction,
area of opening at high water, roadway width,
and the low member elevation. The area of
opening at high water generally refers to the flow
area available through the existing structure
below the water surface determined for a design
storm frequency.
The BHRS hydraulic design data section should
include water surface elevations and several
categories of flood data for various events,
including the maximum event of record, the
Part 1 300-19
design flood, the base (or 100-year) flood, and
either the overtopping or maximum probable
flood, whichever occurs first. The overtopping
flood is the one in which flow crosses the
highway, or spills into another watershed or
through a relief structure. The max. probable
flood is normally a 500-year event. Flood data
includes stage elevation, discharge, average
velocity (on larger crossings a velocity profile
across key cross-section is usually needed) and
exceedance probability.
Water surface elevations are classified as normal
high water for non-tidal areas and as mean low
and mean high water for tide-influenced areas.
Normal high water is defined as the 2-year event;
mean low water and mean high water data can be
obtained from the admiralty charts.
Hydraulic recommendations should include the
beginning and ending bridge stations, data on the
channel section (including any excavation),
navigation and drift clearances, scour prediction,
slope protection, and deck drainage.
Space should be provided for a small scale
location map outlining the drainage area. A plan
view of the existing and proposed bridge area
must also be included. The scale should
adequately depict the area adjacent to the
structure, including existing and proposed
contours. Drainage areas for very flat sites
warrant careful delineation since only one or two
contours may occur. For a bridge, a profile of the
channel section should be shown; for a large
culvert, the culvert centreline should be profiled.
The profile should show channel work and bridge
end treatment. If necessary for clarity, bridge
ends should be drawn at a larger scale.
The assumed configuration, deck drainage, and
scour recommendations need to be approved by
the Municipality before plans are completed.
This review provides an opportunity to evaluate
the impact of substantial changes on the hydraulic
design conditions.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
311.06 STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT USING
RETENTION/DETENTION
DESIGN
In general, retention refers to stormwater storage
without access to a positive outlet, while detention
facilities offer temporary storage accompanied by
controlled release of the stored water. Wet
detention typically has a pool of water below the
outlet elevation; dry detention is typically placed
with the basin bottom above the seasonal high
water table. Retention and detention can be used
separately or together in storage basins as site
conditions and management objectives require.
Historically, "detention" basins are used only
when such use reduced the outfall size (by
reducing the peak discharge) enough to justify the
cost. An additional benefit is that they can also
be effective in improving stormwater quality.
The drainage volume of the design manual
provides general design criteria for
retention/detention basins as well as procedures
for performing preliminary sizing and final
reservoir routing calculations. The Storage
Indication Method is presented as an acceptable
method for detention calculations. Exfiltration
calculations may be required for certain retention
systems for estimations of percolated discharge
rates.
Land-locked drainage areas will require retention
storage areas designed to meet special
considerations.
The collection of field and published data for the
planning and location of retention/detention
facilities should be coordinated so that it can be
accomplished concurrently with other aspects of a
particular project. A general discussion of data
collection procedures is presented in Section
311.02.03.
A key element to proper planning of
retention/detention facilities is the selection of
potential sites that will provide control of both
flooding and stormwater quality. Other important
considerations include:
Runoff quality requirements
Stormwater management master plan
Part 1 300-20
Conveyance of drainage to the site
Availability of land
Suitability of site for water storage
Availability of suitable outlet point
Adjacent land use
Roadway control elevations
Soil infiltration capability
Water table fluctuations
Outfall high water elevations
Type of facilities proposed
Safety and maintenance requirements
Planning for retention/detention facilities should
be co-ordinated with the evaluation of borrow
requirements for the project. To the maximum
extent possible, excavation from construction of
the retention/detention basins should be used as
fill material. If borrow material is required for
basin embankments, it should be obtained within
the project limits, if possible.
The objective of drainage design is to provide the
necessary roadway drainage facilities which
allows the public to use the roadway during times
of significant runoff and in a manner that
minimizes the potential for adverse effects on
adjacent property and existing patterns.
The effect of the roadway on the existing drainage
pattern, the potential flood hazards, as well as the
effect of floods on the roadway are to be assessed
in the design process.
The engineer shall perform a drainage study in
accordance with current design methodology,
requirements and criteria in the drainage volume
of the design manual. The criteria should identify
such items as the hydrology method to be used,
the design storm frequency to be accommodated,
the allowable spread of water on the pavement to
be tolerated at the specified storm frequency and
any other pertinent hydraulic criteria which is a
design control for the project. Applicability of
existing Master Drainage Plans will be discussed.
The purpose of the drainage study is to identify
potential drainage problems for the proposed
improvement, to recommend solutions, and to
establish initial pipe and channel sizings and
alignments consistent with the improvement
concept. The major drainage features shall be
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

displayed on the roadway geometric plans in both The Geotechnical Report will assemble the results
plan and profile. of the subsurface exploration program, analyze,
and make geotechnical engineering
Basic hydrologic conditions should be fully recommendations using the field boring and lab
quantified and discussed. Analysis of test data. This will be presented in an engineering
preconstruction hydrologic conditions should be report, prepared by the engineer for the project
performed in order to evaluate hydraulics and included in the Appendix. The results will be
(capacity, velocity, flood over-topping elevations summarized in the DCR.
etc.) of any existing structures and the impacts of
alternatives considered. The Report is to contain the following
information:
The engineer shall research and evaluate potential
Summary of previous geotechnical
future development (20 year planning horizon)
investigations
within the watershed which may have an impact
description of the program undertaken to
on future drainage flows and ultimately the
identify geotechnical and subsurface elements
performance of existing or proposed hydraulic
which affect project design
structures.
results of surface visual observations
The engineer shall carefully document and groundwater data
photograph all existing drainage problems, a summary of the information obtained from
carefully evaluate recommended solutions and and the location diagram of the soil borings
assure existing conditions are not impacted by the general description of the subsurface
roadway improvements. geologic strata obtained from the soil borings,
including any areas of unacceptable soil
The engineer shall document drainage problems, conditions
design approaches, solutions, and initial hydraulic particle size analysis and potential for scour
structures requirements in a separate Initial results of any material testing
Drainage Study which will be included in the analysis and recommendations for
Appendix. A summary will be presented in the embankment construction including
DCR. settlement and surcharging
an analysis and preliminary recommendations
312 SUBSURFACE for pavement structural section and
INVESTIGATIONS foundations.

Once the project location, horizontal and vertical
alignment and structure requirements have been
generally defined, the engineer will formulate
subsurface exploration and testing program. The
objective of the exploration program, is to
provide, specific subsurface information along
successive design sections or reaches of the
project. The data will allow some basic
judgments to be made, i.e., the most suitable
type(s) of foundations for structures and
recommended pavement designs to be developed
during the design phase.
313 BRIDGE TYPE SELECTION
Selection of the most suitable type of structure
involves investigating alternate superstructure and
foundation types including variation of span
length, structure depth and number of girders to
determine the best bridge type and arrangement
for a particular site. This is an iterative phase
where assumptions must be made and later
verified or modified during the process. Detailed
design should not be performed unless it is
necessary to confirm the adequacy of a concept.

In the case of either the structure borings or When performing the concept studies the
roadway borings, the geotechnical program will following shall be considered as a minimum:
serve to reveal the type, severity and extent of
Cost
geotechnical design problems.
Constructability
Maintenance
Part 1 300-21
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Aesthetics
Sketches should be made of the various
alternatives investigated and included in the
report.
Both the vertical and horizontal clearances should
be checked to ensure that adequate clearances are
provided. Inadequate vertical clearance will
necessitate a change in either profile grade or
superstructure depth while inadequate horizontal
clearance may necessitate a change in span
length.
The geotechnical aspects of the site should be
considered since the foundation type and
associated cost may influence the type of bridge
selected. An initial (stage one) subsurface
exploration and testing program will be
performed in parallel as described in Part 1,
Section 312, Subsurface Investigations, and will
be used to determine foundation type and costs.
Traffic requirements must be investigated
including any detours or phasing requirements.
These requirements will be addressed in the
discussion detailed in Part 1, Section 320,
Construction Staging.
313.01 BRIDGES OVER WATERWAYS
For waterway crossings, coordination with the
project drainage requirements will be necessary.
The designer should obtain the Initial Drainage
Report and thoroughly review the contents before
starting the analysis of alternatives. For
navigable crossings, the channel width, vertical
clearance, pier protection and navigational aids
should be investigated and discussed.
313.02 WIDENINGS/REHABILITATION
On projects involving widenings, in addition to
the requirements for new bridges, the following
items should be investigated:
The existing structure should be checked for
structural adequacy.
The condition of the existing deck joints.
The condition of the existing bearings.
The condition of existing diaphragms on steel
girder bridges.
The existing foundations.
Part 1 300-22
The existing waterway opening, vertical and
horizontal clearances.
The need for adding approach slabs.
The adequacy of existing bridge rail.
When the above items have been investigated,
preliminary design can proceed by studying
alternatives. Possible alternatives include:
widening to one side, widening symmetrically on
both sides or replacing the bridge with a new
structure. Approximate costs based on
preliminary quantities and unit costs associated
with each solution will be required.
313.03 BRIDGE SELECTION REPORT
The preparation of the Bridge Selection Report is
the final activity in the preliminary design phase.
This activity involves incorporating the contents
of the Initial Drainage Study, and the
Geotechnical Report to produce a final Bridge
Selection Report and develop the preliminary
plans for the selected alternative. The preliminary
plans consist of the General Plan and General
Notes and Quantities Sheets. The preliminary
plans are not considered complete until the
drainage report and geotechnical foundation
recommendation is received and incorporated in
the plans.
After fully considering the above factors to
determine the proper structure type, the engineer
will discuss the architectural features with the
appropriate Municipality Departments. For large
or controversial projects, approval by the
Executive Council or higher authority will be
required. These may be individual or joint
discussions as dictated by the size, location,
complexity, and sociological, economical,
ecological and environmental demands of the
project.
Through these discussions a structure with
architectural features that are compatible with
structural, safety and site requirements can be
developed.
The completed Bridge Selection Report shall
include a general plan of the bridge. This reduced
plan reflects the bridge geometrics, architectural
theme, the bridge substructure and the type of
foundations. A complete discussion of the cost
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
and feasibility of alternative designs must be
included. This is especially important for unusual
and major structures. The Bridge Selection
Report will be included as an Appendix to the
DCR.
The results of bridge type selection process will
be summarized in the DCR. The factors that led
to the selection of the preferred alternative will be
thoroughly discussed. The proposed structures
should be described and address:
Foundation Type
Substructure
Superstructure
Architectural Features
Vertical and Horizontal Clearance
Other Key Factors
The General Plan shall be included in the
Drawings (A3 size) that will accompany the
DCR.
314 UTILITY IMPACT ANALYSIS
Utility impacts are a key project issue, especially
within existing transportation corridors. Data
collection and coordination with the various
agencies/departments is discussed in Part 1,
Section 200, Design Concept Development. The
second phase of work includes analysis of the
existing and proposed utilities with respect to
each alternative in order to permit estimation of
costs and evaluation within the alternatives
matrix.
Utility corridors including proposed Service
Reservations should be identified and indicated on
the typical sections and roadway plans included in
the DCR. For urban projects, the location of
service reservations will affect the roadway
geometrics including parking areas, green areas
and the proposed pavement surfacing.
The DCR will include a through discussion of the
utility impacts and a tabulation of the existing
utility inventory as follows:
Item Number
Owner
Description
Station
Part 1 300-23
Location
Status
Remarks
The DCR will summarize the impacts for each
major utility (water, sewer, telephone, irrigation,
electrical). The responsibility for design and
construction of the facilities will be addressed.
Schematic plans showing the major existing and
proposed utilities should be prepared and included
in the drawings section. Recommendations will
be given for general utility relocation schemes and
for resolution of specific utility conflicts.
Associated utility costs will be included in the
preliminary cost estimate.
For larger projects a separate Utility Report
should be prepared and included as an Appendix
to the DCR.
315 SOCIOECONOMIC ANALYSIS
An analysis and discussion of the socioeconomic-
data per the requirements described in Part 1,
Section 202, Environmental Factors Influencing
Design, shall be included in the DCR. Each of
the topics covered in Part 1, Section 202,
Environmental Factors Influencing Design shall
be included or, if not relevant, it should be so
stated including the reason why it is not relevant.
For any of the topics which are not relevant, prior
approval from the Municipality is required to
exclude the issue from the DCR. The required
information as to the reasons why the topics are
not relevant shall be summarized in a concise
Technical Memorandum accompanied by
supporting documentation as necessary. The
Municipality shall make a determination as to the
relevance of the topic based on this information.
The Technical Memorandum and supporting
documentation is to be included as a separate
appendix in the DCR.
316 AGRICULTURE IMPACT
Agricultural resources are important to mans
survival and therefore must be preserved to the
greatest extent possible. The Consultant shall
identify the potential impact that the proposed
project alternatives may have on these resources
within the study area. Primarily, this involves
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
determining whether or not the project will
directly impact (i.e. irreversibly commit ) land
that is presently used for agricultural purposes.
In the description of impact, the Consultant shall
identify whether the land is actively farmed or
fallow as well as the types if crops that would be
affected. Impacts will be quantified in hectares.
Indirect impacts will also be identified and
described. These may include, but are not limited
to, the potential description of the existing
irrigation system or pollution of nearby
agricultural lands from untreated stormwater
runoff. Impacts associated with each project
alternative will be compared and the alternative
with least agricultural impact shall be identified if
such an alternative exists.
317 PUBLIC FEEDBACK
Public involvement is an important aspect in the
overall success of a project. At the onset of the
project, the consultant shall develop a Public
Involvement Plan that will establish the approach
to be used to coordinate project planning and
details with the public. In addition to keeping the
public informed of the project, the plan will also
provide the public with the opportunity to
comment at various stages of project
development. By soliciting and actively
considering public input, the Consultant is more
likely to produce a design that is economically
feasible and acceptable to the public.
This section of the DCR should briefly describe
the elements of the Public Information Plan,
including the location and scheduling of public
information meetings, workshops, consensus
building sessions or any other forums aimed at
soliciting public input. A summary of the
primary issues raised by the public should be
presented along with a discussion of how these
issues have been addressed during the
development of the project, and whether or not
consensus has been reached. A file should be
maintained as backup for each public meeting
that contains a list of participants and the issues
raised.
Part 1 300-24
318 SIGNING AND PAVEMENT
MARKINGS
Signing Concept plans will be developed to show
the major guide signs required for the proposed
facility in accordance with the MUTCD and
criteria included in Part 2, Section 900, Traffic
Engineering. It may be necessary to include
signing outside of the project limits. New signs or
modifications required to existing signs shall be
clearly identified. The signing requirements shall
be displayed on a reduced scale version of the
project geometrics sufficient to show the required
detail. Proposed guide signs should be illustrated
graphically with leaders pointing to the sign
location. Signing requirements associated with
the construction staging/detour scheme should
also be discussed.
The signing and lighting concept plans will be
included in the drawings section of the DCR.
319 LIGHTING CONCEPTS
This section should begin with a discussion of the
design criteria that governs the location of
lighting, the type of lighting relevant to the
roadway classification or route and the method of
illumination analysis. Applicability or
conformance to existing Master Lighting Plans
must be considered. Alternative types of lighting
such as high mast at major interchanges should
also be addressed. The typical spacing between
light sources, and the compatibility with adjacent
or intersecting lighting system will be shown and
illustrated on schematic plans.
320 CONSTRUCTION STAGING
Maintenance of traffic during construction can
have a significant affect on the surrounding traffic
system, in terms of public convenience, design,
cost and the duration of construction. The DCR
shall include a discussion as to how construction
of the project will be staged including:
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Number of Stages Initial Drainage Study

Erection of Falsework Geotechnical Report
Anticipated Detours Bridge Selection Report
Duration of each Stage Utilities Report
Traffic Analysis Report
The final design plans will generally be prepared
in conformance with staging described in the 324 DRAWINGS
DCR.
The drawings prepared to illustrate and define the
321 COST ESTIMATE design concept should be presented in A3 format
as Volume II of the written report which is bound
The DCR preliminary cost estimate must be as separately in A4 format. The drawings should
realistic and accurate as possible. The degree of include the following:
effort and detail for each project is expected to
vary depending upon the complexity and Typical Sections
sensitivity of the project-related issues. Alternatives
Bridge General Plans
The preliminary cost estimate should be prepared Roadway Plan/Profile
using the Preliminary Project Cost Estimate Signing and Lighting Concept Plans
form (Figure 300.02) to summarize the individual Architectural Renderings
bills. This is intended to standardize the format
Construction Staging Schematics
and type of items that need to be considered in the
Other project specific plans as required
project consistent with the General Specifications.
Similar forms must be developed for each bill
section to back-up the summary, including the
estimated quantities and unit prices. It is
important that all known items of work be
identified and estimated. In some instances, not all
of the items can be identified at this stage and an
appropriate contingency factor should be applied
to reflect possible increases such as modification
of the project limits or adding decorative features.

322 CONCLUSIONS/
RECOMMENDATIONS

This section will include conclusions,

recommendations, and their associated costs. The
name and title of the Project Engineer responsible
for the preparation of the DCR as well as the Abu
Dhabi Municipalitys Engineer who served as the
Municipality Representative shall also be
indicated.

323 APPENDIX

This section will be used for appending Technical

Memorandums and the complete detailed studies
or reports including:

Fact Sheet-Design Exceptions

Parking Study
Part 1 300-25
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

MUNICIPALITY OF ABU DHABI

PROJECT NAME AND ROUTE NO.___________________
PROJECT NUMBER_________________

PRELIMINARY PROJECT COST ESTIMATE

SUMMARY OF BILLS OF QUANTITIES

BILL
BILL DESCRIPTION AMOUNT IN FIGURES
NO.
DH Fs
I GENERAL
II EARTHWORKS
III SUBBASE AND BASE COURSES
IV ASPHALT WORKS
V CONCRETE WORKS
VI SURFACE DRAINAGE SYSTEM
VII WATER WORKS
VIII PRESTRESSED CONCRETE WORKS
IX TRAFFIC MARKINGS AND SIGNS
X SITE LABORATORY
XI CONCRETE PILE FOUNDATIONS
XII METAL WORKS
XIII POST-TENSIONED CONCRETE WORKS
XIV EXPANSION AND FIXED JOINTS
XV IRRIGATION WORKS
XVI LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION WORKS
XVII TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM
XVIII DAILY WORKS SCHEDULE
XIX TELEPHONE WORKS
XX SEWERAGE WORKS
XXI STREET FURNITURE
XXII PARKING STRUCTURE
XXV LANDSCAPING

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST

Figure 300.02
Cost Estimate Worksheet

Part 1 300-26
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

PART 2 rails, bridge columns, retaining walls, sound

walls, cut slopes, and median barriers.
ROADWAY DESIGN
The cost to correct such restrictions may not be
justified. Technically, this will result in a
SECTION 100 reduction in the effective design speed at the
GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA location in question. Such technical reductions
should be discussed and carefully considered
101 DESIGN SPEED before accepted.

Design speed establishes specific minimum
roadway design elements. These design elements
include vertical and horizontal alignment, and
sight distance. Design speed relates indirectly to
other elements such as pavement and shoulder
width, and horizontal clearance.
Design speed may be lowered, especially in
densely developed urban areas. The design speed
for special projects will be established by the
Road Section. Maximum design speeds, as related
to roadway classifications, are shown in Table
100.01.

Design speed is influenced by terrain, economic Table 100.01

considerations, environmental factors, type and Design Speed
volume of traffic, roadway functional Roadway Terrain Desirable Min.
classification, and adjacent land use (rural or Classification Type (kph) (kph)
RURAL
urban).
Freeway
Drivers expect consistent design speeds for Flat 140 120
Rolling 120 100
adjacent roadways or roadways with similar
Mountainous 100 80
characteristics. A driver in a mountainous area Expressway
would expect to travel more slowly than a driver Flat 140 120
crossing the open desert. Further, the driver Rolling 120 100
crossing the open desert expects the travel speed Mountainous 100 80
to be similar for a divided road or a two-lane Major Collector
roadway. Normally, the design speed difference Flat 100 80
between adjacent segments should not exceed 10 Mountainous 80 60
kph. Minor Collector
Flat 90 80
A roadway carrying a large traffic volume may Rolling 80 60
justify a higher design speed than a less important Mountainous 60 40
facility in similar topography, particularly where Local Access
Flat 90 80
the savings in vehicle operation and other costs
Rolling 80 60
are sufficient to offset the increased cost of right Mountainous 60 40
of way and construction.. However, a lower URBAN
design speed should not be assumed for a Freeway 120 100
secondary road where the topography is such that Expressway 120 100
drivers are likely to travel at high speeds. Arterial (Main Rd)
Outlying 100 80
Subject to the above considerations, as high a Low Interruption 90 60
design speed as practical should be used. The High Interruption 60 40
design speed for any section of roadway should be Frontage Road 60 50
a constant value. However, during design, Sector Road 50 40
situations may arise in which engineering, DIRECTIONAL RAMPS 80 60
economic, environmental, or other considerations The maximum design speed varies by area on Abu
make it impractical to provide the minimum Dhabi Island therefore, refer to Figure 100.01 for the
posted speeds on the Island. Posted speeds are
elements established by the design speed.
considered to be approximately 85% of design speed.
Examples include partial or brief horizontal sight
distance restrictions, like those imposed by bridge
Part 2 100-1
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 100.01
Posted Speeds On Abu Dhabi Island

Part 2 100-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

102 DESIGN VEHICLES Within a project, one design designation should

be used except when:
For primary roadway projects, the design vehicle
will be a WB-12 intermediate semi trailer (a) The design hourly traffic warrants a
combination. For secondary and local roads, the change in the number of lanes, or
design vehicle will be a single unit bus. The (b) A decided change in topography dictates
design vehicles are as defined in a A Policy on a change in design speed.
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets,
AASHTO, 1994. Refer to Section 405 for The design designation should appear on the
additional information on design vehicles. typical cross section for all new roadway
construction projects.
103 DESIGN TRAFFIC
104 ROADWAY CAPACITY
103.01 DESIGN PERIOD
104.01 DESIGN CAPACITIES
Geometric design of new facilities should be
based on estimated traffic 20 years after Design capacity is the maximum volume of traffic
completion of construction unless otherwise for which a projected roadway can provide a
directed by the Road Section. selected level of service. Design capacity varies
with a number of factors, including:
Safety, resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation,
and operational improvement projects should be (a) Level of service selected.
designed using current traffic volumes with (b) Width and number of lanes.
consideration for future growth. (c) Weaving sections.
(d) Presence or absence of, and width of,
103.02 RELATION TO DESIGN shoulders.
(e) Grades.
The design designation is a simple, concise (f) Horizontal alignment.
expression of the basic factors controlling the (g) Operating speed.
design of a given roadway. Following is an (h) Lateral clearance.
example of this expression: (i) Side friction generated by parking, drive
ways, intersections, and interchanges.
ADT (2000) = 9800 D = 60% Volumes of trucks, buses, recreational
ADT (2020) = 20,000 T = 12% vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
DHV = 3000 V = 110 kph, (j) Percentage of trucks, buses, and
recreational vehicles.
where: (k) Spacing and timing of traffic signals.
ADT (2000) = The average daily traffic, in
number of vehicles, for the construction Design capacity is based on the factors above,
year. design year traffic and operation at a specified
ADT (2020) = The average daily traffic for level of service (LOS).
the future year used as a target in design.
DHV = The two-way design hourly volume, Broadly defined, in terms of traffic flow, LOS A
vehicles. is associated with free flow traffic; LOS B
D = The percentage of the DHV in the indicates reasonable free flow; LOS C is stable
direction of heavier flow. operation; LOS D is lower range of stable flow;
T = The character of the traffic. This is LOS E is unstable flow; and LOS F indicates
expressed by the truck increment (T) as forced flow.
a percent of the DHV (excluding
recreational vehicles). Design levels of service for various conditions are
V = Design speed in kph. shown in Table 100.02. The highest feasible LOS
should be selected and used for design, except

Part 2 100-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

where unreasonable costs or environmental For an approximation of the number of lanes

constraints would dictate a lower LOS. required on a multi-lane freeway or expressway,
use the following design year peak hour traffic
Level terrain is defined as a roadway on which volumes at the specified level of service:
trucks can maintain speeds that approach or are
equal to those of passenger cars. Level of Traffic Volume
Service (Average Vehicles)
Rolling terrain is defined as a roadway on which Per Lane Per Hour
trucks substantially reduce their speed below Urban C-E 1400-2000
passenger cars on some sections. Rural C-D 1000-1200

Mountainous terrain is defined as a roadway The following sections deal with the general
where trucks operate at crawls speeds for long capacity calculations for various roadways. Since
distances or frequent intervals. these calculation methods are lengthy and beyond
the scope of this document, the reader is referred
Table 100.02 to the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), 1994.
Relation of Conditions to Design Levels of
Service 104.01.01 Multi-lane Rural Roadway
Conditions Design Levels
of Service The general equation for service volume of all
RURAL multi-lane roadways is given by:
Freeway Flat B SV = 2000 N (v/c) T W
Rolling B where:
Mountainous C SV = Service volume (one direction) for a
Expressway Flat B given level of service
Rolling B N = Number of lanes in each direction
Mountainous C v/c = Service volume to capacity ratio
Major Collector T = Adjustment factor for trucks on grades
Flat B W = Adjustment for width and lateral
Rolling B clearance
Mountainous C
Minor Collector (See HCM Section 100.04.02)
Flat C
Rolling C 104.01.02 Two Lane Roadways
Mountainous D
Local Access Flat D Service volumes and capacities for two lane
Rolling D roadways are always both directions without
Mountainous D regard to the distribution of volume by direction.
URBAN
Freeway C The general equation is given by:
Expressway C SV = 2000 (v/c) T W
Arterial (Main Rd) C-D where:
Frontage Road D SV = Service volume in vehicles per hour
Sector Road D (total both directions)
DIRECTIONAL RAMPS B-C v/c = Service volume to capacity ratio
T = Adjustment factor for trucks on grades
W = Adjustment for width and lateral
As an alternative to level of service D,
clearance
consideration should be given to pairs of one-way
roads or alternative bypass routes to improve the
(See HCM Section 100.04.02)
LOS.

Part 2 100-4
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
104.01.03 Expressways
Expressways are analyzed using a series of
nomographs covering a range of average roadway
speeds. The charts are based on 3.65 m lanes, full
width shoulders, and adequate clearances. (See
HCM Section 100.04.02)
104.01.04 Expressway Ramps and Weaving
Sections
Capacities of urban expressways are influenced
by entrance and exit volumes, weave distance,
and the geometric layout. All of these factors
should be considered in the capacity analysis.
(See HCM Section 100.04.02)
104.01.05 Intersection Capacity
Intersections capacity generally governs the
capacity of the associated roadway. Signal
timing, intersection spacing, turning movement all
play a critical role in determining the overall
capacity. (See HCM Section 100.04.02)
105 CONTROL OF ACCESS
105.01 GENERAL
Control of access is achieved by limiting the
number and location of roadway access points so
that the through traffic capacity or safety of the
facility will not be significantly impaired. There
are three degrees of access control:
Full Access Control - Gives preference to
through traffic by providing access only through
selected frontage/sector roads and by prohibiting
at-grade crossings or direct access from abutting
property.
Partial Access Control - Still gives preference to
through traffic but permits some at-grade
crossings and some private driveway
connections.
Approach Road and Driveway Regulations -
Without access control, abutting properties are
permitted access to the roadway, but the number,
location and geometrics are regulated.
Part 2 100-5
Table 100.03
Control of Access by Road Type
Roadway Type Degree of Access Control
Freeway Full Access Control
Expressway Full or Partial Access Control
Major Collector
Main Road Partial Access Control
Minor Arterial Approach Road
Sector Road and Driveway
Local Road Regulations
All Roadways will have some degree of access
control. The appropriate degree of access control
by roadway type is given in Table 100.03. More
detailed guidelines for establishing the control of
access lines by roadway classification are
presented in the following section.
105.02 ACCESS CONTROL DESIGN
CRITERIA
105.02.01 Primary Roadways
The number of access openings on expressways
with access control should be held to a minimum.
Parcels which have access to another frontage or
sector road as well as expressway frontage are
not allowed expressway access. In some
instances, parcels fronting only on the
expressway may be given access to another
sector road by constructing suitable connections
if such access can be reasonably provided.
With the exception of extensive expressway
frontages, access openings are limited to one
opening per parcel. Wherever possible, one
opening should serve two or more parcels. In the
case of a large expressway frontage under one
ownership, the feasibility of limiting access to
one opening may be prohibitive, or the property
may be divided by a natural physical barrier such
as a wadi or ridge, making it necessary to
provide an additional opening. However, in the
latter case, it may be preferable to connect the
physically separated portions with a low-cost
structure or road rather than permit two
openings.
Access rights shall be acquired along interchange
ramps to their junction with the nearest public
road, and shall extend to the end of the ramp taper
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
(or at least 50 m beyond the end of the curb
return or ramp radius).
In remote areas, infrequent access should be
accommodated by providing locked gates. This
will only be considered for areas that are remote,
infrequently used, and have no other access
means. Direct access will not be provided if it
creates an unsafe condition. Turning movements
will be limited to right turns only. Written
approval must be granted by the Abu Dhabi
Road Section.
105.02.02 Secondary Roadways,
ADT > 2500
In general, the number of access openings shall be
held to a minimum for any facility. Additional
access may be necessary to satisfy a range of
design issues/access requirements. The following
is a list of issues to consider when providing
access points.
(1) Emergency vehicles shall have a right to
direct roadway access.
(2) Private direct roadway access shall be
permitted only when the property in question
has no other reasonable access to the local
road system.
(3) If feasible, parcels fronting only on the
roadway shall be given access to another
public road by constructing suitable
connections.
(4) Roadway access openings are limited to one
per parcel. Exceptions may be considered if
they do not affect roadway safety or
operation and they are necessary for safe and
efficient property use.
(5) In certain cases, a natural physical barrier
such as a wadi or ridge may divide the parcel.
In this case additional access openings may
be warranted. However, it may be preferable
to connect the physically separated portions
of the parcel with a low cost structure or road
rather than permit multiple access openings.
(6) Wherever possible, one access opening should
serve two parcels.
(7) When the number of required access openings
on one side of a divided roadway exceeds
three in 400 m, a frontage/sector road shall be
Part 2 100-6
provided. See Section 105.03, Use of
Frontage Roads, for further discussions.
(8) Access openings on divided roadways shall
not be permitted within 100 m of a median
opening unless the access opening is directly
opposite the median opening.
(9) Access approaches shall be limited to right
turns only unless (1) the approach has no
signalization potential and allowing left turns
would significantly reduce congestion and
safety problems at a nearby intersection; or
(2) there are no intersections, existing or
planned, that allow a U-turn; and (3) left
turns can be safety designed without
signalization.
(10)Access approaches with signalization
potential and that require left turn movements
must (1) meet the signalization requirements
as specified in Part 2, Section 902,
Signalization, and (2) shall not interfere with
the location, planning, or operation of the
general road system and nearby property
access.
105.02.03 Secondary Roadways,
ADT < 2500
The primary function of these roadways is to
provide reasonable and safe access to abutting
property. Access needs generally take priority
over through traffic as long as roadway safety is
not compromised. Control of access is not
obtained, but the location, number, and
geometrys of access points must meet the
following criteria:
(a) The number of access approaches to a parcel
shall be controlled by safety and design
considerations and shall be separated by at
least the stopping sight distance.
(b) For safety reasons, frontage roads or parallel
service roads are not permitted along two-
lane roadways because this results in the
appearance of a divided roadway.
(c) Left turns if safety and design standards are
met.
(d) In rural areas, approach roads shall be
provided as necessary for local access or
emergency/rest stops. The maximum spacing
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
between approach roads shall be 5 km for
these purposes.
(e) In urban areas with signalized intersections,
the minimum spacing between access points
shall be that which is necessary for the safe
operation and proper design of intersections
as specified in Section 400.
105.03 USE OF FRONTAGE ROADS
(1) General Policy
(a) Frontage roads are provided:
To control access to the urban
expressway and main road
through lanes, thus increasing
safety.
To provide access to sectors.
Maintain continuity of the local
road systems.
Provide for non-motorized
traffic that might otherwise
desire to use the expressway.
(b) Typically a frontage road is
justified if their construction costs
are less than the costs of providing
other direct access. Right of way
considerations are often the
determining factor. Thus, a
frontage road would be justified if
the investment in construction and
extra right of way is less than
either the severance damages or
the costs of acquiring the affected
property. Frontage roads may be
required to connect parts of a
severed property or to serve a
landlocked parcel resulting from
right of way acquisition.
(c) Direct access to the through lanes
is allowable on expressways.
However, when the number of
access openings on one side of the
expressway exceeds three in 500
m, a frontage road should be
provided.
Part 2 100-7
(2) New Alignment. Sector roads generally
are not provided on new expressway
alignments since the abutting property
owners never had legal right of access to
the new facility. They may be provided,
however, on the basis of considerations
mentioned above.
(3) Existing Alignment. Where an expressway
is developed parallel to an existing
roadway or local road, all or part of the
existing roadway is often retained as a
frontage or sector road. Frontage roads
must be constructed to serve landlocked
remainders or the remainders must be
purchased outright if other means of
access cannot be provided. The decision
whether to provide access or purchase
should be based on considerations of cost,
right of way impacts, road system
continuity and similar factors discussed
above.
105.04 PROTECTION OF ACCESS
RIGHTS
Access Control lines/limits shall be shown on the
project right-of-way plans. Where possible, the
right-of-way line and control of access line
should be coincident.
For proper control of access, fencing or other
approved barriers shall be installed on all
controlled access roadways, located on the
control or access line where appropriate.
106 DESIGN STANDARD
EXCEPTIONS
A design standard exception is a design feature
which does not meet the design standards
presented in the Roadway Design Manual.
Occasionally these design exceptions are justified
but it is important that each design exception be
documented and approved in writing prior to plan
acceptance.
The request for approval of design exceptions
shall be in the form of a Design Exception
Request. This request sheet shall be presented to
the Municipality for written approval. The
request sheet shall include the following topics:
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Proposed Project
Existing Roadway
Proposed Design Exception
Additional Cost To Comply With
Standards
Incremental Improvements
Supportive Data
A detailed description of the items required in the
Design Exception Request sheet is included on the
following pages.
DESIGN EXCEPTION REQUEST SHEET
1. PROPOSED PROJECT
A. Project Description: Briefly describe the
project. Note the type of project and/or
major elements of work to be done, such
as safety or operational improvement,
roadway widening, rehabilitation,
reconstruction, etc. Provide the
geographic project limits and length.
B. Proposed Project Total Cost: Include a
estimate of the proposed project cost
segregated by major elements, including:
roadway, structures, right of way, utility
relocation, environmental mitigation, etc.,
as needed.
2. EXISTING ROADWAY
A. Existing Roadway Description:
Describe the existing roadway features
relevant to the proposed design exception.
This may include such things as the
widths of lanes, shoulders, median, clear
zones, roadbed, and structures;
horizontal and vertical alignment and
clearances; design speed, sight distance,
grades, cross slope, superelevation, etc.
If relevant, provide a similar brief
description of adjacent existing roadway
segments, noting existing nonstandard
features.
3. PROPOSED DESIGN EXCEPTION
A. State the specific design standard(s)
which are not being met and refer to their
Part 2 100-8
Roadway Design Manual Part and
Section number(s).
B. Describe the proposed design exception
or the existing design exception which is
proposed to be maintained. If proposed,
state whether the design exception is an
improvement over the existing condition.
Describe proposed improvements that
would qualify as safety enhancements
over the existing condition, such as:
median barrier, guardrail upgrade,
flattening slopes, correcting
superelevation, eliminating roadside
obstructions, etc.
C. Provide a thorough brief justification for
the design exception. Reasons for
granting design exceptions include a
combination of excessive cost, right of
way impacts and/or environmental
impacts. Supportive factors have
included low accident frequency, local
opposition, and consistency with adjacent
roadway segments.
4. ADDITIONAL COST TO COMPLY
WITH STANDARDS
Provide a realistic estimate of the additional
cost required to meet the design standard for
which the proposed exception is requested.
5. INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS
Discuss other practical alternatives that are
intermediate in scope and cost between the
proposed project (requiring this design
exception) and the full, standard solution.
Provide enough information on costs versus
benefits, right of way and environmental
impacts, etc., to explain why none of the
incremental alternatives are recommended.
These alternatives should normally be
investigated prior to requesting an exception.
6. SUPPORTIVE DATA
A. Traffic Data: Provide both ADTs and
DHV (design hourly volumes). Use
design year traffic.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
B. Accident Analysis: Safety is of primary
importance when considering design
exception approval. If relevant, include
an accident data analysis to identify
prevalent accident types and causes, plus
an evaluation of the effect of the
requested design exception on accident
types and frequencies.
C. Attachments:
1. Provide a location or vicinity map
for the project.
2. Provide plan sheets, cross sections,
profiles and/or special details to
clearly illustrate the proposed
design exception.
3. Attach pertinent letters,
resolutions, meeting minutes,
studies, etc., which further develop
or clarify the proposed design
exception.
107 BICYCLE FACILITIES
107.01 GENERAL
The bicycle has become an important element for
consideration in the highway design process.
Fortunately, most of the mileage needed for
bicycle travel is comprised of the street and
highway system. While many highway agencies
allow bicycles on partially access controlled
facilities, most highway agencies do not allow
bicycles on fully access controlled facilities.
Measures such as the following, which are
generally of low capital intensity, can
considerably enhance a routes safety and
capacity for bicycle traffic:
Paved shoulders.
Wide outside traffic lane (4.2 m minimum) if
no shoulder.
Bicycle-safe drainage grates.
Adjusting manhole covers to the grade.
Maintaining a smooth, clean riding surface.
Part 2 100-9
For further information and guidelines on
bicycles, refer to the latest edition of AASHTO,
Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities.
107.02 SPECIAL BICYCLE FACILITIES
At certain locations or in certain corridors, it is
appropriate to supplement further the existing
highway system by providing specifically
designated bikeways (for either exclusive or non-
exclusive bicycle use). Rural arterials often are
the only direct connection between areas of
population and locations to which the public
wishes to travel, Schools, parks, and rural
housing developments are usually located to be
readily accessible by automobile. However,
pedestrians and bicycle riders may also wish to
travel to the same destination points. When such
a situation exists, the designer should consider the
effects on the safety and operation of the arterial.
A special effort should be made to provide the
greatest degree of safety within the economic
constraints that must always be considered.
107.03 BICYCLE CHARACTERISTICS
To provide for bicycle traffic, it is necessary to
become familiar with bicycle dimensions,
operating characteristics, and requirements.
These factors determine acceptable turning radii,
grades, and sight distance. In many instances
design features of separate bike facilities are
controlled by the adjoining roadway, so that even
then consideration of bicycles is an essential
element the design of the highway itself.
107.04 BICYCLES AT
INTERSECTIONS
When on-street bicycle lanes and/or off-street
bicycle paths enter an intersection, the design of
the intersection should be modified accordingly.
This may mean special sight distance
considerations, wider roadways to accommodate
on-street lanes, special lane markings to
channelize and separate bicycles from right
turning vehicles, provisions for left turn bicycle
movements, or special traffic signal designs (such
as conveniently located push buttons at actuated
signals or even separate signal indication for
bicyclists).
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 200
If providing passing sight distance is not
GEOMETRIC DESIGN
economically feasible, stopping sight distance is
STANDARDS the minimum sight distance provided on multilane
and 2-lane roads. Stopping sight distance is the
201 SIGHT DISTANCE minimum provided for interchanges, at-grade
intersections and private road connections.
201.01 GENERAL
Table 200.01 shows the standards for sight
Sight distance is the continuous length of roadway distance related to design speed.
ahead visible to the driver. There are three distinct
types - passing, stopping, and decision. Passing Table 200.01
sight distance is the minimum sight distance Sight Distance Standards
required by a driver to safely pass another
vehicle. Stopping sight distance is the distance Design Minimum Desired Minimum
required by a driver, traveling at a given speed, to Speed Stopping Stopping Passing
stop after seeing an object on the road. At certain Sight (1) Sight (1) Sight
locations decision sight distance is required to Distance Distance Distance
allow drivers extra time for making decisions. (kph) (m) (m) (m)

30 30 30 220
201.02 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE
40 45 45 285
50 60 65 345
Passing sight distance is the minimum sight
60 75 85 410
distance required by a driver to safely pass
70 95 115 485
another vehicle. The sight distance available for
80 115 140 545
passing is the longest distance at which a driver
90 135 170 605
whose eyes are 1070 mm above the pavement can
100 160 205 670
see the top of a 1300 mm high object on the road.
110 180 250 730
Passing must be accomplished without reducing
120 205 290 795
the speed of an oncoming vehicle traveling at the
130 235 330 855
design speed. Table 200.01 lists sight distance
standards.
Minimum values shall be avoided in design,
Passing sight distance is only considered on 2- higher values are desirable.
lane roads and should be provided at frequent (1) Increase by 20% on downgrades >3% & >2
intervals. In general, minimum passing sight km. Values shown are for wet pavements.
distance should be provided for 60% of the route
length in level terrain, 40-60% in rolling terrain Chapter III of A Policy on Geometric Design of
and 20-60% in mountainous terrain. Economics Highways and Streets, AASHTO, 1994,
should be weighed against providing passing sight contains a thorough discussion of the derivation
distance or auxiliary passing lanes. of stopping sight distance.

201.03 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE 201.04 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE

Stopping sight distance is the distance required by
a driver, traveling at a given speed, to stop after
sighting an object on the road. Stopping sight
distance is measured from the drivers eyes, 1070
mm above the road, to an object 150 mm high on
the road.
AT GRADE CRESTS
Figure 200.02 shows the relationship between
vertical curve length, design speed, and algebraic
difference in grades. Any one factor can be
determined when the other two are known.

Part 2 200-1
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.01
Stopping Sight Distance on Crest Vertical Curves

Figure 200.02
Stopping Sight Distance on Sag Vertical Curves

Part 2 200-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

201.05 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE

AT GRADE SAGS Table 200.02
Decision Sight Distance
Stopping sight distance for grade sags is
Design Decision Sight Distance
important at night when headlights need to
Speed for Avoidance Maneuver (m)
illuminate the road ahead. Figure 200.02,
kph A B C D E
provides the minimum sag vertical curve length
which provides headlight sight for a given design
speed. Lighting may be considered as an 50 75 160 145 160 200
economic option to lengthening the sag curve. 60 95 205 175 205 235
70 125 250 200 240 275
201.06 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE 80 155 300 230 275 315
ON HORIZONTAL CURVES 90 185 360 275 320 360
100 225 415 315 365 405
Figure 200.03 is used to determine the required 110 265 455 335 390 435
clear distance (at a given design speed) from the 120 305 505 375 415 470
inside lane centerline to a roadside obstruction.
The drivers eye is assumed 1070 mm above the A Stop on rural road.
inside lane centerline (inside with respect to B Stop on urban road.
curve) and the object is 150 mm high. With little C Speed/path/direction change on rural road.
or no vertical curvature, the sight line is assumed D Speed/path/direction change on suburban
to intercept the obstruction at the midpoint of the road.
sight line, 610 mm above the inside lane E Speed/path/direction change on urban road.
centerline. The clear distance (m) is measured
from the inside lane center to the obstruction. From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric
Design of Highways and Streets
201.07 DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE
202 SUPERELEVATION
Decision sight distance is the distance required for
a driver to detect an unexpected or difficult to 202.01 GENERAL
perceive information source or hazard in a
roadway environment that may be visually As a vehicle travels a curved section of road it is
cluttered, select an appropriate speed and path, subjected to centrifugal force which tends to push
and initiate and complete the required maneuver it towards the outside of the curve. If the surface
safely and efficiently. Decision sight distance is is flat, the vehicle is held in its curved path by
used at major decision points such as lane drops, side friction between the tires and pavement.
changes in cross section, off-ramp noses to Roadways are superelevated to further counter
interchanges, branch connections, roadside rests, centrifugal force. Superelevation is the sloping of
vista points, and inspection stations. At these the roadway surface upward toward the outside of
locations, sight distance greater than stopping the curve. On a superelevated roadway,
sight distance is desirable to allow drivers time centrifugal force is resisted by the vehicle weight
for making decisions component parallel to the superelevated surface
and the tire side friction. However, it is
The decision sight distances in Table 200.02 impractical to balance centrifugal force by
provide appropriate decision sight distance superelevation alone, because for a given curve
rounded for design. Decision sight distance is radius a certain superelevation rate is exactly
based on a 1070 mm eye height and a 150 mm correct at only one speed. At all other speeds side
object height. thrust will either be toward or away from the
curve center. This thrust must be offset by side
friction.

Part 2 200-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.03
Stopping Sight Distance on Horizontal Curves

If the vehicle is not skidding, all forces are in elements related to speed and horizontal
equilibrium and are governed by the following curvature.
equation:
Table 200.03
Centrifugal Factor = e + f = 0.0079V2 = V2 Maximum Superelevation Rates
R 127R
Roadway emax
Where:
Classification
e = Superelevation rate in m per m
Freeways 0.06
emax = Maximum superelevation rate for
Expressways 0.06
a given condition
Ramps 0.06
f = Side friction factor
Main Roads and Collectors 0.04
R = Curve radius in m
Sector Roads Normal Crown
V = Velocity in kph

This equation is used to design superelevated 202.03 CITY ROAD CONDITIONS

curves for comfortable operation. Standard
Lower superelevation rates may be necessary in
superelevation rates are designed to keep the
urban areas where restricted speed zones or
portion of centrifugal force countered by tire
intersections are controlling factors. In addition,
friction within allowable limits.
existing road grades, curbs, or drainage may
prove difficult to alter. Such conditions may
202.02 SUPERELEVATION
warrant, for example, a reduction in the
STANDARDS
superelevation rate, different rates for each half of
the roadbed, or both. In warping road areas for
Maximum superelevation rates for various
drainage, adverse superelevation should be
roadway classifications are shown on Table
avoided.
200.03. Table 200.04 shows values for design

Part 2 200-4
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 200.04
Values for Design Elements Related to Speed and Horizontal Curvature
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets
Part 2 200-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
202.04 AXIS OF ROTATION
Aesthetics, grade distortion, superelevation
transitions, drainage, and driver perception should
be considered when selecting the axis of rotation.
Undivided Roadways - The axis of rotation shall
be at the roadway centerline. However, in special
cases changing the axis of rotation to the inside
travelled way edge can avoid drainage problems
caused by superelevation, or, improve curve
perception for curves preceded by long relatively
level tangents.
Expressway Connections and Ramps - The axis
of rotation may be about either edge of travelled
way or centerline if multinale. Appearance and
drainage considerations shall be considered when
selecting the axis of rotation.
Divided Roadways - The axis of rotation shall be
at the median edge of each travelled way.
However, for bridges with decked medians the
axis of rotation shall be at the centerline.
202.05 SUPERELEVATION
TRANSITION
General - Superelevation transition should be
designed in accordance with Figure 200.04. The
length of superelevation transition should be
based upon the combination of superelevation rate
and width of rotation plane.
Edge of travelled way and shoulder profiles
should be plotted and irregularities and drainage
problems should be eliminated.
Superelevation Transitions - Roadways
separated by barrier or median will be
superelevated at independent rates. The transition
length will be based on pavement width and
superelevation change. The profile of the outside
edge of through pavement cannot differ from the
profile gradeline by more than the percentage
shown on Table 200.04 and will be an unbroken
line throughout the transition. The minimum
transition length for a two lane roadway is shown
on Table 200.04. For multiple lane roadways the
minimum length shall increase proportionately.
Part 2 200-6
An example of expressway superelevation
development is shown on Figure 200.04.
For roadways on the inside of the curve, the
outside shoulder will begin rotating when the
inside roadway pavement has reached a
superelevation of -3.0 percent (normal shoulder
slope). When superelevation becomes greater than
-3.0 percent, the pavement and shoulder will
rotate in unison.
The location of a superelevation transition, with
respect to the point of curvature, will be
determined using the inside roadway transition.
Approximately one-third of the transition length
will be placed on the curve. The remaining
transition length will be on the tangent. The
transition location will be adjusted to begin/end at
a 10 meter station.
For roadways on the outside of the curve, the
transition will begin/end at the adjust the curve
determined by the inside roadway transition. An
additional transition length is required to rotate
the outside shoulder from -3.0 percent (normal
shoulder slope) to -1.5 percent (normal pavement
slope). This shoulder transition length must be
added to the pavement transition length to get the
total transition length.
Restrictive Areas - In restrictive areas, where
full superelevation cannot be achieved, the highest
possible superelevation rate and transition length
shall be used. But, in no case shall the cross slope
rate of change exceed 4% per 20 m.
Superelevation Transitions on Bridges -
Superelevation transitions on bridges should be
avoided.
202.06 SUPERELEVATION OF
COMPOUND CURVES
Compound curve superelevation shall be per
Figure 200.05. Where feasible, the criteria in
Section 202.05 shall apply.
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.04
Freeway/Expressway Superelevation Transitions

Part 2 200-7
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.05
Superelevation Transitions for Compound Curves

Part 2 200-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

203 HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT If a glare screen or median barrier is used,

adjustments may be necessary to maintain the
203.01 GENERAL required sight distance on divided roadway
curves.
Horizontal alignment consists of a series of
circular curves and tangent sections. The Alignment Consistency - Sudden reductions in
horizontal alignment should provide safe alignment standards shall be avoided.
continuous uniform operation for substantial Introduction of curves with lower design speeds
roadway lengths. The major factors influencing shall be avoided at the end of long tangents, steep
horizontal alignment design are safety, profile, downgrades, or at other locations where high
type of facility, design speed, cost, geotechnical approach speeds may be anticipated. In no case
constraints, topography, aesthetics, and shall the design speed between successive curves
functionality. All of these factors must be change more than 15 kph.
balanced to produce the safest, most economical
alignment, which is in harmony with the natural On roadways in mountainous or rolling terrain
contour of the land, and at the same time adequate where horizontal and vertical curves are
for the design classification of the roadway. superimposed at grade summit or sag, the design
speed of the horizontal curve should be at least
In design, safety is always a major factor. The equal to that of the crest or sag, and not more
horizontal alignment shall provide at least the than 15 kph less than the measured or estimated
minimum stopping sight distance for the chosen running (85th percentile) speed of vehicles on the
design speed at all points along the roadway. The approach roadway.
following standards apply to horizontal curvature
on both 2-lane and multilane roadways except as Curve Length and Central Angle - For central
noted. angles less than 10 degrees, the minimum curve
length should be 240 m to avoid a kinked
203.02 STANDARDS FOR
appearance. For central angles smaller than 30
HORIZONTAL CURVATURE
minutes, no curve is required. Above a 6000 m
Minimum Curvature - Table 200.05 gives the radius, parabolic curves may be used. In no case
minimum curve radius based on design speed. shall sight distance or other safety considerations
be sacrificed to meet the above requirements.
Table 200.05
Standards For Curve Radius Lane curve lengths in excess of 800m on 2-lane
roadways should be avoided in consideration of
Roadway Minimum the safety aspects associated with driver
Classification Curve Radius (m) attentiveness and oncoming headlight glare.
RURAL
Freeway 2000 On 2-lane roads a curve should not exceed a
Expressway 2000 length of 800 m.
Collector 600
Local Access 100 Compound Curves - Compound curves shall be
URBAN
avoided, except where use of a simple curve
Freeway 600
results in excessive cost.
Expressway 600
Arterial (Main Rd) 600
If compound curves are used, the shorter radius
Frontage Road 600
should be at least two-thirds the longer radius
Sector Road 100
when the shorter radius is 300 m or less. The total
LOOP RAMPS 45
arc length of a compound curve should not be less
This table assumes unlimited sight distance. than 150 m.
Minimum radius should also be checked against
Figure 200.03. Every effort should be made to
exceed the minimum.

Part 2 200-9
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Reverse Curves - When horizontal curves
reverse direction the connecting tangents shall be
long enough to accommodate the standard
superelevation runoffs given on Figure 200.04. In
no case shall the cross slope rate of change
exceed 4% per 20 m.
Broken Back Curves - A broken back curve
consists of two curves in the same direction joined
by a short tangent section. Broken back curves
are unsightly, undesirable and should be avoided.
Alignment at Bridges - If possible, a bridge
should be located entirely on a tangent or curve
because superelevation transitions on bridges
almost always result in unsightly bridge and
bridge railing appearance. However, alignment
and safety considerations shall govern.
Intersections and Interchanges - If possible,
intersections should be on tangent sections or flat
horizontal curves with very little superelevation.
Interchanges, such as a typical diamond
interchange, include two closely spaced at-grade
intersections that function inter-dependently. A
tangent alignment should be maintained between
intersections for signal visibility and lane
assignment determinations required by the
motorist.
204 VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
204.01 GENERAL
Vertical alignment consists of a series of grades
connected by parabolic vertical curves. It is used
to establish elevations for all roadway features. It
is controlled mainly by topography, roadway
class, horizontal alignment, safety, sight distance,
costs, cultural development, drainage, and
aesthetics. Steep grades affect truck speeds and
overall capacity.
All portions of the vertical alignment shall meet
minimum sight distance requirements.
Part 2 200-10
204.02 VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
POSITION WITH RESPECT TO
CROSS SECTION
The grade line should generally coincide with the
axis of rotation for superelevation. Its relation to
the cross section should be as follows:
Undivided Roadways - The grade line should
coincide with the roadway centerline.
Expressway Connections and Ramps - The
grade line may be positioned at either edge of
travelled way or centerline if multilane.
Divided Roadways - The grade line may be
positioned at either the median centerline or at the
ultimate median edge of travelled way. The
former case is appropriate for paved medians 9 m
wide or less. The latter case is appropriate when:
a) The median edges of travelled way of the
two roadways are at equal elevation.
b) The roadways are at different elevations.
c) The median width is ununiform.
204.03 STANDARDS FOR GRADES
Maximum Grades - Table 200.06 lists the
maximum grades for design for rural roadways
based on design speed and urban roadways based
on roadway type.
Minimum Grades - The desirable minimum
grades should be not less than 0.3 percent for
curbed pavement sections and 0.2 percent in very
flat terrain. Minimum grades can be maintained
in very flat terrain by use of a rolling profile.
In developed urban areas with extremely flat
terrain, flatter minimum grades may be warranted
in consideration of adjacent building elevations
and offsite drainage problems associated with
rolling profiles. The use of minimum grades
flatter than those specified above will require case
by case approval by the Road Section.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 200.06 grade length must be considered because it has a

Grade Standards major effect on operational speed, capacity, level
of service, and contributes to heavy truck delays.
Rural
Figure 200.09 shows the speed reduction in kph
Design Level Rolling Mountainous
for an assumed typical heavy truck of 180 kg/kW
Speed
as a function of grade length and upgrade percent.
(kph) % % %
Generally, a truck speed reduction of up to 15
kph does not significantly impact roadway
60 5 6 8
capacity.
70 5 6 7
80 4 5 7
Consideration should be given to adding lanes
90 4 5 6
where the truck speed reduction is greater than 15
100 3 4 6
kph and there is a significant reduction in level-
110 3 4 5
of-service when moving from the approach
120 3 4 5
segment to the grade. On two lane roadways, a
130 3 4 4
climbing lane should be considered when, in
Urban Desirable Absolute
addition to the above criteria, the upgrade traffic
Roadway Maximum Maximum
flow is in excess of 200 vehicles per hour and the
Type % %
truck factor is in excess of ten percent. Decision
Freeway 3 4 sight distance should be provided at climbing lane
Expressway 3 4 drops on expressways.
Ramps 4 6
Arterial (Main Rd) 2 3 204.06 STRUCTURE GRADE LINE
Frontage Road 2 3 Structure Depth - The depth to span ratio for a
Sector Roads 2 3 structure is dependent on many factors. Use a
structure depth to span ratio of 0.04 to 0.045 for
204.04 VERTICAL CURVES preliminary design purposes.
Parabolic vertical curves are used in roadway Falsework Allowance - To establish the grade of
design per Figure 200.06. a structure constructed with a falsework opening,
Figures 200.07 and 200.08 will be used to obtain allowance must be made for the falsework depth.
vertical curves lengths. For design speeds greater The minimum vertical falsework clearance over
than 65 kph, the minimum vertical curve length primary and secondary roadways shall be 4.8 m.
should be 120 m. For 50 kph design speed, it The minimum vertical falsework clearance over
should be 60 m. local roadways shall be 4.5 m.

Flat vertical curves may develop poor drainage in
the level section. Adjusting the edge grade or
shortening the vertical curve may be required.
Design of these long vertical curves should be
avoided because many drivers will not pass on
curves over 1 km long, despite adequate sight
distance. It may be more economical to construct
passing lanes than to obtain passing sight distance
by using a long vertical curve.
204.05 LONG SUSTAINED GRADES
The maximum grade guideline is not sufficient to
insure uniform roadway operation. The uphill
Bridge Deck Drainage - Vertical alignment
design requires special consideration of structure
drainage. Zero gradients and sag vertical curves
should be avoided on bridges. Parapets collect
large amounts of debris and smaller bridge deck
drains or scuppers have a higher potential for
clogging. The minimum desirable longitudinal
slope for bridge deck drainage is 0.2 percent.
Where vertical curves on bridges cannot be
avoided, the elevations should be checked to
provide a minimum effective longitudinal grade of
0.5 percent, and not extend more than 15 m either
side of the sag or crest point.

Part 2 200-11
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.06
Symmetric Parabolic Vertical Curves

Part 2 200-12
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.07
Design Controls for Crest Vertical Curves, for Stopping Sight Distance- Upper Range.
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets
.

Part 2 200-13
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.08
Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves - Upper Range.
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets.

Part 2 200-14
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.09
Critical Lengths of Grade for Design, Assumed Typical Heavy Truck of 180 kg/kW,
Entering Speed 90 kph.
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets.

Part 2 200-15
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

204.07 SEPARATE PROFILE GRADE
LINES
Separate grade lines should be considered for all
divided roadways. The use of separate grade lines
provides the opportunity to optimize the vertical
alignment, drainage features, and provide a safer
more economical design.
They are not normally considered appropriate
where medians are less than 18 m wide.
Exceptions to this may be minor differences
between opposing grade lines in special
situations.
In addition, for either interim or ultimate
expressways, any appreciable grade differential
between roadbeds should be avoided in the
vicinity of at-grade intersections. For traffic
entering from the crossroad, confusion and
206
wrong-way movements could result if the
pavement of the far roadway is obscured because
206.01
of excessive differential.
high approach speeds may result in erratic
operation, especially at night.
For moderate changes in horizontal alignment
at grade summits, the horizontal curve should
overlap the vertical curve.
Avoid successive changes in profile which are
not associated with horizontal curves. The
succession of humps is unattractive.
Horizontal and vertical curvature at
intersections should be as flat as physical
conditions permit.
Avoid excessive curvature to obtain flat
grades and tangent alignment or flat curves at
the expense of steep or long grades. It is
better to balance horizontal and vertical
alignments.
In general, alignments should be designed to
take full advantage of scenic opportunities.
PAVEMENT TRANSITIONS
GENERAL

205 COORDINATION OF A pavement transition occurs when changing

HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL
ALIGNMENTS
The coordination, of horizontal and vertical
alignments is based on experience and engineering
judgment. Successful coordination is essential for
a safe well balanced design. The following are
guidelines to be used, where possible.
Vertical curves should be superimposed on
horizontal curves. This reduces the number of
sight restrictions, makes profile changes less
apparent, and results in a pleasing
appearance. However, when superimposed,
the superelevation and profile grade
combination may distort the outer pavement
edges, confusing drivers at night. In such
situations edge of pavement profiles should
be plotted and smooth curves introduced to
eliminate distortion.
Avoid sharp horizontal curvature at or near
the top of a crest vertical curve. This
condition makes it difficult for the driver to
perceive the curve, especially at night when
headlights do not illuminate the curve.
Avoid sharp horizontal curvature at or near
the low point of a sag vertical curve.
Foreshortening of the horizontal curve and
Part 2 200-16
from one roadway cross section to another. If
feasible, the transition should occur on a tangent
section. And be entirely visible to the driver.
Avoid locations with sight distance restrictions.
Transitions should not occur within at-grade
intersections. Decision sight distance shall be
provided at all lane drops.
206.02 TRANSITIONS FOR
MULTILANE ROADWAYS
Four Lanes to Two Lanes - A typical transition
between 4 lanes and 2 lanes is shown in Figure
200.10. The alignment and the unspecified radius
of curvature varies depending on median width
and other site considerations.
Lane Drop - The minimum taper length for a
lane drop should be equal to 0.6WV, where W =
Dropped Lane Width (m), and V = Design Speed
(kph). The transition should be on the right so
that traffic merges left.
Lane Addition - The minimum taper rate to add
a lane should be 25:1 but in no case shall the
taper length be less than 50 m.
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.10
Typical Two-Lane to Four Lane Transitions
Part 2 200-17
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
207 BRIDGES AND GRADE
SEPARATION STRUCTURES
207.01 CLEAR WIDTH
The clear curb to curb width of all bridges or
grade separation structures shall equal the sum of
the full travelled way approach width, paved
shoulders and barrier offset (if any).
207.02 CROSS SLOPE
The cross slope shall be the same as the approach
pavement. The crown is normally centered on the
bridge except for one-way roadways where a
straight crosslope in one direction should be used.
207.03 SIDEWALKS
Sidewalks should be provided where justified by
pedestrian traffic or if the approach roadway has
sidewalk. The sidewalk width should match the
approach sidewalk width and crosslope.
208 PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES
208.01 SIDEWALKS
Sidewalk widths and locations vary but they shall
have a minimum width of 2.0 m and be located to
provide continuity in pedestrian movement.
Pedestrian crosswalk ramps shall be located at all
intersections and all other locations where main
pedestrian traffic crosses curblines.
Cross Slope - The minimum sidewalk cross slope
should be 1.5% toward the roadway.
Sidewalk Widths - The guidelines in Table
200.07 should be used to determine sidewalk
width.
Table 200.07
Sidewalk Width Guidelines
Area/ vicinity Width (m)
Multi Family Units/Schools/
Office/Industrial 2.0
Shopping/Recreation/Bus/Taxi 4.0
The minimum sidewalk width shall be 2.0 m.
Part 2 200-18
208.02 PEDESTRIAN GRADE
SEPARATIONS
Pedestrian grade separations are not normally
provided on roadways. However, if pedestrian use
is extensive, an overcrossing or undercrossing
may be considered. Justification for pedestrian
grade separation structures comes from the
detailed study of present and future community
needs. Each situation should be studied separately
and the study should include pedestrian
generating sources, travel patterns, crossing
volumes, roadway classification,
location/circuitry of adjacent crossings, land uses,
sociological and cultural factors, and the
predominant type and age of users.
Established pedestrian patterns should be
maintained across expressway routes. Separate
pedestrian structures should be provided if
vehicular crossings are inadequate for
pedestrians. If a circuitous route is involved, a
pedestrian separation may be justified. Special
consideration should be given to school crossings.
The choice between an undercrossing or an
overcrossing should be based on relative costs,
groundwater influence, drainage, existing utilities,
current and future land use, visibility, topography
and the surrounding architecture.
208.03 PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASSES
Undercrossings require special consideration,
visibility issues and the potential for criminal
incidents and vandalism. If an undercrossing is
used, unobstructed visibility shall be provided
through the structure and approaches. The desired
vertical clearance is 3.0 m, but in no case shall
the clearance be less than 2.0 m. The minimum
width shall be 2.5 m.
209 CURBS
209.01 GENERAL
Curbs will be provided along all edges of
pavement in urban areas. Reasons for providing
Curbs include:
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Required for proper drainage.
Needed for channelization, delineation,
control of access, or improving traffic flow
and safety.
To protect pedestrians and provide continuity
at ramp connections with local roads.
To replace existing curbs.
To protect the expressway fence on frontage
roads where required.
209.02 TYPES AND USES
Curb types and uses are shown in the current
Standard Drawings and are discussed below.
Precast Curb Type A, B, C - These curbs are
used to deter vehicles from using areas outside the
travelled way, control drainage, and regulate and
control parking. Type A curbs are typically used
on the outside of the travelled way, adjacent to
sidewalks and parking lanes. Typical B and C
curbs are used at the median edge adjacent to the
green area.
The above curb types are classified as barrier
curbs and are not generally used on high-speed
roadways as they present a safety hazard for
errant vehicles. A continuous concrete barrier
(safety shape) should be used where it is
necessary to control drainage or access on high-
speed roadways.
Cast-In-Situ Concrete Curb Type D - This curb
is flush with the pavement and used to separate
the travelled way from interlocking vehicular
pavement.
Precast Concrete Curb Type E - This curb is
used between interlocking pedestrian pavers and
green or service reservation areas.
Cast-In-Situ Concrete Curb Type F - This curb
is flush with the pavement and used to separate
interlocking pedestrian pavers from quarry tile.
209.03 CURB PARAMETERS
Placement - Curbs should be positioned to
provide the same unobstructed roadway width
that is normally provided. All curb dimensions are
to the inside face of curb.
Part 2 200-19
Transitions - A transition from one curb type to
another shall be done in 3.0 m. At curb termini,
the curb should transition from normal curb
height to zero in 5.0 m.
210 BUS STOPS AND TAXI STOPS
In urban areas, bus stops and taxi stops will be
provided on all main roads.
To prevent ponding in bus and taxi stops on flat
grades use either a reverse cross slope toward the
main road pavement with slotted trench drains or
continue the slope of the roadway and install an
inlet along the loading/unloading curb line.
210.01 BUS STOPS
Bus stops will be located at the far side of
intersections and as necessary at midblock
locations. Near side bus stops should be avoided.
Normally, bus stops shall be constructed as
shown on the current Standard Drawings. Under
restrictive conditions these standards may be
reduced to 15.0 m length, 10.0 m tapers and 3.25
m width.
At all bus stops a 4.0 m wide sidewalk shall be
provided along the loading/unloading area. This
shall be connected to the nearest sidewalk with a
4.0 m wide perpendicular sidewalk.
210.02 TAXI STOPS
Taxi stops will be located at the far side of
intersections, no closer than 30.0 m to the radius
return or end of right turn taper. Taxi stops
should be located as necessary within the block
but no closer than 30.0 m to a sector road.
Taxi stops shall be constructed as shown on the
current Standard Drawings. At all taxi stops a 4.0
m wide sidewalk shall be provided along the
loading/unloading area. This shall be connected to
the nearest sidewalk with a 4.0 m wide
perpendicular sidewalk.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

211 PARKING Generally it is desirable to locate parking exits

onto main roads about 50 meters prior to the start
To maximize the effective capacity of expressway of the left turn storage lane, and parking entrances
and main road improvements, sufficient off- off of main roads about 60 meters prior to the
system parking facilities should be provided to intersection, and/or prior to the start of the free
avoid the need for curb lane parking along right turn taper.
primary expressways and main roads.
In the typical case, a parking area is physically
211.01 GENERAL separated from the main road lanes by a
curb/sidewalk/curb combination which has been
Parking facilities are of four general types: designated as a wide curb. See Lot P2 in Figure
200.11. The minimum distance between the faces
1. Parking areas located parallel to, but of the two curbs is 1.0 m.
physically separated from, main road
moving traffic lanes, The parking area edge nearest the buildings
2. On-road parking spaces developed should be set parallel to the building line and at a
adjacent to the travelled lanes of sector sufficient offset distance to allow a sidewalk
roads, and along the building line.
3. Independent parking lots developed off
sector roads. The current Standard Drawings illustrate typical
4. Parking Structures. parking area and show stall dimensions and
pavement markings for both perpendicular and
Each facility consists of an aisle area and a 45-degree parking arrangements. Aisle widths and
standing area (parking stalls). In the case of on- stall depths should be as per Table 200.08.
road parking, the moving lanes of the sector road
also serve as the aisle. Table 200.08
Parking Isles and Stall Depths
Figure 200.11 illustrates different forms of the
Parking Aisle Width Stall Depth
basic types of parking facilities. Angle (m) (m)
Absolute Desirable Absolute Desirable
211.02 PARKING AREAS Min Min Min Min
Lots P1 and P2 on Figure 200.11 are typical 90o 7.0 7.3 5.5 5.8
parking areas, characterized by one entrance 60o 5.0 5.5 5.7 6.0
off the main road, then an aisle area with adjacent 45o 4.5 5.0 5.3 5.6
perpendicular and/or 45 degree parking, and
finally an exit leading back onto the main road
travel lanes. Desirably, the entrances and exits
should be independent of any sector road or main 211.03 ON ROAD PARKING SPACES
road intersections (i.e., Lot P2). When physical
conditions prevent this, a common entrance (or Parking spaces along sector roads are developed
exit) may be an acceptable arrangement (i.e., Lot by constructing added pavements immediately
P1). adjacent to the sector road moving lanes (usually
two lanes with one lane for travel in each
The minimum safe distance from a main road direction). Such parking spaces should be either
intersection to a parking entrance or exit will be parallel or perpendicular. The use of 45-degree
dependent on many factors, such as, volume and parking should be limited to one-way sector
speed of the traffic, type of intersection, width roads.
and number of lanes in the main road, the volume
of traffic using the parking area, and any sight Figure 200.11 shows examples of on-road
distance restrictions. parking space developments along sector roads.
Dimensions for perpendicular and 45-degree

Part 2 200-20
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

parking stalls are similar to those given on the
Standard Drawings.
Parallel parking stalls should have a length of 7.0
m and a desirable minimum width of 2.5 m as
shown on the Standard Drawings.
Where sector roads are widened to provide
parking stalls, the widened sector road
arrangement should not be carried through sector
road/sector road intersections. The fillets at such
intersections (usually 5.0 m radii) should be
positioned to line up with the edge of the travelled
lanes.
211.04 PARKING LOTS
3. determine the need for added parking facilities
and establish an approximate location for
such parking.
The required analysis regarding parking will thus
vary from project to project since parking demand
is sensitive to site-specific factors, such as land
use and proposed community developments.
In the absence of site specific parking criteria,
Table 200.09 should be used. Also refer to Part 1,
Section 202.02.11 for further parking
requirements.
Table 200.09
Parking Requirements

Figure 200.11 also shows samples of independent

Type of Development Parking
parking lots developed off sector roads. Such lots
Requirements
are of two general varieties:
Commercial/Office 1 space / 50 m2 floor
1. Single entrance/exit (see lots P3, P4 and P5)
space
and
Retail 1 space / 30-50 m2 floor
2. Double entrance/exit (see Lots P6 and P7).
space
Governmental 1 space / 50 m2 floor
Wherever practical, these layout rules should be
space
followed:
School 1 space / 3 employees
plus
1. Aisles and entrance/exit widths should be
1 space / 5 students
typically designed for two-way operation in
Hospital 1 space / 2 employees
conjunction with perpendicular parking.
plus
2. A median (curb/sidewalk/curb combination)
1 space / 4 beds
at least 1.0 m wide should be provided
Low Density
between adjacent parking bays served off
Residential Villas 2 spaces / dwelling unit
different aisles (i.e., on Figure 200.11, a
Medium Density
barrier is provided between Lots P6 and P7).
Apartments 1 space / (100
3. Forty-five degree parking should only be used
m2*.85*.80)
in conjunction with one-way aisles/sector
High Density
roads.
Apartments 1 space / (100
m2*.85*.80)
211.05 PARKING DEMAND/SUPPLY
ANALYSIS
These requirements should be considered as
minimums.
During the early portion of the Concept Design
Phase, the designer will:
It is possible that the number of spaces required
1. determine the location of existing parking by these guidelines cannot be provided due to
facilities, space limitations. In that case, efforts should be
2. identify any facilities to be displaced by road directed toward providing the maximum amount
improvements that should thus be replaced, of parking in a reasonable configuration.
and

Part 2 200-21
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.11
Typical Parking Facilities

Part 2 200-22
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 300 most urban roads because curbs provide

pavement structural support, and disabled
GEOMETRIC CROSS SECTION
vehicles can park in parking lanes, side streets, or
driveways.
301 TRAVELLED WAY STANDARDS
302.01 SHOULDER WIDTH
301.01 TRAVELLED WAY WIDTH STANDARDS

Travelled way width is one of the most important Table 300.01 summarizes the minimum
safety factors in design. A wide two-lane two-way continuous usable width of paved shoulder for
pavements provides higher capacity, higher driver various roadway classifications.
comfort levels, consistent operation and lower
accident rates. Table 300.01
Paved Shoulder Width Standards
Minimum travelled way widths of 7.30 m shall be
provided on all design classes of roadways. Roadway Inside Outside
Class Shoulder Shoulder
Traffic lane widths shall be 3.65 m, and the
/ verge / verge
number of lanes required shall be based on the
(m) (m)
projected traffic volume and roadway
RURAL
classifications. Loop ramp lanes shall be 5.0 m.
Freeway 3.0 4.0/2.0
Expressway 3.0 4.0/2.0
See Section 302 for general shoulder widths and
Collector - 2.4
see Section 305 for specific roadway cross
Local Access 2.0
section widths.
URBAN
Freeway 3.0 4.0/2.0
301.02 TRAVELLED WAY CROSS
Expressway 3.0 4.0/2.0
SLOPES
Arterial (Main Rd) - 4.0/2.0
Frontage Road 1.2 1.2
Tangent cross slope is balanced between steep
Sector Road - -
cross slopes, desirable for drainage and the fact
2-LANE RAMP 2.4/2.0 3.0/2.0
that vehicles drift toward the lower pavement
LOOP RAMP 2.0/1.0 3.0/1.0
edge on steep cross slopes. Generally, cross
slopes below 1.5 percent have little effect on The verge is the area outside the paved shoulder,
vehicle steering. Cross slope values for the usually rounded, at the top of embankment
various roadway classifications are provided in slopes.
the following sections.
302.02 SHOULDER CROSS SLOPES
Unpaved travelled ways shall have a cross slope
of 3.0 percent.
In normal tangent sections, inside shoulder slope
shall match the travel lanes and outside shoulders
See Section 305 for specific roadway cross slope
shall slope on a 3% grade away from the travelled
rates.
way.
Pavement superelevation on curves shall be as
determined in Section 202.
303 SIDE SLOPE STANDARDS

Properly designed side slopes insure roadway

302 SHOULDER STANDARDS
stability and provide a safe recovery area for
errant vehicles.
Shoulders provide pavement structural support,
improve sight distance, provide emergency
Where feasible, slopes should be flattened to be
stopping areas, and help provide required side
consistent with the roadway classification and
clearance. However, shoulders are unnecessary on
topography. The tops and ends of all slopes
Part 2 300-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
should be rounded 3.0 m where the material is
other than solid rock.
303.01 SIDE SLOPE VALUES
Side slopes should be 1:6 or flatter depending on
soil type. If slopes are steeper than 1:3, barrier
may be required. Earth cut slopes should be at
least 1:3 but in no case steeper than 1:2.
303.02 SLOPE CLEARANCE FROM
RIGHT OF WAY
The minimum clearance from the right of way line
to the catch point should be 3.0 m with 4.5 m
desired. For cut slopes this is measured from the
outer edge of the rounding or crown drainage
system. Slopes over 15.0 m high may require
additional clearance for maintenance.
304 MEDIAN STANDARDS
A median is the portion of a divided roadway
between the opposing travelled pavements.
Raised medians shall be used on urban roads to
regulate left-turn movements. Paved medians,
including those bordered by curbs, should be
crowned at the center, sloping towards the sides at
the slope of the adjacent pavement.
Unpaved, landscaped medians between curbs
shall be graded flat. Other unpaved medians
should slope downward from the shoulders to
form a shallow valley. Cross slopes should be
1:10 or flatter 1:20 being preferred. Slopes as
steep as 1:6 are acceptable if necessary for
drainage.
See Section 305 for specific roadway median
requirements.
305 CROSS SECTION ELEMENTS
See Figure 300.01 for typical cross sections of
various roadway classifications.
Pavement Structure - For the Standard
Pavement Structures, see current Standard
Drawings. Also, refer to Section 604 Structural
Pavement Section Design.
Part 2 300-2
Shoulders - Shoulder widths for various roadway
classifications are summarized in Table 300.01.
305.01 RURAL FREEWAY/
EXPRESSWAY CROSS
SECTION
General - The typical section for rural
expressways shall be comprised of two roadways
with shoulders, divided by a median.
Travelled Roadways - Each roadway will
consist of a minimum of three 3.65 m through
lanes. Ramps shall be 5.0 m for one lane and,
where volumes demand, two 3.65 m lanes.
Median - Median treatment may be either
standard concrete barriers placed along the inside
shoulder edge or an unpaved depressed median.
Median width may vary to match existing median
widths. The width of the depressed median
measured between edges of travelled pavement
shall be 20.0 m minimum.
Cross Slope - Except superelevated sections, a
uniform cross slope of 1.5 percent shall be
applied across the inside shoulder and driving
lanes. The outside shoulder will have a cross-
slope of 3.0 percent. The pavement will slope
toward the outside of the section.
On structures, the cross-slope shall be 1.5 percent
uniformly across the inside shoulder, driving
lanes, and outside shoulder.
Profile Grade Line - The profile grade line shall
be at the median edge of the travelled roadway.
305.02 URBAN FREEWAY/
EXPRESSWAY CROSS
SECTION
General - The typical section for urban
expressways shall be comprised of two roadways,
with shoulders, divided by a median. Due to space
limitations, the cross section may vary. The final
configuration shall be determined during the
concept phase of design.
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.01
Typical Cross Sections

Part 2 300-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Travelled Roadways - Each roadway will
consist of a minimum of three 3.65 m wide
through lanes. Ramps shall be one 5.0 m lane,
and where volumes demand, two 3.65 m lanes.
Median - A minimum 7.0 m wide median shall be
used. However, a 10.0 m median width is
desirable. The median may be either unpaved and
depressed (if 20.0 m wide or more), or it may
have concrete barriers.
Cross Slope - Except in superelevated sections, a
uniform cross slope of 1.5 percent shall be
applied across the inside shoulder and driving
lanes. The outside shoulder will have a cross
slope of 3.0 percent. The pavement will slope
toward the outside of the section.
On structures, the cross slope shall be 1.5 percent
uniformly across the inside shoulder, driving
lanes, and outside shoulder.
Profile Grade Line - The profile grade line shall
be the median edge of the travelled roadway.
305.03 ARTERIAL (MAIN ROAD)
CROSS SECTION
The standard cross section of roadways is
comprised of two unidirectional pavements,
median, sidewalks, service reservations and green
areas.
Pavement and Lane Widths - The pavement will
consist of a minimum of three traffic lanes in each
direction divided by a raised median. Wherever
necessary, auxiliary lanes shall be provided for
turning movements. Auxiliary lanes, whether
allocated to through traffic or to turning
movements, shall be 3.65 m wide.
Free Right Turn Islands and Lanes - Exclusive
right-turn lanes and islands shall be used
wherever possible. No more than one exclusive
right-turn lane shall be provided in any direction.
Left Turn Lanes - Unless otherwise approved by
the Municipality Road Section under special
conditions, no more than one left-turn lane shall
be provided from the median.
Part 2 300-4
Parking, Loading/Unloading Lanes - Except for
taxi stops and bus stops, no parking or
loading/unloading spaces shall be provided on
main roads without being separated from the
traffic lanes by a wide curb.
Median - A median with 22 cm high curbs shall
be provided. The median width should be at least
5.0 m. Where an existing street with a median of
less than 5.0 m is being upgraded, the median
should be increased to 5.0 m if possible. Where
an existing street with a median width of greater
than 5.0 m is being upgraded, the existing median
width should be maintained for planting. Median
width shall be reduced to permit exclusive left-
turn lanes at intersections where required.
No provision shall be made for U-turns except at
intersections.
Curbs - Curbs shall be provided along all edges
of pavement in urban areas. Curb types and uses
are shown in the current Standard Drawings.
Sidewalks - Sidewalk widths and locations will
vary but the minimum width shall be 2.0 m and
they shall be located to provide pedestrian
movement continuity. In addition, whenever
possible a 2.0 m wide sidewalk adjacent to the
pavement and green areas should be provided
primarily for aesthetic purposes.
Pedestrian crosswalk ramps shall be used at all
intersections and all other locations where the
main pedestrian sidewalk crosses curb lines.
Cross Slope - All pavement will have a broken
cross-slope of 1.25 percent sloping away from the
median across the two inside lanes and 2.0
percent for the outside lanes. A 1.5 percent cross-
slope shall be provided toward the pavement on
sidewalks. Cross-slope will vary at intersections
in accordance with current Standard Drawings.
Profile Grade Line - The profile grade line shall
be the median edge of pavement.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
305.04 SECTOR ROAD CROSS
SECTION
The cross section for sector roads will consist of
an undivided two-directional roadway. Curbs
shall be provided along both edges of pavement.
Pavement and Lane Widths - Lane width shall
be 3.65 m for two lanes in each direction and 4.0
to 5.0 m for one lane in each direction.
Free Right Turn Islands and Lanes - No free
right turn islands or lanes shall be used in the
design of sector roads.
Left Turn Lanes - Left turn lanes shall not be
used in the design of sector roads.
Parking Loading/Unloading Lanes - Generally,
no loading or unloading lanes shall be provided on
Sector Roads. It is up to the designer and Design
Project Manager to determine the need and type
of on-street sector road parking. If required, see
Section 211, Parking.
Median - Sector roads shall not have medians.
Curbs - Curbs shall be provided along the outside
edge of sector roads. Types and uses are shown in
the current Standard Drawings.
Sidewalks - Sidewalk widths and locations will
vary but minimum width shall be 2.0 m.
Whenever possible a 2.0 m wide sidewalk
dividing the pavement and green areas should be
provided. The sidewalk surface will slope toward
the roadway at a uniform cross slope of 1.0
percent.
Pedestrian crosswalk ramps shall be used at all
intersections and all other locations where main
pedestrian traffic crosses curb lines.
Cross Slope - All pavement will have a 1.5
percent uniform cross slope either at a straight
cross slope from one edge of pavement to the
other or by utilizing a crowned roadway design.
Sector roads shall not have superelevation.
Profile Grade Line - The profile grade line for
sector roads shall be the centerline or as
determined by the Consultant.
Part 2 300-5
305.05 FRONTAGE ROAD CROSS
SECTION
Pavement and Lane Widths - The minimum
paved cross section for urban frontage roads shall
be two 3.65 m lanes with curbing. The minimum
paved cross section for rural frontage roads shall
be 3.65 m lanes with 1.2 m paved shoulders.
Cross Slope - All pavement will have a 1.5
percent uniform cross slope either at a straight
cross slope from one edge of pavement to the
other or by utilizing a crowned roadway design.
Outer Separation - Outer separation is the
distance from the main road travelled way to the
frontage road travelled way. In urban and
mountainous areas, the outer separation should be
8.0 m minimum. In rural areas, other than
mountainous terrain, the outer separation should
12.0 m minimum.
Headlight Glare - Frontage road design shall
account for potential headlight glare interfering
with the vision of oncoming motorists. The
preferred measures to prevent headlight glare
interference on new construction are wider outer
separations, revised alignment and raised or
lowered profiles.
306 HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL
CLEARANCES
306.01 HORIZONTAL CLEARANCES
Unshielded Horizontal Clearance - The
minimum desired horizontal clearance between the
travelled way edge and fixed objects shall be the
clear zone width. Fixed objects within the clear
zone shall be eliminated, moved, redesigned
(breakaway design), or shielded (see barrier
design below ) where practical.
Shielded Horizontal Clearance - If fixed objects
cannot be eliminated, moved or redesigned then
lesser clearance is allowable if barriers or
guardrail is used to shield the object.
The clearance to fixed objects such as bridge
rails, concrete barriers, abutments, retaining
walls or noise barriers on all roadway facilities,
shall be equal to the standard roadway shoulder
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

width stated in Table 300.01, except that a 306.03 TUNNEL CLEARANCES

minimum clearance of 1.2 m shall be provided
where the standard shoulder width is less than Horizontal Clearances - The minimum
1.2 m. Approach rail connections to bridge rail expressway tunnel width should equal the full
may require special treatment to maintain approach travelled way width plus paved
standard shoulder width. Safety shaped barrier shoulders.
face shall be constructed integrally at the base of
any retaining wall, pier, or abutment which faces In one-way tunnels on conventional roadways the
traffic and is less than 4.6 m from the edge of minimum side clearance from the edge of the
travelled way. travelled way (unless sight distance dicatates
otherwise) shall be 1.5 m on the left and 2.0 m on
Curbed Roadway Sections - A minimum the right. For two-way tunnels, this clearance
horizontal clearance of 1.0 m should be provided shall be 2.0 m on each side.
along intersection curb returns and near driveway
edges to allow for design vehicle off tracking. Vertical Clearances - The desirable vertical
Where sidewalks are located immediately clearance shall be 6.0 m measured at any point
adjacent to curbs, fixed objects should be located over the travelled way. Lesser clearance may be
behind the sidewalk, providing an unobstructed approved by the Municipality Road Section.
pedestrian area.
307 CLEAR ZONE CONCEPT
306.02 VERTICAL CLEARANCES
Clear Zone - A clear zone is an unobstructed, flat
General - Efforts should be made to avoid or gently sloping area beyond the travelled way
decreasing the existing vertical clearance edge. It gives drivers the opportunity to regain
whenever possible and consideration should be control of errant vehicles. The clear zone is
given to increasing vertical clearance on projects measured horizontally from the travelled way
involving structural section removal and edge to the nearest point on an obstruction. Where
replacement. feasible, fixed objects should not be located
within the clear zone.
Structure Type Vertical Clearance
(m) In an area where the roadside is relatively clear,
Pavement Surface to nearest flat and straight, application of the clear zone
underside of superstructure. 6.0 concept is straightforward. However, factors
such as roadside embankments, space restrictions
Sign Structures 5.5
and roadway curvature and superelevation
Overhead Communication Lines 7.0 complicate the application of the clear zone.
Power Lines (Volts)
Clear Zone Standard - The clear zone width
0 - 750 7.0
required is based on geometry, traffic volumes,
750 - 15,000 9.0
and operating speeds as shown on Figure 300.02.
15,000 and greater 10.0
Pedestrian Overpass 6.0 Curvature Correction Factors - Figure 300.03
Pedestrian Overpass with shows correction factors used to adjust the clear
Overhead Guide Sign 6.0 zone distances, taking into account roadway
curvatures. These modifications should be used
only in locations with high accident rates and
where increasing the clear zone distance is cost
effective.

Part 2 300-6
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.02
Clear Zone Distance Curves
Part 2 300-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.03
Horizontal Curve Adjustments Factors

307.01 APPLICATION OF CLEAR reaching the base. Embankments with slopes

ZONE
307.01.01 Roadside Terrain: Foreslope
When a roadway is on an embankment, the side
slope is called a foreslope (negative slope) which
can be recoverable, non-recoverable, or critical:
Recoverable - A recoverable slope is one that an
errant vehicle can drive across, slow down, stop,
and return to the roadway. Recoverable slopes
are 1:4 or flatter, relatively smooth, and clear of
all fixed object hazards. The top of the slope shall
be rounded so a vehicles wheels remain in
contact with the roadway when encountering the
embankment. The toe of slope shall also be
rounded so the driver is able to negotiate and
drive across if the vehicle reaches the base of the
embankment.
Non-recoverable - A non-recoverable slope is
one which an errant vehicle can be driven across
but may not be able to slow down or stop before
between 1:3 and 1:4 generally fall under this
category. A smooth clear run-out area with a
slope of 1:6 or flatter, in addition to the
recommended clear zone distance is recommended
at the base of the slope. The width of the runout
area is determined according to the available
width between the edge of traveled way and the
breakpoint between the flatter (1:4 and flatter)
and steeper (1:4 and 1:3) slope of the
embankment. This available width is then
subtracted from the clear zone distance obtained
from Figure 300.02, based on the steeper slope of
the embankment. The difference is the width of
the clear runout area. See Figure 300.04 for
example.
Critical - A critical slope is one where a vehicle
has a high probability of overturning, slopes
steeper than 1:3 fall in this category. If the
available clear zone is narrower than the
recommended width or it is not practical to adjust
the roadside geometry, installing a barrier system
may be necessary.

Part 2 300-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

307.01.04 Roadside Terrain: Ditch

307.01.02 Roadside Terrain: Backslope
When a roadway is located in a cut section, the
cut slope is called a backslope. A traversable
backslope is 1:3 or flatter, relatively smooth,
clear of fixed object hazards, and where a vehicle
can be driven across without becoming stranded.
This type of backslope can be included as part of
the clear zone. However if the backslope is
steeper than 1:3, rock cut or rough sided, the base
of the backslope shall be outside the clear zone.
If the recommended clear zone can not be
practically accommodated, a barrier system may
be required to protect motorists.
307.01.03 Roadside Terrain: Cross-slope
Cross-slopes can be located along medians,
intersecting driveways and roadways. Cross
slopes can be more hazardous to motorists than
foreslopes or backslopes because of the
possibility of colliding with opposing traffic.
Cross-slopes of 1:10 or flatter, traversable,
relatively smooth, and clear of fixed object
hazards are recommended particularly in medians
immediately adjacent to opposing traffic. In
roadside sections where 1:10 can not be
accommodated, such as urban areas, a maximum
slope of 1:6 should be used.
The primary function of ditches is to prevent
roadways from flooding by directing and carrying
water away from the roadway. They are
especially hazardous because of fixed hazards
such as, exposed pipes, headwalls and culverts.
The ditch cross section itself can also represent a
serious hazard. Preferred ditch cross sections are
traversable and free of hazards. See Figures
300.05 and 300.06. Cross sections that fall
within the shaded area are considered traversable.
Cross sections that fall outside the shaded regions
are considered less desirable and should be used
only under conditions of:
restricted ROW
rugged terrain
resurfacing, restoration or rehabilitation
low volume or low speed roads
Conditions where a ditch has a cross section that
falls outside the shaded region, and is located in a
vulnerable location shall consider closed drainage
systems or shielding with barrier systems.

Figure 300.04
Clear Runout Area

Part 2 300-9
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.05
Preferred Vee-Ditch Cross Sections

Figure 300.06
Preferred Trapezoidal ditch Cross Sections
Part 2 300-10
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
308 BARRIERS
308.01 BARRIER NEED
The roadside barriers primary function is to
prevent errant vehicles from leaving the roadway.
Barrier need is based on the premise that
installing a barrier will reduce the number of
accidents and/or reduce the magnitude of an
accident at that location. The engineer must also
evaluate the barrier installation itself to be less
hazardous than the hazard. Efforts shall be made
to eliminate hazards within the clear zone prior to
considering any barrier installations.
When determining barrier requirements, the
following factors must be considered:
Risks involved with encroaching on a hazard
versus colliding with a barrier.
Evaluating roadway design speed and traffic
volumes to barrier need.
Evaluating costs of installing and maintaining
a barrier system versus not installing a barrier
system.
Costs of accidents involving barriers versus
not involving a barriers.
Figure 300.07 for example, compares the risks
involved with encroaching on an embankment
versus colliding with a barrier. Embankments
that fall outside the shaded region do not warrant
shielding. Figure 300.07 however does not not
take into account other factors such as, object
hazards on the embankments within the clear
zone, installation and maintenance costs of a
barrier system, and accident costs involving a
barrier system. All these factors must be
considered together when evaluating barrier
needs.
As previously stated, if hazards exist within the
borders of the clear zone, efforts shall be made to
eliminate the hazard first, prior to considering
barrier installation. These considerations can
include any of the following:
Regrading of roadside topography in the clear
zone to a smooth and safe cross section.
Extend exposed pipes, culverts and install
headwalls outside the clear zone.
Part 2 300-11
Install drop inlets for roadside drainage
systems rather than exposed pipes and
culverts.
Remove or relocate all manmade or natural
fixed obstacles such as utility poles, signs,
luminare supports, trees, and boulders.
Install breakaway bases for signs and
luminare supports if removal or relocation is
not practical.
308.02 ROADSIDE BARRIER TYPES
AND FEATURES
There are two types of roadside barriers
commonly used. See Figure 300.08.
Blocked-Out W-Beam Barrier
Roadside Concrete Barriers
Block-Out W-Beam Barrier - This barrier
system is the mainly used as a guardrail system.
It shall be installed in most locations that
warrants a guardrail system, except for urban
areas and locations that require a concrete barrier.
This system has been tested to successfully
redirect 800-2000 kg vehicles. It has also
successfully redirected a 2100 kg van at impact
conditions of 21 at 95 kph.
Concrete Safety Shape Barrier - The concrete
safety shape roadside barrier is a rigid system
designed to redirect vehicles without any
deflection. Because of its rigidity, vehicles would
have a higher probability of overturning or
vaulting over the barrier. Therefore, shape of the
front face of the barrier is critical to its
performance. The distance from the top of the
roadway surface to the break between the upper
and lower slopes shall not exceed 330 mm.
Roadside barriers are also designed with varying
heights to counteract overturning moments of
trucks with high centers of gravity. The basic
roadside barrier is designed at 810 mm high. At
this height, the roadside barrier can successfully
redirect 820-2000 kg vehicles, and occasionally
redirect 18,000 kg buses at moderate impact. A
roadside barrier designed at 1070 mm high, have
successfully redirected a 36,300 kg tractor-trailer
with impact conditions of 15 at 84 kph.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.07
Risk Warrants for Embankments

308.03 ROADSIDE BARRIER 308.03.02 Barrier to Hazard Clearances

PLACEMENT
308.03.01 Lateral Placement
Placement of a barrier system shall be determined
in a manner that increases motorist safety,
decreases accidents and minimizes injuries. A
barrier system shall shield the motorist from
roadway hazards and not contribute to the hazard.
It is therefore a standard rule that the barrier
system shall be placed as far from the edge of
travelled way as possible. This allows drivers
room to regain control of their vehicle and
possibly avoid an accident. It is important to note
however; as the distance between the edge of
travelled way and the barrier increases, the
potential angle of impact of the vehicle also
increases. Barriers at high angle of impacts are
significant hazards themselves.
In cases when a roadside barrier is required to
shield an isolated hazard, clearance must be
provided between the barrier and the hazard.
Upon impact, some barriers will deflect, making
the clearance between the barrier and the hazard
important. Furthermore, if a barrier is struck by
a vehicle with a high center of gravity, the vehicle
may roll or vault over the barrier. If sufficient
distance is not provided, the vehicle may collide
with the hazard. Sufficient distance must be
provided between the barrier and the hazard being
shielded.

Part 2 300-12
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

308.03.03 Effects of Roadside Terrain
The profile between the edge of traveled way and
the barrier can have significant effects on the final
placement of the barrier. The vehicles wheels
should remain in contact with the ground and its
suspension system neither compressed or
suspended at the moment of impact with the
barrier. This holds true for all barrier systems.
Locations of roadside curbs and slopes require
particular attention when determining barrier
design and placement.
Curbs - Guardrail/Curb combinations are highly
discouraged in locations where high-speed and
high angle impacts are likely to occur. Areas
with no alternative but to use this combination
shall use a curb less than 100 mm or, stiffen the
guardrail to reduce deflection by bolting a w-
beam to the back of the posts or by adding a rub
rail.
Slopes - As previously mentioned, guardrail
performance is affected by the vehicles position
at moment of impact. Crash tests show, roadside
barriers perform most effectively when installed
on slopes 1:10 or flatter.
308.03.04 Barrier Length Design
Runout Lengths (LR) and Hazard Lateral
Distance (LH) - When designing the length of a
barrier, the two primary factors that must be
considered are:
LR - Runout Length
LH - Hazard Lateral Distance
The runout length (LR) is the distance a vehicle
needs to stop prior to colliding with a hazard once
it has left the roadway. Its distance is measured
from the point the vehicle is assumed to leave the
roadway to the hazard ahead. Runout length
requirements vary according to the roadway
design speed. See Figure 300.04.
The lateral distance (LH) is the distance between
the edge of the travelled way to the far side of the
hazard, if the hazard is a fixed object. If the
hazard is an embankment, the lateral distance
would be extended to the edge of the clear zone.
If the hazard extends beyond the clear zone, the
minimum lateral distance would be only to the
edge of the clear zone.
After determining the runout length and lateral
distance, the length of the barrier depends on the
barrier tangent length, barrier lateral offset, and
flare rate.

Figure 300.08
Roadside Barrier Types and Features

Part 2 300-13
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.09
Barrier Layout Diagram

Part 2 300-14
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Barrier Tangent Length (LT) and Barrier
Lateral Offset (L1) - The barrier tangent length
(LT) is the portion immediately ahead from the
hazard and parallel to the roadway. It is of
variable length, selected by the designer, and
shall be at least as long as the flared section of the
barrier.
The barriers lateral offset (L1) is the distance
between the edge of travelled way to the barrier.
This offset is also selected by the designer and
shall be as far away from the edge of travelled
way as possible. This provides an unobstructed
recovery area to allow an out of control vehicle to
gain control without colliding with the barrier.
Flare Rate (b:a) - The flared portion of the
barrier is not parallel to the roadway. Flared
sections are used mainly to introduce the barrier
toward the barrier line or a narrower segment of
the roadway. The flared transition decreases the
likelihood that the barrier is perceived as a hazard
by motorists.
Flared barrier sections have their disadvantages.
The greater the flare rate, the greater the angle of
impact from an approaching vehicle. This may
increase the magnitude of injuries particularly
with rigid barriers. Barrier flares can also
increase the probability that an impacting vehicle
will be redirected across the roadway and into
incoming traffic. This is particularly dangerous if
the roadway has two-way traffic not separated by
a median or a median barrier. Therefore, flatter
flare rates shall be used particularly in locations
with two-way traffic or steep embankments.
See Figure 300.09 for barrier layout diagram.
308.04 MEDIAN BARRIERS
308.04.01 Median Barrier Warrants
A Median barriers primary function is to
separate opposing traffic on a divided roadway
and/or shield fixed object hazards within the
median. Like all types of barriers, median
barriers shall only be installed if it is less
hazardous colliding with the barrier than not
having a barrier installed at all. Barrier
installation shall be considered only if the fixed
object hazards can not be removed.
Part 2 300-15
Median barriers are warranted in locations that
have a history of cross-median accidents. On
roadways that have wide medians, (greater than
nine meters) median barriers generally are not
warranted unless there is a history of cross-
median accidents or there are fixed object hazards
within the median.
308.04.02 Median Barrier Types and
Features
There are three types of commonly used median
barriers. See Figure 300.10.
Concrete Safety Shape Median Barrier
Single Face Concrete Barrier
Metal-Beam Guardrail
The concrete safety shape barrier is the most
commonly used median barrier, and shall be
installed in most locations requiring a barrier. In
areas where the adjoining sections of roadway
have previously installed a Metal Beam Guardrail
consideration may be given to continue using it
for that segment. Single face Concrete Barriers
are used mainly to shield hazards or for earth
berm support.
308.05 MEDIAN BARRIER
PLACEMENT
The two primary factors to consider when placing
median barriers are:
Median Geometry
Treatment of Fixed Object Hazards in the
Median
308.05.01 Median Geometry
As previously mentioned, a median that is flat
(1:10 or flatter), relatively smooth and clear of
fixed obstacles is desirable. If a median barrier is
warranted under these conditions, it shall be
installed at the center of the median.
If the median is a v-shaped foreslope embankment
or a ditch and warrants a barrier, it shall be
installed near the shoulder on both sides of the
median.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

If the full width of the median is a foreslope
embankment steeper than 1:10, and warrants a
barrier, the barrier shall be installed on the higher
edge of the median. If the slope is 1:10 or flatter
and requires a barrier, the barrier shall be
installed at the center of the median. However, if
the median is rough cut, obstructed with hazards,
and non-traversable, barriers shall be installed, at
the edge of both shoulders.
If the median is a backslope that is rough cut,
non-traversable or is inside the clear zone area,
barriers shall be installed on both sides of the
median to avoid vehicle snagging. If the
backslope is traversable but sufficiently steep to
redirect vehicles, a semi rigid barrier can be
installed on the high point of the slope.
308.05.02 Treatment of Fixed Object
Hazards
In some situations, the entire median does not
require a barrier system. However, there may be
hazards in the median that require shielding.
Treatment of hazards can include but not limited
to those illustrated in Figure 300.11.
308.06 END TREATMENTS AND
CRASH CUSHIONS
308.06.01 End Treatments
All roadside and median barriers terminating
within the clear zone and/or are located where
they have a high probability of being hit head-on,
shall terminate with a crashworthy terminal on the
approach end of the barrier. Refer to the most
recent edition of the AASHTO Roadside Design
Guide.

Figure 300.10
Median Barrier Types and Features

Part 2 300-16
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 300.11
Treatment of Fixed Hazards

Part 2 300-17
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
308.06.02 Crash Cushion
A Crash Cushions main function is to decrease
the magnitude of an accident by absorbing some
of the force from an impact. They are effective in
gradually slowing down and stopping or safely
redirecting errant vehicles in head-on and side
impact collisions.
Crash Cushions shall be used to shield hazardous
conditions and fixed object hazards that can not
be removed, relocated or designed to breakaway.
These include ends of bridge barriers, rails and
bridge piers in gore areas. Crash Cushions are
also commonly used at ends of roadside and
median barriers .
Selection Guidelines
The selection criteria for crash cushions differ in
each individual case. Engineers must evaluate
each hazard and select the most effective and
appropriate crash cushion system for that case.
Refer to the most recent edition of the AASHTO
Roadside Design Guide.
Part 2 300-18
The minimum requirement for a crash cushion
system shall have the following characteristics:
The system shall be able to stop or redirect a
colliding vehicle without any debris
penetrating the passenger compartment of the
vehicle.
The colliding vehicle shall remain in the
upright position and not violently redirected
to other traffic.
308.06.03 Placement Recommendations
Crash Cushion systems perform best on relatively
flat surfaces. Therefore they shall be installed on
hard level surfaces such as portland cement
concrete or hot bituminous concrete pads. This
allows the crash cushion system to compress
uniformly throughout the impact. The path
between the roadway and the crash cushions shall
be relatively smooth and clear of obstructions.
Ideally the vehicles suspension systems should
not be collapsed or extended when it collides with
the crash cushions.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 400 There are three categories of roadway

intersections. This section deals with at-grade
AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS
intersections. Grade separations (i.e., without
ramps), and interchanges are discussed in Section
401 GENERAL 500.
An intersection is the area where two or more
402 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
roadways connect. It includes the roadway and
roadside facilities available for traffic movement.
Intersection design affects roadway efficiency,
Each roadway radiating from an intersection is
safety, capacity, operating cost and operating
called an intersection leg.
speed. Well designed intersections reduce the
severity of user conflicts while accommodating
Intersection design is very important to the overall
their varied interests. Intersection design is a
roadway safety and level of service. Many
cooperative effort between roadway and traffic
accidents and safety problems occur at
engineers, based on human factors, traffic
intersections. Intersection type and spacing
considerations, physical elements and economic
control roadway capacity and travel time.
factors.
Intersections handle a variety of conflicts among
vehicles and pedestrians. Vehicles arriving,
departing, merging, turning, and crossing traffic
403 AT GRADE INTERSECTION
have to be accommodated within a relatively TYPES
small area. These movements may be handled by
various means, depending on the intersection type. There are three basic types of at-grade
intersections, the three-leg intersection, the four-
leg intersection, and the multileg intersection. See
Figure 400.01. Factors in determining the type of
intersection include, the number of

Figure 400.01
Basic Intersection Types

Part 2 400-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

intersecting legs, topography, traffic patterns, and Give preference to major traffic movements.
desired operation. Intersections within a basic Reduce areas of conflict.
type vary greatly however, the general application Cross traffic at right angles (75-90o desirable
of at-grade intersection design is common to all. - skew no more than 60o.)
Traffic volume, design speed, and the roadway Separate points of conflict.
classification are the principal factors used to Provide speed-change lanes and separate
determine intersection type. turning lanes where appropriate.
Restrict undesirable movements.
Three-Leg Intersection - The three-leg Provide adequate width to shadow turning
intersection has three intersecting legs which form traffic.
a T or a Y. Operationally three-leg and four- Enhance signal control.
leg intersections are preferred and multidirectional
"Y" intersections and intersections with more than
404.01 PREFERENCE TO MAJOR
four legs should be avoided.
MOVEMENTS
Four Leg Intersections - Four-leg intersections Whenever possible, preference should be given to
may be right angled, oblique, or offset. The right- the major traffic movements. This usually requires
angled crossing is easily signed and signalized, stopping, funneling, or eliminating minor
provides good visibility, and is the safest to movements. Controlling measures should conform
negotiate. The oblique crossing creates problems to natural movement paths and be introduced
with visibility, pedestrian safety, and vehicle- gradually to promote smooth and efficient
turning angles. The offset intersection has low operation.
capacity, is difficult to comprehend and negotiate,
and is difficult to sign and signalize. 404.02 AREAS OF CONFLICT
Multileg Intersections - These intersections have Large multilane undivided intersection areas are
more than four legs and can have several undesirable because drivers cannot predict the
configurations. Multileg intersections are other vehicles movements. By separating traffic
confusing, have poor visibility, poor turning movements into definite travel paths
angles, and are difficult to sign, mark, and channelization reduces these conflicts.
signalize. This type of intersection should be Channelization also separates points of conflict
avoided if possible. within the intersection and clearly defines vehicle
pathways.
Roundabout Intersections - Roundabout designs
generally have three or four legs joining a circular 404.03 INTERSECTION ANGLES
roadway. All traffic turns right to merge with
traffic in the roundabout. Traffic continues to A 90o intersection provides the shortest crossing
turn right through the circle to eliminate through for intersecting traffic and provides the most
and left turn movements. Roundabout designs are favorable condition for drivers to judge the
characterized by light traffic volumes and slow relative position and speed of approaching
speeds through the intersection. The roundabout vehicles. The minimum desirable intersection
intersection is a design that can be used in lieu of angle is 75 degrees. Intersection angles less than
the traditional three or four leg intersections. For 60 degrees should be realigned.
further descriptions and types see Part 2, Section
407, Roundabout Design. 404.04 POINTS OF CONFLICT

404 CHANNELIZATION Points of conflict occur when drivers paths cross.

The highest number of conflicts occur at
Channelization is the separation of traffic into intersections. For example, a driver making a
definite travel paths using pavement markings or left turn on to a roadway must cross right-bound
raised islands. Channelization should be used to: traffic and merge into the left-bound traffic

Part 2 400-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
stream. That single maneuver causes conflict
with both directions of travel. Where ever
possible, points of conflict should be reduced so
drivers are only exposed to one conflict or
decision at a time. This can be done by using
stop signs, traffic signals, grade separations, and
channelization. Channelization separates and
clearly defines points of conflict within the
intersection.
Channelization separates and clearly defines
points of conflict within the intersection. Drivers
should be exposed to only one conflict or
confronted with one decision at a time.
404.05 SPEED-CHANGE LANES
Speed-change lanes improve intersection safety
and efficiency. Entering traffic merges most
efficiently with through traffic when the merging
angle is less than 15o and speed differentials are
at a minimum.
Speed change lanes for diverging traffic should
permit vehicles to decelerate after leaving the
through lanes.
404.06 TURNING MOVEMENTS
A separate right turning lane removes turning
movements from the intersection area, increasing
safety and capacity. Also adding dedicated left
turn lanes removes left turn traffic from the thru
lanes which also increases safety and capacity.
Abrupt changes in alignment or sight distance
should be avoided.
404.07 REFUGE AREAS
Properly sized traffic islands can provide refuge
for vehicles and pedestrians. The shadowing
effect of islands provides refuge for vehicles
waiting to cross or enter an uncontrolled traffic
stream.
Channelization can also provide a safer crossing
of two or more traffic streams by permitting
drivers to select adequate gaps in one traffic
stream at a time. Channelization should also
provide ample storage for vehicles to make the
turning or crossing movements.
Part 2 400-3
404.08 PROHIBITED TURNS
Traffic islands may be used to divert traffic
streams in desired directions and prevent specific
undesirable movements.
404.09 EFFECTIVE SIGNAL CONTROL
At intersections with complex turning
movements, channelization is required for
effective signal control. Channelization enables
sorting and storing of approach traffic for orderly
movement through the intersection during
separate signal phases. Channelization is
particularly effective when used with traffic-
actuated signal controls.
404.10 INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC
CONTROL DEVICES
Traffic islands enhance the effectiveness of, and
provide space for, traffic control devices such as
signals and signs. Dimensions and clearances for
traffic control devices should be considered when
sizing traffic islands.
404.11 GUIDELINES
Striping is preferable to curbed islands,
especially adjacent to high-speed traffic
where curbing can be an obstruction to out-
of-control vehicles.
Where curbing must be used, first
consideration should be given to mountable
curbs. Barrier curbs should only be used
where pedestrian protection is a primary
concern.
Avoid complex intersections that present
multiple movement options or decisions.
Accident records provide a valuable guide to
the type of channelization needed.
The Standard Drawings include details for a
channelized free right turn and typical
pavement markings at intersections.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
405 DESIGN VEHICLES
405.01 OFF TRACKING
A vehicle traveling around a circular curve
sweeps a wider path than the width of the
vehicle. The difference between the swept width
and the vehicle width is called off tracking. On
large trucks and buses offtracking can be
significant and must be considered in design.
405.02 DESIGN VEHICLES
Intersection geometric design depends on the
dimensional and operational characteristics of the
vehicles involved. The American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials have
adopted "design vehicles" representing the various
classes of commonly used vehicles.
For freeways and expressways, the design vehicle
shall be a WB-12 medium tractor semi-trailer
combination. For arterials, collectors and sector
roads, the design vehicle will be a single unit bus.
Design vehicles are as defined in A Policy on
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets,
AASHTO, 1994. Dimensions for various design
vehicles are shown in Figure 400.02.
405.03 TURNING TEMPLATES
Turning templates are used to locate the turning
paths of large vehicles. The template is used to
determine corner radii, position island noses,
establish clearances and the width of channeled
separate turning lanes. Turning templates for the
various design vehicles are shown in Figure
400.03. It should be noted that state-of-the-art
turning template computer software exists which
can be used in-lieu of Figure 400.03.
406 INTERSECTION DESIGN
STANDARDS
406.01 SIGHT DISTANCE
General - The Driver of a vehicle should have an
unobstructed view of the entire intersection.
Stopping sight distance shall be the minimum
provided throughout all parts of intersections.
Part 2 400-4
Approach Sight Triangle - The area bounded
by the required sight distances along the
intersection legs and the sight line connecting
their ends is known as the "sight triangle". See
Figure 400.04.
Unobstructed sight distance along all intersection
approaches and across the included corners must
be sufficient to permit operators of approaching
vehicles to perceive each other, react and
complete an appropriate accelerating, slowing or
stopping maneuver. If all corners of the
intersection cannot be cleared and maintained to
provide unobstructed views in the approach sight
triangle, the intersection shall have stop control
imposed.
Departure Sight Triangle - The departure sight
triangle is bounded by the location of the stopped
driver, the appropriate sight distance along the
intersecting road, and the connecting sight line.
See Figure 400.04. The driver must have
sufficient sight distance along the intersecting
legs to make a safe departure movement. All
corners of the intersection shall be constructed to
provide a clear line of sight throughout the
departing sight triangle.
Intersection Controls - The following controls
apply to at-grade intersections.
No Control - vehicles need sufficient sight
distance to adjust their speed.
Yield Control - Vehicles on minor roadway
yield to vehicles on major roadway.
Stop Control - Vehicles on minor roadway
stop at major roadway.
Signal Control - All legs are controlled by
either stop signs or traffic signals.
Left-turn Control - Stopped left-turning
vehicles on minor roadway must yield to
opposing vehicles on major roadway.
No Control - For a given speed, the approach
sight triangle is determined from Figure 400.04
and Table 400.01. Departure sight triangles
should be commensurate with those provided at
stop controlled intersections.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 400.01 Stop Control - Adequate sight distance must be

Sight Triangle Distances provided so a driver traveling at the design speed
No Intersection Control can perceive and safely stop at the stop sign.
Vehicle Speed (kph) Distance (m) Once stopped, the driver must have adequate sight
20 20 distance on the major road to permit safe
30 25 departure movements.
40 35
50 40 The three basic departure movements are:
60 50
70 60 To travel across the intersecting roadway,
80 65
clearing oncoming traffic in both directions;
90 75
100 85 To turn left onto the intersecting roadway,
110 90 clearing oncoming traffic from the left and
120 100 entering the traffic stream coming from the
The sight triangle dimensions are determined using right;
these distances per Figure 400.04 for No Control. To turn right onto the intersecting roadway
These distances are based on level roadways. by entering the traffic stream coming from the
left.

Yield Control - Approach sight triangles should

be provided at all intersection corners. Minimum
sight distances provided along the legs should be
at least stopping sight distance. For departure
sight triangles see Stop Control.

Part 2 400-5
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 400.02
Design Vehicle Dimensions

Part 2 400-6
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

This turning template shows the turning paths of the specified AASHTO design vehicle. The paths shown
are for the left front overhang and the outside rear wheel. The left front wheel follows the circular curve,
however, its path is not shown.

Figure 400.03
Minimum Turning Path for P Design Vehicles
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets

Part 2 400-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

FOR APPROACHING VEHICLE

FOR DEPARTING VEHICLE

Figure 400.04
Intersection Sight Triangles
Part 2 400-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Stop Control with Crossing Maneuver -

Crossing maneuver sight distance is based on the
time it takes for the stopped vehicle to clear the
intersection and the distance travelled in that time
by an oncoming vehicle on the cross road. The
distance may be calculated from

d = 0.28V(2.0+ta)

where: d = sight distance required along

the major roadway from the
intersection (m).
V = design speed on the major
roadway (kph)
ta = time required to accelerate and
traverse the distance to clear
the major roadway travelled
way (s)

The solid line curves in Figure 400.05 labeled

P, SU and WB-15 are the recommended
vehicle time-distance relationships to compute ta.
If significant grades are present, ta should be
adjusted per Table 400.02.

The distance that a crossing vehicle travels to

clear a major roadway is:

S = D+W+L
Figure 400.05
where: D = distance from near edge-of- Sight Distance at Intersections Acceleration
travelled way to the front of a from Stop.
stopped vehicle (typically 3.0 From AASHTO, 1004, A Policy on Geometric
m). Design of Highways and Streets
W = travelled way width along path
of crossing vehicle (m)
L = overall length of vehicle (m)

Calculated sight distance shall be checked against

stopping sight distance. The larger of the
distances shall be used.

Part 2 400-9
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Turning Left Onto a Major Roadway -
Because it takes longer to turn and accelerate to
operating speed than to go straight across an
intersecting roadway, the critical sight distances
are those required for turning movements. The
driver must have sufficient sight distance to the
left to cross the near lanes(s) without interfering
with oncoming traffic. The driver must also have
sufficient sight distance to the right to turn left
and accelerate to a speed where oncoming traffic
is not significantly impaired.
The sight distance required to the left are
calculated from:
dL = 0.28V(2.0+ta)
where: dL = sight distance required to the
left along the major roadway
from the intersection (m).
V = design speed on the major
roadway (kph)
ta = time required to accelerate and
traverse the distance to clear
the traffic in the lane
approaching from the left.
The required sight distance to the right is based
on the assumption that the mainline vehicle will
slow to 85 percent of the design speed and
maintain a 2.0 second gap from the turning
vehicle. To calculate the necessary sight distance
first determine from Figure 400.06 the distance P
required for the turning vehicle to reach a speed
of 85 percent of the mainline design speed. The
sight distance required to the right is calculated
from:
dR = (t+2)(.28)(.95V) - (P-5-
(.56)(.85V) - Lv)
where: dR = Sight distance required to
the right along the major
roadway from the
intersection (m).
T = time required to travel
distance P (Table 400.01).
V = mainline design speed
(kph)
Lv = Vehicle Length (m)
Turning Right Onto a Major Roadway - The
right-turning-vehicle must have sufficient sight
distance to the left to complete its turn and
accelerate to a predetermined speed before being
overtaken by approaching traffic travelling at the
same predetermined speed. The sight distance
Part 2 400-10
requirement for the right-turn maneuver is
approximately one meter less than that required
for the left-turn maneuver in Turning Left Onto
a Major Roadway. See Figure 400.07 curve Cb
for the required sight distance for a vehicle
turning right and accelerating to 85 percent of the
design speed before being overtaken by vehicles
slowing to 85 percent of design speed. Trucks
will take considerably longer than passenger
vehicles.
Signal Control - Because of unanticipated
vehicle conflicts at signalized intersections, (such
as, signal violations, right-turns on red, signal
malfunction, or use of flashing red/yellow mode)
the requirements for Stop Controlled
intersections should be met. At intersections
where right-turns on red are permitted, the
departure sight line for right-turning vehicles
should be determined by the methods for
Turning Right into a Major Roadway."
Stopped Vehicle Turning Left from a Major
Roadway - The driver will need sufficient sight
distance ahead to turn left and clear the opposing
travel lane(s) before an approaching vehicle
reaches the intersection. The sight distance
required is calculated from:
d = 0.28V(2.0+ta)
where: d = sight distance required along
the major roadway from the
intersection (m).
V = design speed on the major
roadway (kph)
ta = time required to accelerate and
traverse the distance to clear
the traffic in the approaching
lane.
406.02 EFFECT OF SKEW
Intersection skew has no effect on sight distance
requirements since they are measured along the
intersecting legs. However, the sight triangle
configuration is affected by skew. Care should be
taken to verify that the area within the sight
triangles can be constructed and maintained to
provide a unobstructed view throughout the sight
triangle with a 1070 mm eye height on the minor
road to a 1300 mm object height on the major
road.
Skew also affects the distance a vehicle travels to
cross the intersection. Heavily skewed
intersections should be controlled.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 400.06
Acceleration Curves
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets

Part 2 400-11
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 400.07
Intersection Sight Distances
For turning onto a major roadway AASHTO, 1994,
A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets

Part 2 400-12
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

406.03 EFFECT OF VERTICAL
PROFILES
A vehicle descending a grade requires greater
stopping distance than one on level ground.
Conversely, a vehicle ascending a grade requires
less distance to stop. Grades up to 3 percent have
little effect on stopping sight distances. In no case
should the grades exceed 6 percent.
For Stop Controlled intersections, the time
required to cross a roadway is affected by the
crossing grade. If the grade is significant, the
sight distance should be increased.
be 3.65 m. Three meter wide left-turn lanes may
be used on low speed urban roadways. The width
is measured from the adjacent edge of travelled
way, excluding shy distance.
Medians - To improve left-turn visibility, the left-
turn-lane should be placed as far to the left as
possible in the median leaving only the painted or
curbed nose. Excess width between the left-turn
lane and the adjacent same-direction through lane
should be treated as painted island. When left-
turn lanes are placed in raised (curbed) medians,
a minimum nose width of 1.0 m should remain for
pedestrian refuge and traffic control devices.

Where the intersection leg grades are other than Approach Tapers - On roadways with narrow or
flat, corrections should be made to the sight no medians, room for the left-turn lane is made by
distances using the approximate ratios given in shifting traffic laterally to the right. The taper
Table 400.02. length used to effect this shift should be 0.6WV,
where W = lateral shift (m) and V = design speed
Table 400.02 (kph).
ta Adjustment For Grade
Sight Triangle Distances Bay Tapers - The bay taper length should be
Ratio, ta on grade / ta level (Figure 400.05) short to clearly identify the additional lane.
Generally the taper length should be 15:1.
Crossroad Grade %
Deceleration Length - Whenever feasible, the
Design Vehicle -4 -2 0 2 4 left-turn lane should provide deceleration clear of
P 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3 the through lanes. The minimum deceleration
SU 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.3 lengths, exclusive of bay taper and vehicle
WB-15 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.7 storage, for 50, 60 and 80 kph are 70, 100 and
130 m, respectively.
Use this table to adjust ta values for effect of
grade. Based on the likely range of crossing In urban areas, it may not be possible to provide
distances. the deceleration lengths and maintain the storage
and approach taper lengths required. In these
situations, these lengths should be used as a
406.04 LEFT-TURN
desirable goal.
CHANNELIZATION

General - A left-turn lane expedites through
traffic flow, controls turning traffic movement,
and improves the intersection safety and capacity.
The left-turn lane should be laid out such that the
turning vehicle must make a definite move to
enter the lane. The desirable length of the left-turn
lane is the sum of the required storage length and
deceleration length, including the bay taper
length.
Width - The desirable left-turn lane width should
Part 2 400-13
Storage Length - The storage length should be
sufficient:
To store the number of vehicles during
critical periods.
To avoid left-turning vehicles stopping in the
through lanes.
So the lane entrance is not blocked by
standing through traffic.
Refer to the Highway Capacity Manual, Special
Report No. 209, Transportation Research
Board, 1986 for further discussion.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
406.05 RIGHT-TURN
CHANNELIZATION
General - Right-turn lanes improve intersection
capacity and safety. As for left-turn lanes, right-
turn lanes should be laid out such that a right-
turning vehicle must make a definite move to
enter the lane.
The desirable length of the right-turn lane is the
sum of storage requirements and deceleration
length, including bay taper.
Width - The desirable right-turn lane width
should be 3.65 m. Three meter wide right-turn
lanes may be used on low speed urban roadways.
The width is measured from the adjacent edge of
travelled way, excluding shy distance.
The normal shoulder should be provided at the
right-turn lane although, if right of way is
severely constrained, a minimum 1.2 m wide
shoulder may be used. The normal curb should be
carried through the right-turn section.
Approach Tapers - Generally right-turn lane
approach tapers are not required because the lane
is added to the outside of the travelled way and
the travel lanes are not shifted. However, if the
travel lanes must be shifted to accommodate a
right-turn lane, the taper should be the same as
for left-turn lanes.
Bay Tapers - The bay taper which guides the
motorist into the right-turn lane is a straight line
along the right edge of the travelled way.
Generally the taper length should be 15:1.
Deceleration Length - Whenever feasible, the
right-turn lane should provide deceleration clear
of the through lanes. The minimum deceleration
lengths, exclusive of bay taper and vehicle
storage, for 50, 60 and 80 kph are 70, 100 and
130 m, respectively.
In urban areas, it may not be possible to provide
the deceleration lengths and maintain the storage
and approach taper lengths required. In these
situations, these lengths should be used as a
desirable goal.
Part 2 400-14
Storage Length - Storage requirements and goals
are the same as for left-turns.
Free Right-Turns - Uncontrolled free right-
turns improve capacity of an intersection with a
heavy right-turn demand. The right-turn is made
"free" by channelizing the turning movement
outside of the intersection controls. Free right-
turns shall only be provided where the turning
movement can be made into an auxiliary or
acceleration lane.
406.06 TRAFFIC ISLANDS
General - Traffic islands are located between
traffic lanes and are commonly designated using
paint, raised pavement markers, or curbs. They
serve to:
confine specific traffic movements into
definite channels;
separate traffic moving in the same or
opposite direction;
aid and protect pedestrians crossing the
intersection; and,
discourage or prohibit undesirable
movements.
Design - Traffic islands must be large enough to
be seen and to command the attention of the
driver. Islands for channelizing should preferably
be at least 9.0 m2. Curbed islands for separating
traffic streams should not be less than 1.0 m wide
and 8.0 m long.
Curbed islands should be offset from the through
traffic lanes by a minimum shy distance of 0.6 m
and 0.9 m is preferable for approach speeds
greater than 25 kph.
The approach end of a curbed island should be
rounded at 0.5 to 1.0 m radius and tapered at 15:1
to guide the driver into the channelization.
Where there is an approach shoulder (1.2 m or
wider), the curbed island should be offset from
the through lane by the width of the shoulder.
With an approach shoulder the flared approach is
not necessary, except where a deceleration or
turning lane has been provided.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Avoid curbed traffic islands where the approach
operating speeds are 80 kph or greater.
Mountable curbs should be used at curbed islands
except where barrier curbs are provided for
greater pedestrian protection.
407 ROUNDABOUT DESIGN
There are three main types of roundabouts,
Normal, Mini and Double. There are other forms
of roundabouts but they variations of these basic
types. They are Ring Junctions, Grade Separated
and Signalized Roundabouts. More information
about the use and design of these and other
roundabouts can be found in the Geometric
Design of Roundabouts. When reading this
design manual the designer should be aware that
the manual was written for left-hand running
traffic and appropriate modifications should be
made for when adapting these standards to right-
hand running traffic patterns.
The roundabout is used at intersecting streets with
low capacity and low design speed. Roundabouts
should be considered when they are cost effective
or increase safety over standard intersection
designs.
roundabout. For these reasons roundabouts
tend to be removed and replaced with
conventional signalized intersections instead
of being modified.
Roundabouts require more land than
conventional intersections.
Roundabouts are not well suited for
pedestrian traffic, because pedestrians are not
able to walk in a clear path through the
intersection. In areas of high pedestrian
traffic, pedestrians can cause major problems
with illegal crossings.
Normal Roundabouts: The normal
configuration of a roundabout is made up of a
one-way road around a circular curbed island 4m
or more in diameter. The approaches are usually
flared to allow multiple vehicle entries. The
number of entries should be limited to three or
four arms. The efficiency and driver
comprehension decreases as the number of arms
is increased. The minimum radius of curvature
also increases with additional arms which can
raise circulatory speeds. Double roundabouts can
be an alternative under these conditions. See
Figure 400.08.

Advantages: There are several advantages to

roundabout design versus conventional three and
four leg intersections.
Roundabouts are more efficient than signals
on balanced traffic demand intersections.
Roundabouts allow for continuous traffic
flow.
Roundabouts can reduce traffic speeds in
existing intersections.

Disadvantages: There are several disadvantages

to roundabouts that make them less favorable
than conventional designs. Figure 400.08
Driver comprehension to right-of-way with Normal Roundabout
respect to yielding to traffic flow.
Mini Roundabouts: The mini-roundabout is
Roundabouts are prone to large congestion
similar to the normal roundabout except the
problems when traffic exceeds design
diameter of the island is less than 4m. Instead of
capacity.
a curbed island a raised, reflectorized dome is
It is difficult to redesign an existing
used for driver recognition of the high spot. The
roundabout to increase its capacity. Redesign
mini-roundabout is a good alternative for existing
requires adding more lanes which greatly
roads with extremely low traffic volumes that
increases the land required for the
have high safety and delay problems. Where
intersection. This increase in diameter also
physical deflection of approaching traffic is not
increases the design speed through the
Part 2 400-15
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

possible, roadway stripping and traffic islands

may be used. See Figure 400.09.

Figure 400.09 Figure 400.10

Mini Roundabout Double Roundabout

Double Roundabouts: Double roundabouts are

generally used in areas with unique traffic
requirements such as:
Where intersection improvements are done
and the roundabout eliminates the need to
realign an approach road.
In areas where more than four arms are
entering the intersection.
At intersections with unusual or asymmetrical
configurations.
Where single island configurations do not
have enough capacity.
The joining of parallel roads separated by an
existing feature.

These unique circumstances should be evaluated

by an experienced traffic engineer and the
Municipality must be informed on the decision to
consider a double roundabout. The double
roundabout should only be used after proper
consideration and is contingent only with the
approval of experienced personnel and the
Municipality. See Figure 400.10.

Part 2 400-16
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 500
INTERCHANGES
501 GENERAL
The ability to accommodate high traffic volumes
safely and efficiently through intersections
depends on how intersecting traffic is handled.
The greatest efficiency, safety, and capacity are
attained when intersecting through traffic lanes
are physically separated. An interchange does
this with a combination of ramps and grade
separations at the junction of two or more
roadways. This reduces or eliminates traffic
conflicts, improves safety, and increases traffic
capacity. Crossing conflicts are eliminated by
grade separations and turning conflicts are
eliminated or minimized depending on the
interchange configuration.
The selection and design of grade separations
and interchanges is influenced by roadway
classification, traffic volume, traffic composition,
design speed, access control, signing
requirements, economics, terrain, right-of-way,
capacity and safety. Interchange types vary
widely so each site should be studied and
alternate concepts made to determine the
appropriate layout.
502 INTERCHANGE WARRANTS
Interchanges are very costly and should be used
only where necessary. Interchanges should be
considered based on the following warrants:
Where intersecting traffic volumes are
heavy.
Where topography does not lend itself to the
construction of an intersection.
When making a connection to a freeway.
For a roadway with access control between
selected terminals.
To eliminate a traffic bottleneck.
To eliminate a hazardous at-grade
intersection.
When road-user benefits are substantial.
Part 2 500-1
503 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Due to the complex nature of interchange design
it is important to establish a set of consistent
design parameters. Listed below are features
which should be considered during the
interchange design process.
Provide consistent design features.
Ramp exits shall be from the right.
Ramp entrances shall be on the right.
One exit per direction from main roadway.
Ramp design speed beyond exit should
preferably be one-half to two-thirds that of
the roadway.
Provide ramps for return or complementary
traffic movements at same interchange.
Use grades and slopes as flat as possible.
Consider signing during geometric design.
504 INTERCHANGE TYPES
This section includes examples of commonly
used interchange configurations. See Chapter X
of "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways
and Streets," AASHTO, 1994, for additional
examples.
504.01 THREE-LEG INTERCHANGE
Three-leg interchanges have three intersecting
legs. They usually consist of one or more
roadway grade separations and one-way
roadways for all traffic movements. Because
future expansion is difficult, three-leg
interchanges should only be used when one of
the three legs is permanently terminated. Heavy
traffic volume should be favored with more
direct alignments, and lesser volumes can be
looped. Skewed crossings are desirable because
travel distance is less, the turning radius is flatter
for the heavier left-turning volume and there is
less angle of turn for both left turns.
Figure 500.01 illustrates several types of three
leg interchanges.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure -500.01
Three-Leg Interchanges
From AASHTO, 1994," A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets".

Part 2 500-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

504.02 FOUR-LEG INTERCHANGES Comparatively low construction cost.

Direct cross road turning maneuvers.
Four-leg interchanges include diamond Single exit feature simplifies expressway
interchanges, full cloverleaves, partial signing.
cloverleaves (parclo), and interchanges with No need for speed change lanes on or under
direct and semidirect connections. Each basic the structure.
interchange type is described and discussed in No weaving on the expressway.
the following sections.
Disadvantages -
Diamond Interchange Overall capacity is limited by ramp
intersection capacity.
Diamond interchanges are the most commonly Capacity is lowered on the minor road due
used interchange (Figure 500.02). They consist to left turning movements.
of four ramps which parallel the main roadway, Increased accident potential unless
providing all eight turning movements. signalized.
Possibility of wrong-way movements.
Turning traffic from the expressway is
obliged to stop at the minor road. Storage
lane treatment may be required.
Little possibility for future expansion.

Single Point Diamond Interchange

The Single Point Interchange (SPI) is also known
as an urban interchange or a single point
diamond interchange (Figure 500.03). All four
turning movements are controlled by a single
traffic signal and opposing left turns cross to the
left of each other.

Figure 500.02
Simple Diamond

Application - The diamond is used at

major/minor roadway crossings with direct high
speed exit/entrance ramps on the major roadway
and at-grade intersections on the minor roadway.

It is adaptable to a wide range of traffic volumes

and capacity may be increased by widening the
ramps and cross road in the intersection area by
providing storage lanes, two-lane left turns,
channelization, and traffic signals at the ramp
cross road intersections.

Advantages -
High design standard single exits in advance
Figure 500.03
of the structure.
Single Point Diamond Interchange
High design standard single entrances
beyond the structure.
Requires relatively little right-of-way.
Part 2 500-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Application - Best suited for areas where right-

of-way is restricted.

Advantages
Relatively narrow right-of-way.
Opposing left turns pass to the left of each
other.
Traffic signal is three-phase rather than four.
Operates with a single traffic signal reducing
delay through the ramp intersection.
Handles high volume left-turns on the cross
road more efficiently than a diamond.
Curve radii for left-turn movements through
the intersection are significantly flatter than
at conventional intersections, and therefore
the left turns move at higher speeds.
Higher capacity than a conventional tight
diamond interchange.
Figure 500.04
Disadvantages - Cloverleaf
Higher construction cost than a conventional
tight diamond interchange.
Extensive retaining walls required where Advantages -
right-of-way is restricted. Left-turn conflicts eliminated
Vehicle path through the intersection Single structure design.
requires, at a minimum, a painted guidance Traffic signals are unnecessary.
stripe. Lends itself to stage construction.
Not suitable for skewed interchanges.
Adding pedestrian movement to the Disadvantages -
interchange adds a signal phase and reduces Large right-of-way requirements.
efficiency. Weaving may severely limit capacity.
Adding weaving lanes on and under structure
Cloverleaf
increase cost.
High weave volumes require collector
The cloverleaf is a four-leg interchange that uses
distributor roads.
loop ramps to eliminate the four left-turn
movements and uses outer ramps for the four Double exit on the expressway complicates
right-turn movements (Figure 500.04). An signing.
interchange with loops in all quadrants is referred Insufficient deceleration length from
to as "full cloverleaf" and all others as a "partial expressway speed to control speed of inner
cloverleaf (parclo)". loop.
Poor safety features.
Application - Where there is a need to avoid Extra travel distance/time required for left
restrictive at-grade left turns and adequate right turns.
of way is available. Large trucks may experience problems with
tight curves.

Part 2 500-4
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Cloverleaf with Collector Distributor Road
A collector distributor road in conjunction with a
cloverleaf removes the weaving ramp traffic
from the main roadway (Figure 500.05).
Figure 500.05
Cloverleaf with Collector Distributor Road
Application - Same as for basic cloverleaf except
is more suitable for areas with high weaving
volumes.
Advantages -
Minimizes weaving conflicts by placing
weave on collector distributor road.
Minimizes signing difficulties.
Provides a single exit and entrance from
main roadway.
Reduce merging and diverging points on
main roadway.
Higher volume than basic cloverleaf design.
Part 2 500-5
Disadvantages -
May require more right of way than basic
cloverleaf.
Higher structure costs than basic cloverleaf
due to greater span.
Signing is more complicated than basic
clover leaf
Partial Cloverleaf (Parclo)
A partial clover leaf is a portion of the full clover
leaf design. Ramps should be arranged so that the
entrance and exit turning movements create the
least impediment to major roadway traffic flows.
The general parclo interchange applications,
advantages and disadvantages are given below.
Figures 500.06 through 500.10 show several
parclo arrangements and lists their relative
advantages and disadvantages.
Application - This interchange is suitable for
locations where by removing two left-turn
movements from the intersections the remaining
left-turn conflicts can be tolerated.
General Advantages -
Suitable for stage construction.
Exit terminals in advance of structure.
Weaving eliminated.
Single exit simplifies signing.
Expandable if structure opening wide
enough.
Can be configured to optimize traffic
volume/capacity.
Future expansion if structure opening wide
enough.
General Disadvantages -
Minor road has stop condition for left-turn.
Minor road may require left-turn storage.
Points of conflict on the minor roadway at
the ramp terminals limit capacity and safety.
Right-turn expressway traffic stops at minor
roadway.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 500.06 Figure 500.09

Advantages - Disadvantages -
Entrance ramp loops. Stop condition on minor road and ramps for
Disadvantages - left turns.
Stop condition on minor road and ramps for Expressway traffic exits onto small radius
left turns. loop.

Figure 500.07 Figure 500.10

Advantages - Advantages -
Stop for left-turns confined to movements Stop condition for left turns confined to
from ramps only. movements from minor roadway only.
Entrance ramp loops. Not conducive to wrong-way movements.

Disadvantages -
Expressway traffic exits onto small radius
loop.

Directional Interchanges
A direct connection is defined as a one-way
roadway that does not deviate greatly from -the
intended direction of travel. Interchanges that
use direct connections for the major left-turn
movements are termed directional interchanges
(Figure 500.11). Direct connections for one or
Figure 500.08 all left-turn movements would qualify an
interchange to be termed directional even if the
Disadvantages - minor left turn movements are accommodated on
Stop condition on minor road and ramps for loops.
left turns.
Expressway traffic exits onto small radius
loop.
Entrance/exit loops

Part 2 500-6
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Directional interchanges have one or more grade

separations with direct or semidirect ramp
connections for one or more left turning
movements. Free flow is provided for high
turning traffic volumes in one or two quadrants
comparable in volume to through traffic.
When one or more interchange connections are
indirect in alignment yet more direct than loops,
the interchange is described as semi-directional.
All left-turn connections or only those that
accommodate major left-turn movements may be
semi-direct in alignment.
The most widely used type of directional
interchange is the four-level layout system
shown in Figure 500.11A. A variation of this
type is the four-level interchange with two exits
from both major roadways, as shown in Figure
500.11B.
Chapter X of "A Policy on Geometric Design of
Highways and Streets," AASHTO, 1994, has
additional examples of directional interchanges.
Application - Semi-direct or direct connections
for one or more left-turning movements are often
required at major interchanges in urban areas.
Interchanges involving two freeways nearly
always call for directional layouts. In such cases
turning movements in one or two quadrants often
are comparable in volume to through
movements.
Advantages -
Reduced travel distance.
Increased speed and capacity.
Weaving eliminated.
Avoids the indirection in driving on a loop.
Higher levels of service . Figure 500.11
Require little right of way. Directional Interchanges

Disadvantages -
High construction costs.
Require detailed, time-consuming study.

Part 2 500-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
505 INTERCHANGE DESIGN
PROCEDURES
General - Since interchanges are so costly, and a
vital element of freeway capacity it is important
that a well functioning, economic design be
conceived. In general, alternative interchange
schemes should be analyzed and several
preferred alternatives should be selected based
on geometry, capacity, signing, aesthetics,
environmental compatibility, overall adaptability,
route continuity, route uniformity, maintaining
traffic during construction, suitability to stage
construction, right-of-way requirements and the
effect on the local road and roadway network.
From these preferred alternatives, preliminary
plans, profiles and cost estimates should be
prepared. Include costs for right-of way,
construction, maintenance, and other appropriate
items. Once this data has been prepared, the best
interchange design concept can be selected.
506 INTERCHANGE DESIGN
STANDARDS
An interchange consists of the through freeway,
the ramps and the cross road. This section deals
primarily with the interchange as a whole.
Specific designs for ramps are discussed in the
sections that follow.
Sight Distance - Stopping sight distance shall be
the minimum sight distance provided on the
respective roadways through an interchange and
preferably longer. Decision sight distance shall
be provided at exits. Sight distance requirements
are discussed in Part 2, Section 300, Geometric
Cross Section.
For minimum radius curves, the normal lateral
clearance may not provide minimum stopping
sight distance because piers, abutments and
bridge rail limit horizontal sight distance. If a
flatter curve cannot be used, the clearances
should be increased to obtain the proper sight
distance even though it is necessary to increase
structure spans or widths.
Design Speed Considerations - In the design of
interchanges it is important to provide vertical
and horizontal alignment standards which are
Part 2 500-8
consistent with the design speed for the roadways
and driving conditions expected.
Spacing - Minimum interchange spacing is
determined by weaving volumes, ability to sign,
signal progression, and required lengths of speed
change lanes. Interchange spacing has a
pronounced effect on freeway operation. In
general, minimum spacing shall be:
Rural Urban
3.0 km 1.5 km
Uniformity - To the extent practicable all
interchanges along a freeway should be uniform
in geometric layout and general appearance. All
entrance and exit ramps shall be on the right.
Signing and Marking - Signs, pavement
striping, delineators and other markings should
conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD).
Basic Number of Lanes - Design traffic
volumes and a capacity analysis should be used
to determine the basic number of roadway lanes
and the minimum number of ramp lanes. The
basic number of lanes should be established for a
substantial length of freeway and should not be
changed through pairs of interchanges.
Auxiliary Lanes - An auxiliary lane is defined
as the portion of the roadway adjoining the
travelled way for emergency stopping, speed
change, turning, turning storage, weaving, truck
climbing, and other purposes supplementary to
through-traffic movement.
An auxiliary lane may be needed when:
interchanges are closely spaced.
the distance between the end of the taper on
the entrance terminal and the beginning of
the taper on the exit terminal is short.
local frontage roads do not exist.
necessary for lane balance.
necessary for capacity requirements.
necessary for weaving.
An auxiliary lane may be introduced as a single
exclusive lane or in conjunction with a two-lane
entrance. Auxiliary lanes may be dropped in a
single or two-lane exit or carried to the physical
gore nose before tapering into the through
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

roadway. Auxiliary lanes may be tapered or Table 500.01

parallel and shall be a minimum of 3.65 m wide. Ramp Entrance/Exit Design Speed
Lane Reduction - The basic number of freeway Freeway Design Speed Ramp Design Speed
lanes may be reduced if the exit volume is large kph kph
enough to change the basic number of lanes 140 100
required beyond the reduction point for the 120 85
freeway as a whole. 100 70

The reduction may be made at a two-lane exit
ramp or between interchanges. The lane-drop
taper should be on a horizontal tangent on the
approach side of a crest vertical curve, or on a
sag vertical curve. The lane reduction shall be
made on the right using a desirable taper rate of
70:1 (minimum taper rate of 50:1).
Weaving Sections - Weaving sections are
roadway segments where vehicles entering and
leaving at adjacent access points cross each
others paths. Weaving sections reduce
interchange capacity and should be eliminated
from the main facility where feasible. Refer to
the Highway Capacity Manual for further
discussion on weaving sections.
507 RAMP DESIGN STANDARDS
These speeds do not apply to ramp terminals,
which should be designed using the intersecting
roadway speed.
Profile - A typical ramp profile consists of the
ramp body on an appreciable grade, between
vertical curves that connect to the intersection
legs. The profile at the ramp terminal is
generally determined by the cross road.
Ramp grades should be as flat as feasible. Down
grades should be limited to 3 or 4 percent on
ramps with sharp horizontal curvature and
significant heavy truck or bus traffic. However,
sight distance is more important than a specific
gradient control and should be favored in design.
As general criteria, it is desirable that ascending
gradients on ramps be limited to:

General - A ramp is typically a one-way Table 500.02

roadway connecting interchange legs. Ramps Ramp Grades
consist of three main parts. The ramp freeway Ramp Ramp
entrance or exit, the ramp body and the ramp Design Speed Gradient
intersection with the cross road. The intersection kph %
with the freeway is called the ramp entrance or 70-80 3-5
exit and the intersection with the cross roads is 60 4-6
typically defined as the ramp terminal. 40-50 5-7
30-40 6-8
This section deals mainly with general ramp
design criteria. Specific ramp entrance/exit and
terminal designs are discussed separately in the Curvature - The factors and assumptions of
following sections. minimum-turning roadway curves for various
speeds apply to ramps and are discussed in
Design Speed - Ramp design speed varies based Section 200.
on location along the ramp. The freeway
entrance or exit design speed approximates the Sight Distance - The minimum sight distance
freeway design speed. The ramp terminal design provided anywhere along the ramp shall be
speed usually approximates that of the cross road stopping sight distance. See the sections on
if there is no stop condition. The design speed freeway entrance/exit ramp and ramp terminals
for the ramp body transitions from the freeway for specific requirements at those areas.
design speed to the terminal design speed. See
typical examples in Table 500.01. Shoulder Width - Shoulder widths for ramps
shall be as indicated in Part 2, Section 300,
Geometric Cross Section.

Part 2 500-9
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Gores - The term "gore" indicates an area
downstream from the shoulder intersection points
as illustrated in Figure 500.12. The gore nose is
defined as that point where the distance
measured between the main line and ramp
travelled ways is 7.0 m. If feasible, the unpaved
area beyond the nose should be graded level with
the roadways. Heavy sign supports, street lights,
and roadway structure supports shall be kept out
of the graded gore area.
Profile grade considerations are of particular
concern through entrance and exit gore areas. In
some instances the ramp profile, or the
combination of profile and cross slope, is
sufficiently different from the freeway through
lanes that grade breaks across the gore become
necessary. Where adjacent lanes or lanes and
gore areas at freeway entrances and exits are not
in the same plane, the algebraic difference in
pavement cross slope shall not exceed 5%.
Lane Drops - Typically the ramp lane reduction
shall be made using a desirable taper rate of 70:1,
50:1 maximum.
Lane drop tapers should not extend beyond the 2
meter point (the beginning of the weaving
length) without the provision of an auxiliary
lane.
Lane Additions - Lane additions to ramps shall
use a taper rate of 10:1.
Superelevation And Cross Slope - The factors
controlling superelevation rates discussed in Part
2, Section 200, Geometric Design Standards,
apply to ramps. Ramp superelevation rates shall
be per Table 200.04.
Where feasible, the curve radius should be
increased to reduce the required standard
superelevation rate. Both the edge of travelled
way and the edge of shoulder should be
examined at ramp junctions to assure a smooth
transition.

Figure 500.12
Typical Gore Area
From AASHTO, 1994, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets

Part 2 500-10
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Widening - Where ramps have curve radii of 90 facilitate acceleration and merging. Where the
m or less with a central angle greater than 60 loop ramp has a small radius on a steep descent
degrees the lane furthest to the right of the ramp, (over 6%), it is important to develop the standard
shall be widened in accordance with Table 2/3 full superelevation rate by the beginning of
500.03 in order to accommodate large truck the curve. On loop entrance ramps this can often
wheel paths. More than one lane may be be facilitated by beginning the ramp with a short
widened if warranted by truck and bus usage. tangent (20 m to 30 m) that diverges from the
cross street at an angle of 4 to 9 degrees. Longer
Table 500.03 tangents are desirable.
Ramp Widening For Trucks
Distance Between Successive On-Ramps - The
Ramp Radius Widening Lane Width minimum distance between two successive
(m) (m) (m) freeway on-ramps should be the distance needed
<40 2.0 5.6 to provide the standard on-ramp acceleration
40 - 44 1.6 5.2 taper shown on Figure 500.13. This distance
45 - 54 1.3 4.9 should be about 300 m. If the upstream ramp
55 - 64 0.9 4.5 adds an auxiliary lane, the downstream ramp
65 - 74 0.6 4.2 should merge with the auxiliary lane. The
75 - 90 0.3 3.9 distance between on-ramp noses will then be
>90 0 3.6 controlled by interchange geometry.
For ramps having curve radii of 90 m or less
with a central angle greater than 60 degrees. Distance Between Successive Exits - The
minimum distance between successive exit
ramps for guide signing should be 300 m on the
Normally, loop ramps are one lane unless
freeway and 180 m on collector-distributor roads.
capacity warrants additional lanes.
Consideration should be given to providing a
directional ramp when loop volumes exceed 508 ENTRANCE/ EXIT RAMP
1500 vehicles per hour. If multiple lanes are DESIGN STANDARDS
provided, normally only the right lane needs to
be widened. General - The ramp entrance/exit is that ramp
portion adjacent to the through travelled way,
Loop Ramps - Radii for loop ramps should including speed-change lanes, tapers, and
normally range from 45 m to 60 m. Increasing islands. All freeway entrances and exits shall
the radii beyond 60 m is typically not cost connect to the right of through traffic. The
effective as the slight increase in design speed is following paragraphs discuss various design
usually outweighed by the increased right of way elements of ramp entrances/exits.
requirements and the increased travel distance.
For roadway design speeds greater than 80 kph Entrance/Exit Sight Distance - Decision sight
the loop design speed should not be less than 40 distance is desirable along the freeway prior to
kph (45 m radius). Extremely tight curves (less an exit nose and the entire exit terminal should
than 35 m radii) should be avoided because they be visible.
lead to increased off-tracking and increase the
potential for vehicles to enter the curve with When an exit must be located where visibility is
excessive speed. See Table 200.05 for further limited by physical restrictions which cannot be
guidelines on radius versus design speed. corrected by cut widening or object removal, an
auxiliary lane in advance of the exit should be
Research indicates that trucks often enter loops provided. The minimum length of auxiliary lane
with excessive speed, either due to inadequate shall be 300 m desirable, 180 m minimum.
deceleration on exit ramps or due to driver
efforts to maintain speed on entrance ramps to

Part 2 500-11
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 500.13
Single Lane Freeway Entrances and Exits
From Caltrans, 1995, Highway Design Manual

Part 2 500-12
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Exit Design Speed - The minimum design speed
at the exit nose should be 80 kph or greater for
both ramps and branch connections. Decision
sight distance should be provided at freeway
exits and branch connectors.
Entrance Design Speed - The design speed at
the nose should be consistent with approach
alignment standards. If the approach is a branch
connection or diamond ramp with high alignment
standards, the minimum design speed should be
80 kph.
Entrance/Exit Designs - Design of freeway
entrances and exits should conform to the
standard designs in Figures 500.13, 500.14, and
500.15 for single lane, two lane entrances and
exits, and diverging branch connections,
respectively. A branch connection is defined as a
multilane connection between two freeways.
The minimum deceleration length shown on
Figure 500.13 shall be provided prior to the first
curve beyond the exit nose. This provides for
adequate deceleration before entering the curve.
When the subsequent curve is a descending loop
or hook ramp, or if the upstream condition is a
sustained downgrade, deceleration length should
be increased. (see AASHTO, A Policy on
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets,
1994, Chap. X for additional information).
Single-lane Freeway to Freeway Connections
Freeway-to-freeway connectors may be single
lane or multilane. Where design year volume is
between 900 and 1500 equivalent passenger cars
per hour, initial construction should provide a
single lane connection with the capability of
adding an additional lane. Single lane directional
connectors should be designed using the general
configurations shown on Figure 500.13, but
utilizing the flatter diverge angle shown in Figure
500.15. Single lane loop connectors may use a
diverge angle of as much as that shown on Figure
500.13 for ramps, if necessary. The choice will
depend upon interchange configuration and
driver expectancy. Single-lane connectors in
excess of 300 m in length should be widened to
two lanes to provide for passing maneuvers.
Part 2 500-13
Two-Lane Exit Ramps - Where design year
estimated volumes exceed 1500 equivalent
passenger cars per hour, a 2-lane exit per Figure
500.14 should be used. A minimum 400 m
auxiliary lane should be provided in advance of a
two-lane exit. Provisions should also be made
for widening to three or more lanes at the cross
road intersection.
For volumes less than 1500 but more than 900, a
one-lane width exit ramp should be provided
with provision for adding an auxiliary lane and
an additional lane on the ramp.
Branch Connections - A branch connection
should be provided when the design year volume
exceeds 1500 equivalent passenger cars per hour.
Merging branch connections should be designed
as shown in Figure 500.14. Diverging branch
connections should be designed as shown in
Figure 500.15. The standard ramp exit connects
to a local street. The diverging branch
connection connects to another freeway and has a
flatter angle that allows a higher departure speed.
At a branch merge, an 800 m length of auxiliary
lane should be provided beyond the merge of one
lane of the inlet, except where it does not appear
that capacity on the freeway will be reached until
five or more years after the 20 year design
period. In this case the length of auxiliary lane
should be a minimum of 300 m. For diverging
connections where less than capacity conditions
beyond the design year are anticipated, the length
of auxiliary lane in advance of the exit should be
400 m.
Branch Lane Drops - The lane drop taper on a
freeway-to-freeway connector shall not be less
than 70:1.
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 500.14
Two-Lane Entrance and Exit Ramps
From Caltrans, 1995, Highway Design Manual
Part 2 500-14
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 500.15
Diverging Branch Connections
From Caltrans, 1995, Highway Design Manual

Part 2 500-15
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Two-Lane Entrance Ramps - A standard two
lane entrance ramp is illustrated in Figure
500.14. This design may be utilized in situations
where the estimated design year volume exceeds
1500 equivalent passenger cars per hour. Figure
500.14 includes a minimum 300 m auxiliary lane
parallel to the freeway, which is only used where
adequate design year capacity exists on the
through facility. If capacity is inadequate,
consideration should be given to extending the
auxiliary lane to the next interchange or adding
additional freeway through lanes. For most
urban situations, it is recommended that multiple
ramp lanes taper to a single lane prior to the 2-
meter separation point (where merging is
considered to begin).
Entrance/Exit Locations - Freeway entrances
and exits should be located on tangent sections
wherever possible. This provides maximum
sight distance and optimum traffic operation.
Where it is necessary to locate entrances/exits on
a curve, the ramp entrances and exit tapers
should also be curved. The exit taper radius
should approximate the freeway edge of travelled
way in order to develop the standard degree of
divergence (Figure 500.16).
Figure 500.16
Curved Entrance/Exit Locations
From Caltrans, 1995, Highway Design Manual
Part 2 500-16
On curved entrance ramps the distance from the
inlet nose (4.25 m point) to the end of the
acceleration lane taper should equal the sum of
the distances shown on Figure 500.13 The 50:1
taper may be curved to fit the conditions, and the
1000 m radius curve may be adjusted.
Entrance/ Exit Grades - Grades for freeway
entrances and exits are controlled primarily by
sight distance requirements. Ramp profile grades
should not exceed 6%.
Exit Profiles - Vertical curves located just
beyond the exit nose should be designed with a
minimum 80 kph stopping sight distance.
Beyond this point, progressively lower design
speeds may be used to accommodate loop ramps
and other geometric features.
Entrance Profiles - Entrance profiles should
approximately parallel the freeway profile for at
least 30 m prior to the inlet nose to provide
intervisibility in merging situations. The vertical
curve at the inlet nose should be consistent with
approach alignment standards.
Where large-truck volumes exceed 20 vehicles
per hour on ascending entrance ramps with
sustained upgrades exceeding 2%, a minimum
450 m long auxiliary lane should be provided to
insure satisfactory separating conditions.
Exit Ramp Transitions - Exit ramps in urban
areas may require additional lanes at the cross
road intersection to provide storage and increase
capacity.
If the length of a single lane ramp exceeds 300
m, an additional lane should be provided on the
ramp to permit passing maneuvers.
508.01 RAMP TERMINAL DESIGN
The ramp terminal is defined as the area where
the ramp meets the cross road.
Terminals - Ramp terminals should be treated as
at-grade intersections. The terminal design shall
be per Part 2, Section 400, At-Grade
Intersections, based on near-minimum turning
conditions.
Terminal Grades - Ascending off-ramps should
join the cross roads on a reasonably flat grade to
expedite truck starts from a stopped condition.
Ramp terminals should connect where the grade
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

of the over crossing is 4% or less to avoid
potential overturning of trucks.
Terminal Locations - Factors which influence
the location of ramp terminals include sight
distance, construction costs, right of way costs,
circuitry of travel for left-turn movements,
crossroads gradient at ramp intersections, storage
requirements for left-turn movements off the
crossroads, and the proximity of other local road
intersections.
Where a separate right turn lane is provided at
ramp terminals the turn lane should not continue
as a "free" right unless pedestrian volumes are
low, the right turn lane continues as a separate
full width lane for at least 60 m prior to merging,
and access control is maintained for at least 60 m
past the ramp intersection. Provision of the
"free" right should also be precluded if left turn
movements are allowed within 125 m of the
ramp intersection.
Terminal Sight Distances Horizontal sight
restrictions may be caused by bridge railings,
bridge piers, or slopes. Sight distance is
measured between the center of the outside lane
approaching the ramp and the eye of the driver of
the ramp vehicle assumed 3.0 m back from the
edge of shoulder at the crossroads. Figure
500.17 illustrates ramp setback from an over
crossing structure. This figure is based on sight
distance being controlled by the bridge rail, but
the same relationship exists for sight distance
controlled by bridge piers or slopes.
Where ramp set back is unobtainable, sight
distance shall be provided by flaring the end of
the overcrossing structures or setting back the
piers or end slopes of an undercrossing structure.

Figure 500.17
Ramp Setback
From Caltrans, 1995, Highway Design Manual

Part 2 500-17
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 600 may be obtained through the Abu Dhabi

Municipality Road Section as well as other
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Municipality and Government Agencies.

601 INTRODUCTION The geotechnical report is to contain the

information shown in Table 600.01 as a
The first part of this section is intended to give an minimum.
overview of what is required in a geotechnical
report used for roadway and structural design. It Table 600.01
does not cover the specific methods of testing, GEOTECHNICAL REPORT
sampling or analysis required. Standard SI Table of Contents
practices and the Municipality Roads Section
Guidelines for Subsurface Investigations for Civil Introduction
Engineering Purposes current revision should be Location Map
used for guidance in this area. Proposed Construction
Previous Information and/or Investigations
The second part of this section outlines the Field Investigation And Laboratory Testing
pavement design procedure. Include Boring Location Plan
Site and Subsurface Conditions
602 GENERAL Climate
Significant Geotechnical Features
The Consultant shall obtain approval from the Regional Geology and Seismicity
Road Section, Traffic Police and any other Analysis and Recommendations
concerned Agencies prior to commencing a Retaining Wall Recommendations
geotechnical investigation. Excavation and Ground Compaction
Factors
Generally a geotechnical investigation is carried Expected Settlements
out in two phases. The initial phase consists of Groundwater Observations
preliminary drilling and testing to gather enough Allowable Foundation Loads
project specific information to advance the Foundation Recommendations
roadway and structure design. The final stage, if
Borrow/Material Source
required, is performed for design features
Slope Stability
requiring specific geotechnical recommendations.
Soil Corrosivity to Buried Structures
Subgrade Support for Pavement Design
603 GEOTECHNICAL REPORT
Topsoil Plating Recommendations
Once the preliminary horizontal and vertical Treatment for Problem Soils
alignment and structure locations have been Any Relevant Geotechnical Aspects
defined, the engineer will prepare a preliminary a Affecting Future Performance of the
subsurface exploration and testing program. Works
Providing information such as foundation types, Appendices
safe slope angles and preliminary pavement Boring Logs
thickness allows the initial design to be advanced Summary of Test Results
and refined. The initial program also identifies Other Pertinent Information
the type, severity and extent of any geotechnical
design problems. Pertinent information should be included in the
appendices. In certain circumstances, such as a
The geotechnical report should consist of results major bridge design or other major structure, an
and recommendations from the initial drilling and additional report may be required to define special
testing program as well as any information from geotechnical aspects of foundation design.
prior investigations. Prior investigations and data

Part 2 600-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

604 STRUCTURAL PAVEMENT The advantage of the phenomenological approach

SECTION DESIGN is that one does not need to spend resources on
measurement of input variables. The advantage
of the analytical approach, however, is that
604.01 GENERAL
conditions outside the experience of the designer
can be designed for by selecting the appropriate
604.01.01 Pavement Design Methods
input variables.
Pavement design is a challenging process because
Actual pavement design methods fall somewhere
the analytical framework for design is so
between these two extremes. Field and laboratory
complex. Complexity is introduced both by the
investigation of pavement properties and
number of materials involved and the number of
performance over the last 20 to 30 years have led
variables required for design. The pavement
to semi-analytical methods based on observations.
section itself consists of a surfacing material and
The many input variables are introduced either
several supporting layers. The strengths and
through equations developed by regression or
moduli of these layers vary through several orders
equations developed from first principles.
of magnitude, and at least the lowest layer (native
subgrade) is best described by non-linear
The TRIP pavement design method was based on
constitutive models. These factors by themselves
the interim AASHTO method developed in the
make development of equations which control
late 1970s. The approach to pavement design has
even simple material behaviors such as deflection
advanced considerably since that time. In order
under load extremely non-trivial.
to take advantage of these advances several state-
of-the art pavement design methods were
The problem is exacerbated by the sheer number
evaluated against the TRIP method for use in the
of variables which ought to be considered. The
Municipality.
pavement is influenced by the soil upon which the
pavement is supported, the number of vehicles
The interim AASHTO method, upon which TRIP
expected to pass over the pavement, the weight of
was based, was developed from the results of
the vehicles which pass over, the spatial
observations of roadway performance on test beds
arrangement of the tires which support that
in the midwestern United States. This method
weight, the tire pressure, the material properties
was widely regarded as the best compromise
of the pavement section materials, the temperature
between observation and analysis available in the
and temperature range, the moisture condition of
late 1970's. However, because of its origins
the subgrade, the likelihood of freeze-and-thaw
primarily in the Midwestern United States, the
cycles, and probably several more. Many of these
applicability of the method to other climates was
variables are extremely difficult to evaluate. The
questioned. Further, the characterization of the
soil conditions under the pavement is evaluated at
soil support was relatively unsophisticated, and
only a few points, and the weakest points are
there was no way to directly treat the desired level
statistically likely to be missed. Traffic
of confidence in the design. Economic analysis
predictions are notoriously complicated and
based on life-cycle was not explicitly
inaccurate. Furthermore, pavement failure is very
incorporated. The method included no means for
difficult to define, as there are many possible
representing the statistical validity of the soil
failure modes. The analytical process underlying
sampling or the traffic design. AASHTO
each failure mode is different.
continued researching the performance of
pavements in the road test site to correct these
Generally speaking, there is a spectrum of design
problems after 1972. This research primarily
approaches which could be taken, ranging from
consisted of more detailed monitoring of the test
polar extremes of purely analytical methods to
road beds, to allow better correlations to be
purely phenomenological methods.
drawn amongst more parameters than were
included in the original method.

Part 2 600-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
In 1986, a major modification was released which
provided a significantly more sophisticated design
and analysis tool. The improvements primarily
were in the areas of failure definition, statistical
treatment, and soil characterization.
Performance and failure concerns were
incorporated in the 1986 edition by virtue of then
longer term monitoring of the pavement sections
in the original test. Pavement condition was
added through the Pavement Serviceability Index
(PSI), a qualitative evaluation of ride condition
using a Likert-type scale. Using this approach, it
is possible to select the amount of condition
change which constitutes failure. A model was
developed which linked the change in the
pavement condition over time to the usage and
environment of the roadway. In addition to
providing more performance-based design, this
improvement also allowed life cycle cost analysis.
The underlying concept of life-cycle analysis is to
select a pavement solution for the transportation
corridor, rather than for the pavement itself.
Simply put, the idea is to consider pavement
systems with a lower initial cost (perhaps due to
thinner pavement) and a higher maintenance cost
(including overlays) alongside methods with
higher initial costs and lower maintenance costs.
Because of the serviceability index concept, one
can keep track of the changing pavement
performance with time, and thereby determine the
timing of major maintenance for economic
analyses. Most modern pavement design methods
utilize some form of life cycle analysis.
Also new in the 1986 interim AASHTO method
was treatment of statistical variability. The
statistical variability of the input parameters and
pavement performance are incorporated through
two factors- reliability and standard deviation.
The reliability factor accounts for chance
variation in traffic prediction and performance by
allowing the selection of a degree of confidence
that the design will last the design period. The
higher the desired degree of confidence in the
design, the thicker the pavement. The standard
deviation factor accounts for statistical variability
in the input parameters, particularly the traffic
predictions.
Part 2 600-3
The last significant change was in the input
parameter to use for describing the supporting
soil strength. In the 1986 edition, the soil is
characterized by the resilient modulus instead of
the more nebulous soil support number used in
the 1972 interim method. The resilient modulus
is a measure of the soil behavior after thousands
of load repetitions, and has come to be widely
regarded as the most accurate characterization
variable for pavement design. Climate is directly
included in the resilient modulus determination
through the boundary values used for the test.
AASHTO released the final method in 1993. The
most significant changes in the intervening years
(1986-1993) concerned the design method for
overlays and rehabilitation. A major evaluation
of the performance of the design method and its
underlying assumptions is currently underway in
the United States, as part of the Strategic
Highway Research Program (SHRP). This
analysis includes detailed observation of nearly
800 test sections scattered across all parts of the
United States, and an assessment of the ability of
the AASHTO method to predict serviceability and
performance. Preliminary results (SHRP, 1994)
indicate that while traffic loadings are notoriously
under-predicted (a non-conservative error), the
results are to some extent offset by severe under-
prediction of field moduli in the laboratory
resilient modulus test (a conservative error). The
major change that is expected in the future will be
direct analysis of each potential failure mode,
rather than the serviceability approach currently
in use, which lumps together many different
failure modes.
The AASHTO method has been modified by
many individual state departments of
transportation in the United States. The Arizona
Department of Transportation method (ADOT,
1992) is optimized for the hot climate of the
southwestern United States. The method is very
similar to the AASHTO method, but deals more
explicitly with the statistical variability of the
underlying soils. The resilient modulus is the
operative soil characterization variable, although
due to difficulty in measurement of the resilient
modulus ADOT uses a correlation with the
Hveem Resistance Value (R-value).
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Another method of potential interest is that used
by the Ministry of Communications of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MOC). This is a
relatively simple method to apply, in which the
soil is characterized by the CBR, and the traffic
by a 16-kip equivalent single axle loading.
Design charts are then entered to perform the
actual design. roads are placed into two
categories ("Expressways" and "Roads Other
Than Expressways"), allowing some treatment of
the desired level of reliability.
Each of these methods incorporates all of the
variables described in the beginning of this
section, with the primary difference being the
degree to which these variables are explicitly
incorporated in the analytical portion of the
analysis. In general, one can characterize the
AASHTO method as closest to the analytical end
of the spectrum, and the MOC method as closest
to the phenomenological end of the spectrum.
There are methods which are even more heavily
weighted towards analysis, but these are most
commonly used for research rather than practice.
The methods described herein are considered
representative of many methods in common use
today, and are illustrative of the important factors
in pavement design.
604.01.02 Comparison of Design Results
Calculations were performed using the newest
AASHTO method, the ADOT method, and the
MOC method and compared with the TRIP
method. In order to simplify direct comparison of
results, the comparison was based on Structural
Numbers (SN) which result from each analysis,
rather than on a comparison of the pavement
sections themselves. This approach was used
because the SN is the most useful design
descriptor which results from the procedures, and
because it is independent of the individual
pavement layer components chosen by a given
agency.
High traffic, weak soil, or high degrees of
conservatism will all yield higher SN values, and
this number thereby allows direct comparison of
the results of an analysis for similar input
variables. For example, if two methods are used
that generate vastly different SN values for the
Part 2 600-4
same input variables, then one method can be said
to yield a substantially more conservative design
than the other. In the current case, we will
compare the SN value for the original TRIP
method with the newer design methods using a
consistent set of material coefficients.
A SN was developed for each roadway
classification pavement section described in the
DCIL TRIP report. The TRIP SN are compared
to the SN resulting from each pavement design
method used in this study in Table 600.02.
Table 600.02
Comparison of Structural Numbers for
Multiple Design Methods
Design Truck Freeway Main Sector
Method Route Expressway Road Road
TRIP 8.40 7.28 5.69 3.31
AASHTO 7.9-9.5 7.3-8.9 5.6-6.8 2.8-3.7
ADOT 7.27 6.90 4.91 2.50
MOC * * * 4.69
*Traffic values too far beyond the range of design
charts to allow extrapolation.
The AASHTO results show a range because of
the correlation from CBR to resilient modulus
required for the AASHTO method. A design
CBR of 10 was used for the TRIP design. In
order to correlate CBR to resilient modulus,
AASHTO recommends the equation:
Mr = 1500(CBR) (Eqn. 1)
where-
Mr = Resilient Modulus (psi)
CBR = California Bearing Ratio
Equation 1 was used to develop the lower SN's
shown in Table 600.02. However, there was
considerable scatter in the correlation between the
CBR and the resilient modulus, with the
conversion factor ranging to as low a value as
750. In the absence of actual measured resilient
moduli with which to evaluate the applicability of
the AASHTO conversion, a conservative
approach was adopted in which the design would
be checked with a lower resilient modulus
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
corresponding to the lower end of the AASHTO
correlation range:
Mr = 750(CBR) (Eqn. 2)
The highest SN shown in each classification for
the AASHTO method results from a correlation
to resilient modulus using Equation 2. This range
should capture the range of results likely to result
from actual resilient modulus testing. The ADOT
method, which is also based on resilient modulus,
was completed using the correlation recommended
by AASHTO and presented here as Equation 1.
The MOC method was only applicable for the
lightest roadway classification, the Sector Road.
In every other case, the design equivalent axle
loading for the TRIP roadways was well beyond
the inference space depicted on the MOC design
thickness charts. This result comes about due to
the degree of overloading common on TRIP
roadways, rather than to an excessive number of
vehicles. The MOC method is based on a 16-kip
axle load, requiring a large destructive effect
factor when considering that up to 27-kip loads
were used in the TRIP report.
As can be seen from Table 600.02, there is some
variation in the results based on the method used.
It is readily apparent that the TRIP thickness
results are well within the range of modern
pavement design methods. The TRIP results are
well above the ADOT methods and firmly within
the range of new AASHTO SN's. The method is
non-conservative compared to the MOC method;
however, this comparison is believed to result
largely from the large truck overloads leading to
huge traffic loadings compared to the 16-kip
single axle loadings used for design in the MOC.
The conclusion is that the major modifications to
the AASHTO methods which have occurred since
the original TRIP method was devised have not
significantly altered the designs which would be
recommended if the same input variables were
used to start the design process today. The
suitability of the input variables, both standard
and road specific, is therefore the most
appropriate question for the development of a new
method. Of the methods examined, the 1993
AASHTO method is the most appropriate choice.
Part 2 600-5
The 1993 AASHTO pavement design method has
been used extensively in a variety of climates
across the United States and many other parts of
the world, and has been found to work effectively
in a wide range of conditions. The pavement
design method outlined below is based on the
1993 AASHTO method with modifications
tailored to local conditions.
The use of the AASHTO method will allow site
specific treatment of individual roads within the
Municipality of special importance or roads
outside the Municipality on less familiar or less
uniform soils. The following method should be
used in conjunction with the 1993 AASHTO
method for all Municipality pavement designs.
604.02 PAVEMENT DESIGN METHOD
Step 1: Develop Equivalent Single Axle Load,
W18
Traffic is represented in the 1993 AASHTO
method by the equivalent single axle load
(ESAL), or the number of 18-kip equivalent
single axle loads that will pass over the pavement
during its initial service lifetime (typically 20
years). To calculate this value, three components
are required:
(1) the number of vehicles which will pass over
the pavement during its lifetime, and
(2) the breakdown of those vehicles by weight
classification, and
(3) a means of converting the number of vehicles
in each class to an 18-kip equivalent single
axle load.
To estimate the total number of vehicles utilizing
a pavement during its design life, existing and
projected traffic volumes are needed. To
determine the total number of vehicles, use a
straight line interpolation between the existing
traffic volumes and traffic volumes of the design
year. For existing pavement studies, calculate the
average rate between the existing traffic volume
and the traffic volume of the design year. That
average rate is then multiplied by the projected
design life of the pavement. For new pavements
the number of vehicles would be estimated using
the design period.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
The second component, the number of vehicles in
certain weight classifications comes from detailed
counts of vehicle types in the traffic mix at a
variety of times and places within each roadway
class.
Finally, a means of converting the rough traffic
numbers, broken down by vehicle class, to the 18-
kip equivalent single axle load is needed. The
axle load equivalency factors used in the design
method vary with the load on the axle, the type of
vehicle, and the pavement thickness. See the
AASHTO guidelines for a complete set of tables.
It should be noted that these tables do not reflect
the higher tire pressures that are often used in the
Municipality. However, the tabulated values still
form a good starting place for equivalency
factors. For a simplified approach, the values in
Table 600.03 form an acceptable interim
approach:
Table 600.03
Generic Equivalency Factors
Vehicle Type Equivalency Factor
Heavy Truck 6.5
Medium Truck 1
Light Truck .25
Automobile .0008
Using these values and counts or estimations of
traffic loading within the classifications, the
overall 18-kip equivalent single axle loading can
be estimated. The advantages of the AASHTO
equivalency factor approach outlined above are
that (a) the method can be used with very little
data about the traffic composition, or with very
detailed traffic counts; (b) most other methods
require very detailed information about tire
pressures, wheel configurations, and load layouts,
information which would be even harder to come
by than the traffic counts, and (c) the equivalency
factors can be easily and directly incorporated
within the method. Ideally, detailed weight and
composition data can be obtained to allow the
development of system-specific equivalency
factors, but the AASHTO factors can be used in
the meantime.
Part 2 600-6
Step 2: Develop soil resilient modulus, MR
The resilient modulus of the soil subgrade is
required for design and must be measured or
estimated. The AASHTO correlation below gives
reasonable agreement between the California
Bearing Ratio (CBR) and the soil resilient
modulus. Unless site specific investigations
determine different resilient modulus-CBR
correlation factors, the AASHTO correlation
should be used.
Mr = 1500(CBR)
where:
Mr = Resilient Modulus (psi)
CBR = California Bearing Ratio
Step 3: Determine the overall standard
deviation, So
The overall standard deviation is a dimensionless
parameter that accounts for random variation in
the traffic projections and normal variation in the
pavement parameters. Simply put, it provides a
means of accounting for areas of weaker than
average pavement receiving higher than expected
traffic. A value of 0.45 for So is commonly used
for flexible pavement materials.
Step 4: Select the level of reliability, R
The level of reliability describes the degree of
certainty that the pavement will last as long as the
design service period. Statistically, the thicker the
pavement section the higher the likelihood that the
pavement will last throughout its intended service
life, other factors being equal. The level of
reliability is represented in the AASHTO equation
by the standard normal deviate, ZR, and in the
design nomograph by R. Table 600.04 contains
recommended values for the roadway
classifications. The table contains very
conservative values to reflect the need for high
performing pavements in a high-growth, low
maintenance management mode.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Step 6: Solve for the structural number, SN

Table 600.04
Reliability Parameters The preceding steps 1-5 were independent.
However, a value must be obtained for each one
Roadway Level of Standard
in order to complete step 6, solving for the
Classification Reliability, R Normal
structural number. The structural number can be
R Deviate, ZR
solved for using the equation below, using a trial-
Truck Route 99.9 -3.090
and-error procedure.
Rural/Urban 99.9 -3.090
Expressway 99.9 -3.090
log10W18 = (ZR )(So) + 9.36log10(SN + 1) - 0.20
Main Road 99.0 -2.327
Sector Road 95.0 -1.645 log10 PSI
4.2-1.5
+ + 2.32log10MR - 8.07
Step 5: Select design serviceability loss, PSI 1094
0.40 +
The pavement serviceability is a general measure (SN+1)5.19
of the pavements ability to service the traffic
which must pass over it. Serviceability ranges
from 0 (impassable) to 5 (ideal), and represents a Where:
quantification of subjective impressions about the W18 = Equivalent Single Axle load, Step 1
roadway quality. Note that a low serviceability MR = Soil Resilient modulus, Step 2
implies only that the road has become difficult to SO = Overall Standard Deviation , Step 3
travel over, and provides no information about the ZR = Standard Normal Deviate, Step 4
failure mode (e.g. rutting, stripping, cracking) PSI = Design Serviceability loss, Step 5
that has created the low serviceability. The
design serviceability loss (PSI) is the allowable Or the solution may be obtained by using the
change from the initial serviceability (po) to the nomograph in Figure 600.01 on page 600.10.
terminal serviceability at the end of the design
period (pt). The design serviceability loss is Step 7: Determine pavement and base
obtained by simply subtracting the final value thickness
from the initial value, and so describes the
amount of degradation of service which is Once determined from step 6, the structural
acceptable during the design lifetime. number is used to determine the thickness of each
Recommended values for the different roadway pavement material layer using the appropriate
classifications are shown in Table 600.05. material coefficients from Table 600.06.

Table 600.05 Table 600.06

Serviceability Parameters Pavement Material Coefficients
Roadway Initial Terminal Design Pavement Coefficient
Classification po pt Serviceability Material (per cm)
Loss, PSI ai
Truck Route 4.2 3.0 1.2 Asphaltic Concrete 0.17
Freeway 4.2 3.0 1.2 Aggregate Base 0.05
Expressway 4.2 3.0 1.2 Sand-Asphalt Base 0.08
Main Road 4.1 2.6 1.5 Soil Subbase 0.04
Sector Road 4.0 2.4 1.6

Part 2 600-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

The structural number is related to the Anticipated Construction Problems -

coefficients as follows: Consideration should also be given to the
feasibility of the proposed design in regard to
SN = a1t1+a2t2+a3t3+...+antn standard construction methods.

where: Costs - Comparative costs provided in the

ai = material coefficient for each material pavement design procedure should be given
in the pavement section (Table consideration in the selection of the pavement
600.06). design. Consideration should also be given to
ti = thickness of each material in the maintenance cost.
pavement section (cm).
SN = Structural number desired for the Minimum Structural Number - AASHTO
pavement section (Step 6). design is based on traffic-induced fatigue failure.
Establishing a minimum design takes into account
Various combinations of pavement materials of such factors as ease of construction, maintenance,
various thickness are possible to meet or exceed a current practice or failure under the action of a
given structural number. Once the structural few heavy design loads. Table 600.07 should be
requirements are met the combination and used as a guide for minimum pavement design.
thickness of the individual pavement material
sections is based on such factors as aggregate Table 600.07
availability , aggregate size, cost of various Minimum Pavement Design
pavement materials, minimum recommended
Roadway Minimum Minimum
thickness, restrictions on overall thickness,
Classification Structural AC
number of lifts required. These factors are
Number Thickness (cm)
discussed in more detail below.
Truck Route 7.9 30
Freeway 6.9 28
Material Availability - Conservation of natural
Expressway 6.9 28
resources should be given considered in the
Main Road 4.9 21
evaluation of the pavement design, and in areas
Sector Road 2.5 11
where materials are scarce, availability should be
Low Volume 2.0 6
given considerable weight.
Additionally on layered sections using aggregate
Continuity of Pavement Type - To maintain
base, a minimum thickness of 20 cm shall be used
uniform driving conditions, consideration should
for the base material.
be given to continuing the same type of exiting
pavements, especially if a new project is relatively
short. This is assuming that the existing Normally, the pavement section which satisfies
pavements are satisfactory. the structural requirements and represents the
least cost would be selected. However, as
Location and Local Conditions - Although there previously discussed, there may be times when the
are many pavement designs that will meet the least cost design would not necessarily be the
requirements of the design equation, there are most appropriate design. The following page
situations when local conditions, such as contains an example of a typical flexible
underground utilities close to the surface, poor pavement design.
drainage, flooding, etc. where one design might
function more efficiently than another. Past
experience and judgement should be used in the
final selection of the pavement design.

Part 2 600-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

EXAMPLE FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT DESIGN

Given the bold faced information, determine the pavement
materials and thickness required for a truck route.

Step 1 - Develop Equivalent Single Axle Load, W18

Vehicles
Breakdown Table 600.03
per W18
of Vehicles Vehicle Equivalency Factors
Lifetime
338502756 5% Heavy Truck 6.5 110013396
5% Medium Truck 1 16925138
5% Light Truck 0.25 4231284
85% Automobile 0.0008 230182
W18 = 131400000

Step 2 Develop soil resilient Modulus, Mr

Mr = 1500CBR
= 1500(10)
= 15000 psi

Step 3 Determine the overall standard deviation, So

So = 0.45 Typical

Step 4 Select the level of reliability, R

Truck Route, Table 600.04 R = 99.9 ZR = -3.090

Step 5 Select design serviceability loss, PSI

Table 600.05
po = 4.2
pt = 3.0
PSI = 1.2

Step 6 Solve for structural number, SN

SN =8.0

Step 7 - Determine Material Thickness

Table 600.06
Trial
Pavement Coefficient SN
Thickness
Material (per cm) Contribution
(per cm)
Asphaltic Concrete 0.17 30 5.1
Aggregate Base 0.05 22 1.1
Sand-Asphalt Base 0.08 0 0.0
Soil Subbase 0.04 45 1.8
Actual SN = 8.0

Note: Various material combinations can be compared economically to

determine the optimum design. Make certain thickness meet Table 600.07.

Part 2 600-9
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 600.01

Part 2 600-10
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 700
DRAINAGE

701 GENERAL

Drainage is an important element of roadway

design. The objective of roadway drainage design
is to provide the necessary facilities which allow
the public the appropriate use of the roadway
during times of significant runoff and which
minimize the potential for adverse effects on
adjacent property and existing drainage patterns.
Toward this goal, roadway drainage design is to
minimize off-project impacts while maintaining
use of the roadway at an acceptable frequency of
protection.

There has been so much data and so many

guidelines written on the hydrologic and hydraulic
aspects in roadway design that it is impractical to
contain all the references within this manual. A
separate manual, ROADWAY DESIGN
MANUAL Drainage, has been prepared to
provide guidance and direction on the design of
the drainage components of roadway facilities.
Strict use of that manual does not replace sound
engineering judgment. The drainage design must
be undertaken by experienced drainage engineers
who are in responsible charge.

Part 2 700-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 800
UTILITIES
801 GENERAL
Utilities are an important element of roadway
design, especially in an urban environment.
There are three categories of utility
improvements:
Utility Protection- Existing utilities within the
project limits that have been determined to be
geometrically compatible with the proposed
improvements; and are in good condition with an
acceptable remaining service life; may remain in
place and must be protected from traffic loads
and maintenance operations. The traffic loads
consist of both construction loading and post-
construction vehicular loading.
Utility Relocation- Existing utilities that are
incompatible with the roadway geometrics will
require relocation, which may extend beyond the
limits of the proposed improvement depending on
connection requirements. Relocated utilities will
be replaced in-kind with the same size or capacity
as the existing utility. The existing capacity may
be undersized and require an increase in capacity
or other utility expansions or improvements may
be require. Such an up grade or development
work must be requested by the responsible utility
agency and approved by the Road Section before
the design of the upgraded utility can be included
in the roadway project.
New Utilities- New service facilities that may be
required to support growth within the typical 20-
year design life of the proposed roadway
improvements; may replace redundant or outdated
facilities or are major trunk lines routed through
the project corridor that serve a broader purpose.
Utility planning begins in the preliminary design
phase and is a factor in the project scoping
process that leads to identification of the final
roadway geometrics. A thorough investigation of
existing utility location and condition is
undertaken as an early final design activity.
Part 2 800-1
The Departments objective is that Roadway and
Bridge projects are developed to include all
required construction of utility protection,
relocation and installation by the Contractor.
This provides for single source responsibility for
the procurement of materials, and the scheduling
of the proposed improvements; while minimizing
disruption of services to the public. This concept
reduces Contractor delay claims and the time
required for advance utility works. The actual
timing and responsibility for construction of
individual services will be determined on a project
by project basis.
Although contained in a single set of construction
documents, there are normally several
Consultants involved in the preparation of
individual utility plans, specifications and BOQ.
Several Municipality Departments use designated
Consultants for the planning and design of their
respective services, as further described in
Section 804.01. The Roadway/Bridge Consultant
is responsible for overall coordination and
packaging of the documents into a complete and
comprehensive set of tender documents. The
parallel development of plans and specifications
by multiple Consultants must be continuously
monitored to avoid conflict and contradiction.
802 UTILITY PLANNING
The Utilities Section of the Town Planning
Department is responsible for master planning
and coordination of utility services. Service
corridors will be reserved within each project for
utilities in accordance with the planning data
obtained from the Utilities Section. The corridors
are established based on the approved design
concept and reflect the anticipated growth and
overall needs of the individual utility agencies.
The agencies or Municipality department
responsible for the individual services are as
follows:
Water - Water and Electricity Department
(WED)
Telephone and Telecommunications -
ETISILAT
Drainage - Abu Dhabi Municipality Sanitary
Drainage Network Division
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Electricity - Water and Electricity
Department (WED)
Irrigation - Abu Dhabi Municipality
Agriculture Section
Sewer - Abu Dhabi Municipality Sewerage
Projects Committee.
Gas Line - Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company.
The Utilities Section will provide details on the
agency or department responsible for special
services such as oil and gas pipelines, 132 KV
and national defense systems.
Information on existing utilities shall be obtained
from the Town Planning Utilities Section, the
individual Service (Utility) Departments and/or
the designated Consultant at the beginning of
design work. This data will include:
Current Service Reservation Locations
Distribution of Services
As-built Drawings
Proposed Facility Plans
This information shall be compiled and analyzed
to ascertain the status of each individual utility.
Utility data should be supplemented by field
investigation of the existing facilities including
surveys to record structure locations and pipe
invert elevations. Manual(by hand) excavation to
locate services that are critical to the design
should be performed as necessary. The
Consultant will arrange coordination meetings
with the Service Departments to identify utilities
to be protected, relocated to the service
reservations and new service requirements. The
service authority may also have plans or projects
for utility improvements in progress within the
project limits.
Once the scope of the utility works has been
defined, the Consultant will prepare separate cost
estimates of the utility works that are required
due to conflict with proposed works and new
facilities that are proposed for inclusion in the
project by the utility agencies. It is important to
make a clear distinction between required works
and facility upgrades, since this information will
be used to determine the extent of the utility
works to be included in the project and cost
sharing responsibilities. The Department will
Part 2 800-2
review and give final approval of the project
utility scope of works. The utility planning
process is depicted on Figure 800.01.
803 SERVICE RESERVATIONS
The Departments objective is to locate all utility
services in designated utility corridors or Service
Reservations. This policy applies to all projects
including new construction and roadway
widening. Service reserves are located for ease of
construction and maintenance and to minimize
disruption or damage to permanent works caused
by future utility installations or maintenance
operations. The reserves are generally located
outside the roadway pavement in parking or
pedestrian areas that are surfaced with removable
materials including interlocking tiles and precast
tile blocks, and asphalt pavements of reduced
thickness. Roadway crossings are perpendicular
to the centerline and primarily concentrated at
intersection locations. The design standards
require construction of ducts for all existing,
proposed and future services that cross roadway
pavement. The utility corridors are defined in
close coordination with the project geometrics and
the Town Planning Department. The reserves are
established within geometric criteria that is suited
to the installation of pipelines and conduits.
Alignments are as straight as possible and angle
points limited in severity with the degree of
deflection ideally corresponding to pipeline
fittings (22-1/2, 45 degrees).
The Standard Drawings show several different
distributions of standard service reservations.
Special reserves for any utilities other than those
shown on the standard drawings (CCTV, 132
KV, gas, oil.) shall be provided in each project
with specific approval from the Town Planning
Department. Project design drawings should show
a section view of these special service reserves
similar to that shown on standard drawings.
Deviations from the standard distribution may be
warranted to:
Accommodate existing utilities that would not
otherwise require relocation.
Suit the project geometrics.
Allow for constructability and/or maintenance
of service facilities with excessive width,
diameter or depth.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
The final Service Reservation distribution and
geometry requires the approval of the Town
Planning Department.
804 UTILITY DESIGN
804.01 GENERAL
Utility design requirements will be defined on
final determination of the scope of utility works
by the Department. The final design of each
utility will proceed based on the existing utility
information and proposed facility requirements.
Refer to the Utilities Procedures Flow Chart,
Figure 800.01.
In general, rapid development, incomplete as-built
information and the harsh soil conditions make it
difficult to determine the exact requirements for
each service line, especially minor branches and
connections, without the benefit of an extensive
manual excavation program to locate the utilities.
As a result, this effort should be accomplished
during the construction phase to enable
preparation of detailed shop drawings that will
fully define the requirements for each utility. The
procedure and specifications for this work are
oulined in the Standard Specifications. The
tender documents are prepared based on the best
available information and may be limited to the
major components of a particular service. This
procedure varies with the different utilities and
generally can be described under three categories:
Separate Plans and Specifications Prepared by
Agency Designated Consultant- WED(Water)
and Sanitary Drainage Network Section use a
designated Consultant for the design of facilities.
Final design plans, specifications and BOQ are
prepared as separate documents and included in
the project tender document package. The
drawings will indicate the existing facilities
anticipated to be protected, relocated or
abandoned as well as new pipeline requirements.
Based on the results of the manual excavation, the
Contractor will prepare detailed shop drawings
that include refinements and adjustments to the
tender drawings to reflect the conditions
encountered in the field. The shop drawings
require the approval of the designated Consultant
and the WED.
Part 2 800-3
Separate Plans and Specifications Prepared by
Utility Authority- WED(Electric) and
ETISILAT normally prepare design plans and
specifications for their facilities in-house. WED
develops schematic drawings and estimated
quantities for relocation, protection, salvage and
supply of new cables for inclusion in the tender
documents. The drawings and Bill of Quantities
are modified as necessary by the authority based
on the results of the manual excavation and issued
to Construction. The Contractor will then
prepare fully detailed shop drawings for final
approval by the WED.
ETISILAT normally prepares detailed plans and
specifications for the work based on their record
drawings of the existing telephone system and the
need for relocation or protection of plant impacted
by the improvement project. These drawings are
normally included with the tender documents.
Any necessary adjustments based on manual
excavation will be done through the shop drawing
process in construction.
Consultant Prepared Plans and Specifications-
The prime Consultant for the improvement
project is required to prepare final design plans
and specifications for Surface Drainage, Lighting,
Traffic Control and Drainage/Irrigation. The
designs are prepared in consultation with the
agency or department and the drawings are
normally prepared as separate documents and
included with the project tender document
package. Any necessary adjustments based on
manual excavation will be done through the shop
drawing process in construction.
804.02 UTILITY PROTECTION
All utilities under the roadway must be protected.
This protection will continue under all pavements
and extend beyond the back of curb, edge of
shoulder or at the duct end wall constructed at the
end of the duct by 0.50 meters. The Standard
Drawings and General Specifications outline the
type of protection to be used for the various
utilities consisting of three types:
Concrete Slab (Precast or Cast-in-Situ)
Concrete Encasement
Split Sleeve Concrete Encased
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
These methods are designed to protect the utility
from induced traffic loading including
construction equipment loads. The Consultant
should check that the depth of existing utilities is
sufficiently below the subgrade level to
accommodate the protection device.
804.03 UTILITY RELOCATION
Utility relocation will generally be determined by
the individual utility agency and is subject to
approval by the Municipality. Each agency will
supply their relocation design drawings for
inclusion in the Project documents. These
drawings will then be reviewed by the
Municipality to obtain their approval prior to
inclusion in the Tender Documents. No utilities
other than lighting, underground cables, and
irrigation pipes shall be installed along the central
median parallel to the roadway. These lighting
cables and irrigation lines in the median shall be
as close as possible to the curb to avoid
disturbance to the greenery. Quantities, except
for relocation work designed by a designated
utility consultant, shall be calculated by the
primary Consultant. WED(E) and ETISILAT
will supply respective relocation quantities.
Supply of all the materials required for the
relocation works for electrical shall be included in
each contract. Removed and salvaged LV, 11
KV and 33 KV cables excluding joints from site
can be reused for the relocation works if approved
by the WED. Quantities for the supply and
salvage items shall be as estimated by the WED
for each project. All 132 KV cables required for
the relocation work shall be new and shall be
supplied under each contract.
804.04 CONTINGENCY DUCTS
Contingency ducts are required at roadway
crossings for future services to be located in
service reserves and at other specific locations
established by the utility authority. Ducts are
installed where pavements with asphalt or non-
removable pavers cross over the service reserve.
These ducts may be designed to accommodate
existing or proposed service facilities with spare
or reserve capacity for future (contingency)
installations. Existing facilities such as cables or
Part 2 800-4
conduits may be placed in split ducts and concrete
encased.
Duct bank ends are terminated outside the
permanent pavement in a reinforced concrete end
wall structure that allows access to the duct ends
without damaging the integrity of the structural
pavement section. These are required at all
multiple duct service reserve crossings. The end
wall design and details are included in the
Standard Drawings.
All duct crossing locations are to be marked in the
field with permanent markers as shown in the
Standard Drawings. These markers are placed at
the end of the duct or set in the top of the duct end
wall concrete.
804.05 UTILITY LOCATIONS
With the exception of lighting cable and irrigation
distribution lines, there shall be no construction of
utility lines such as power distribution lines,
water lines, sewer lines, storm waterlines or any
other lines in the central median of primary roads.
Utilities of all kinds shall not be constructed
under main roadway asphalt pavement. Utility
lines can be installed in service reserves under
sector roads or parking areas where asphalt
pavement is reduced in thickness.
804.06 NON-DISRUPTIVE ROAD
CROSSINGS
Utility crossings of completed permanent works,
especially Main Roads, Expressways and
Freeways are to be avoided. Contingency ducts
or alternate routes should be used to
accommodate the service requirements whenever
possible. When the crossing of primary roadways
is unavoidable, Department policy requires the
design to specify non-disruptive methods(pipe
jacking) or tunneling to cross the facility. This
should be a performance based specification to
offer the Contractor flexibility in selecting the
equipment and methods.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Existing Utility Data

Town Planning Utility Agency
Utilities Section As-Built Drawings
P Design Concept
L New Utility
A Determine Conflicts Geometric Adjustment
Requirements
N
N Define Utility Scope of Work
I Utility Agency
N Service Reserve Dwgs.
Approval
G Prepare Cost Estimates
Town Planning
Approval
Department Approval

D Utility Design Agency Design

E
Consultant Design
S
Coordination
I
G
N Tender Documents Designated Consultant

Notice of Intent

C Manual Excavation
O As-Built Drawings Tender Drawings
N
Existing Utility Shop Drawings
S
Agency Review
T Consultant Review
R
U Revised Design Drawings - RFC Designated Consultant
C Service Reservations
T
I Utility Works Shop Drawings
O Town Planning Approval Agency Approval
N
Resident Engineer Approval
Designated Consultant
Construction

Record Drawings

Figure 800.01
Utility Procedures Flow Chart

Part 2 800-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 900
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
901 TRAFFIC OPERATIONAL
ANALYSIS
901.01 GENERAL
Part 1, Section 200, Design Concept
Development, of this manual discusses traffic
counts and traffic projection methods suitable for
the design concept phase of a project. Part 2,
Section 200, Geometric Design Standards,
outlines the data required to develop a preliminary
parking demand analysis for inclusion in the
Design Concept Report.
Final design may require refinement of concept
data before a final traffic report can be
completed. Specific model updating may be
necessary to incorporate roadway network
changes and revised roadway classifications.
Model output shall be calibrated to reflect current
traffic trends by comparing the present actual
traffic volume to a current model run and
applying corrective adjustments to depict the
actual conditions.
Model output shall be refined, particularly ramp
volume and intersection turning volumes, to
balance the daily traffic volumes from network
link to network link. Directional design hourly
volumes shall be derived in a manner similar to
the daily volume adjustments.
Sub-modeling computer programs should be used
to determine the roadway volumes associated with
the proposed frontage roads and other roadway
characteristics not incorporated in the original
model.
901.02 OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS
The final traffic report should include an
operational analyses utilizing the balanced traffic
volumes determined from the traffic forecasts.
The analysis will follow procedures and methods
of the Highway Capacity Manual, By the
Transportation Research Board and will include:
1. Ramp intersection capacity analysis.
2. Ramp merge/diverge analysis.
Part 2 900-1
3. Freeway weaving analysis.
4. Basic segments capacity and operational
analysis.
5. Intersection capacity and operational
analysis.
Signal warrant analysis shall be performed to
determine the need for signals at an intersection.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) signal warrants shall be used for this
purpose. All necessary traffic engineering studies
required for signal warrants shall be conducted.
Where necessary, intersection simulation analysis
shall be performed using a microscopic
simulation program that models individual vehicle
flow. Optimal phasing/timing and coordination
parameters shall be used in the above mentioned
operational and capacity analyses.
For interchanges, conceptual designs will be
assessed and recommendations provided for
modification. Interchange operational analyses
shall be performed to assess alternative concepts
once the general plans of the alternatives have
been developed.
Lane configurations and the required turn-lane
storage shall be designated at all intersections,
furthermore, lane requirements of the freeway,
mainline, ramps, cross-streets and frontage roads.
The designations shall be a direct result of the
analyses performed and shall be incorporated into
roadway and bridge design drawings.
902 SIGNALIZATION
902.01 TRAFFIC SIGNAL DESIGN
Traffic signal phase and phase interval sequence
diagrams shall be provided for intersections and
interchange ramp terminals. The signal system
design shall include the following:
Signal pole locations
Mast arm orientation and lengths
Signal head locations on mast arms and poles
Signal face types
Conduits (ducts) location, including spares
Local Signal Controller and Changeover
Switch foundations locations
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Red Violation Camera Loops and foundations A signal head shall be comprised of one signal
locations face only. Typical signal locations shall be as
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Poles and follows:
CCTV Controller foundations locations
Pedestrian signals locations and placement 1. A minimum of one signal face shall be
Free Right Turn signal foundation locations provided for each separate vehicular
Pullboxes types and locations movement and a minimum of two signal faces
Cabling requirements and terminations shall be provided for each through or major
Grades for system conduits (ducts) and movement.
location of system detectors 2. Vehicular signals shall be placed in such a
way so as to provide clear visibility to
Local intersection inductive detector loops
approaching traffic. They shall be located no
requirement, design and locations
less than 12 m or no greater than 35 m
Master Controller foundation requirement and
beyond the stopline.
location
Supplemental signal heads shall be used only
Phasing information should be used as a guide in
when warranted, and after a detailed study of the
determining which phases and interval sequences
location is conducted.
shall be provided at a specific location. New
signals should be synchronized with the existing
There shall be one eight-phase, dual ring, single
Arterial Progression System and/or the Central
entry, fully actuated microprocessor based
Computer Control System at the Traffic
controller per intersection interconnected with
Computer Center.
existing systems as required. The controller shall
be equivalent to a menu-driven NEMA type
All traffic signals and associated equipment shall
controller with LCD display capable of operating
be in accordance with the Standard
in a closed loop coordination system.
Specifications. Any variance relating to
equipment type or performance shall be approved
Signal control details including signal plans and
in writing by the Abu Dhabi Municipality.
all traffic signal parameters for signal controller
operation at an intersection/interchange shall be
902.02 SIGNALS, POLES, AND
provided. A note shall be included on the plans
CONTROLLERS
and specifications stating that the control cabinet
is to be wired with the same phase number
Only mast arm signal poles as per the standard
designations as shown on the plans.
drawings shall be utilized. Combination mast arm
signal and lighting poles or poles with multiple
Traffic signal systems shall include inductive loop
mast arms will not be used. All signal lenses shall
detectors with adequate size, shape and number of
be 30 cm including arrow lenses. All signal heads
turns to provide proper actuation. Loop detectors
shall be pole or mast-arm mounted. Span-wire
in bridge decks will normally utilize preformed
mounted signals will not be used.
loop detector material. Saw cutting of detector
loops in newly poured bridge decks will not be
Pedestrian signals will normally be installed in
permitted. Detector loops so located shall be cast
pedestrian pylons. Where appropriate, pedestrian
integral with the bridge deck.
signals shall be installed on the traffic signal pole,
on a street light pole, or on a separate 3.2 m pole.
Separate loop wires for each loop shall be
Pedestrian signals will have two signal sections
provided. There shall be a splice to connect the
with 30 cm lenses. The graphic symbols for
loop wires to the lead-in cable in the curbside
WALK and DONT WALK shall be used.
pullbox. This lead-in cable shall be terminated at
When illuminated, the DONT WALK indication
the detector amplifier in the local intersection
(hand palm) shall be red, and the WALK
controller. There shall be no splices in the lead-in
indication (man walking) shall be green.
cable.

Part 2 900-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Where feasible, power feeds for traffic signals
should come from two separate substations and
be controlled by a changeover switch. This will
enable signals to remain functional in the event
one of the substations loses power. Separate feed
plans should be developed in cooperation with the
WED.
The signalization design for each intersection
shall include as a minimum:
1. Plan symbols as shown on the standard
drawings.
2. A drawing of the overall layout depicting
signal pole, detector, signal head and conduit
placements. All vehicular and pedestrian
signal indications shall be labeled by
movement (signal group) number.
3. A drawing including the pole schedule,
detector schedule, clearance times matrix,
phase movements, and if necessary, notes
specifically corresponding to the design and
installation.
4. A drawing showing the conductor schedule.
5. Additional drawings as necessary for
installation and materials details.
902.03 DUCTS AND PULLBOXES
All ducts shall be encased in concrete. Based on
the requirement, either 8-way, 4-way, 2-way or 1-
way 10 cm diameter ducts shall be utilized.
Raceways shall be 2-way 5 cm diameter except
for the traffic signal pole foundations raceways
which shall be 3-way 5 cm diameter raceways.
Standard pullboxes types (Type I, II and IV) shall
be used as appropriate.
902.04 PYLONS
Pylons are used to house the pedestrian signals.
Their appearance and materials are meant to add
color to the streetscape. They are comprised of
an aluminum tube column base and an aluminum
crown. External color is dark bronze.
Pylons with Type B crown are used at all
signalized intersections where pedestrian signals
are required unless pedestrian signals can be
mounted on nearby light poles. Pylons with Type
B crown are placed within green areas at both
ends and at the outer edge of pedestrian crossings.
Part 2 900-3
If the width of the roadway median at the
intersection is more than 5, but less than 10
meters, an additional pylon is placed at the
midpoint of the median with two pedestrian
signals back to back. If the median width is more
than 10 meters, one pylon is placed at each edge
of the median, each with one pedestrian signal.
Each pedestrian signal is comprised of two signal
units with WALK and DON'T WALK
indications. The DON'T WALK unit, mounted
on top of the WALK unit, has a polycarbonate
lens with black background and an illuminated
red human hand symbol placed vertically. The
WALK unit, mounted below the DON'T WALK
unit, has a polycarbonate lens with black
background and an illuminated green walking
man symbol.
903 TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE
Communication system facilities shall be installed
on main roads, expressways and freeways. The
system will communicate traffic conditions to a
central computer, which will then communicate
back with the ramp signals, changeable message
signs and TV cameras. Interconnections between
signalized intersections surveillance facilities and
the central computer will be through concrete
encased, 4-way or 8-way 10 cm PVC ducts.
CCTV cameras are to be located at intervals of
approximately one mile. Typical camera locations
will be at interchanges and at midpoint locations
between interchanges. To provide for future
implementation, 2 stub-outs of 10 cm diameter
schedule 40 PVC conduit, 1 m long, will be
extended from a pull box nearest the midpoint
between interchanges. All conduit shall be
securely capped and locations precisely recorded
on as-built plans. The locations, numbers of
ducts and foundations will be determined from the
CCTV Master Plan drawings.
904 SIGNING
General - Discussion in this section is
complimentary to the MUTCD and shall be used
in conjunction with that document. However,
policies presented in the MUTCD reflect general
practices which may not always be applicable to
Abu Dhabi. Where there are conflicts between
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
this section, the Standard Drawings and the
MUTCD, the guidelines in this section and the
Standard Drawings should be followed, consistent
with sound engineering practices and judgement.
Traffic signs are installed to regulate, warn, and
guide road users. Installation, reflectivity, legend
size, legend color, placement, and support type
should all be considered to provide a consistent,
safe and informative signing plan.
904.01 SIGN STRUCTURE
INSTALLATIONS
904.01.01 Ground Mounted
Ground mounted signs are unobtrusive and can
provide drivers with the essential information in
most instances. They are appropriate for marking
all intersections and most interchanges. Typical
guide sign treatments at expressway interchanges
with main roads are diagrammed in Figure 900.01
and Figure 900.02.
Sign post lengths are to be calculated based upon
the Standard Drawings and the roadway cross
section at the sign locations. Foundations for
stubs shall be flush with the ground and stub
protrusions of the concrete foundation shall also
conform to the Standard Drawings. Signs
installed in the median are to be designed for the
ultimate roadway section.
904.01.02 Overhead Mounted
Overhead signs may detract from the aesthetic
appearance of the roadway and architectural
treatment of bridge structures. They also limit the
clearances for large trucks and their loads. As a
rule, overhead signs should be used sparingly at
locations where ground mounted signs cannot
provide the essential directions to the motorist.
Overhead guide signs are principally applicable
for marking free flow traffic movements at
interchanges between rural expressways where
lane orientation is necessary for directing the
motorist, or at locations where lateral space for
ground mounted signs is not available. Overhead
guide sign use should be limited to:
Part 2 900-4
1. Designating the lane use at forks of major
inter-city expressway routes.
2. Where roadway and ramp configurations
may be misleading without lane
designations, such as: locations where the
through expressway lanes end beyond the
interchange in a terminal, or locations
where two or more ramps depart from the
through lanes and require lane use
demarcation for clarity.
3. Where lateral space is unavailable for a
ground mounted sign.
At interchanges between rural expressways, it is
desirable to sign the through expressway lanes in
addition to the ramp lanes. This can be
accomplished with a ground mounted guide sign
in the median, if the median is wide enough. If the
median width is inadequate, the through lanes
guide sign may be cantilevered overhead in the
median. The ramp sign may also be cantilever-
mounted for uniform appearance.
Similarly, space for other ground mounted guide
signs may be restricted, thereby indicating the use
of an overhead cantilever mounting.
Typical overhead guide sign treatments at major
rural expressway junctions are portrayed in
Figure 900.02.
Tubular Structure - Advanced guide and exit
direction signing on the mainline shall use tubular
cantilever and tubular sign bridge structures.
The Standard Drawings have tubular sign
structures which have been developed to
accommodate sign panels up to 4 m in height
including the exit panel. Therefore, all efforts
should be made to limit sign panel heights to 4
meters. This may require some minor reductions
in legend size or spacing. The use of sign panels
in excess of 4 m in height will require a complete
sign structure design. Tubular sign structure
standards shall be incorporated in the final plan
submittal.
Interchange sequential signs shall be located in
the center of the median back to back on a single
structure approximately halfway between
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

interchanges. Existing structures shall be utilized
for sign mounting wherever possible.
Bridge Mounted - Sign mounting brackets, for
bridge mounted signs, are to be designed based
upon the criteria set forth in this manual for sizing
sign panels. Cast-in-place anchor bolts shall be
provided with the bridge structure, together with
all the necessary hardware for sign lighting.
Route markers shall be placed as separate signs
and in conjunction with guide signs as shown in
Figures 900.01 and 900.02. The background used
for route markers shall be the falcon symbol
shown below. The sign panel shall have a yellow
legend and border on a blue background.
Guide post types and lengths shall be as per
Figure 900.04 and the Standard Drawings.

904.02 SIGN SHEETING

Sign panel materials, reflectivity and color shall

be per the Standard Drawings and the Standard
Specifications. Any changes to the standards shall
be approved in writing.

904.03 SIGN TYPES

904.03.01 Regulatory And Warning

Signs

Regulatory and warning signs inform drivers of

traffic regulations and warn of potentially
hazardous conditions. Messages are portrayed
using standard international symbols. These signs
are generally less than one square meter in area.
904.04 FINAL SIGNING PLAN
Post types and lengths shall be as per Figure REQUIREMENTS
900.03 and the Standard Drawings. Locations
shall be per the Standard Drawings and the The final signing drawings should include
MUTCD. information and details not covered by the
Standard Plans or Specifications such as:
904.03.02 Guide Signs Site specific sign details
Sign Layout Sheets with sign dimensions,
Guide signs direct drivers to their destinations by character dimensions, sign message, support
informing them of intersecting streets or type and reflective sheeting requirements.
prominent places along the route. Messages shall Plan sheets showing sign placement.
be shown in both Arabic and English and vary in Signing sheets may be combined with striping
length and height. Space for these messages sheets as long as the plans are legible. Scale shall
require large sign faces as well as structural be such that all signs and markings are clearly
supports. The guide signs may be ground depicted.
mounted on the side of the roadway or mounted
overhead above the roadway or shoulder. Guide
signs shall be placed and designed per the
Standard Drawings, the Standard Specifications
and the MUTCD.

Part 2 900-5
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 900.01
Guide Sign Treatment
Interchanges With Main Roads

Part 2 900-6
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 900.02
Guide Sign Treatment
Major Junctions Between Rural Expressways

Part 2 900-7
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 900.03
Sign Installation And Post Selection

Part 2 900-8
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

AISC DESIGNATIONS
DIMENSIONS IN CENTIMETERS
TWO POSTS

POST TYPE A = W6x15

POST TYPE B = W10x22
POST TYPE C = W14x26

SIGN DEPTH SIGN WIDTH POST TYPE

(cm) (cm)
91,107 Up to 600 A
122,137 Up to 500 A
122,137 501 to 600 B

153,168 Up to 400 A
153,168 401 to 600 B
183,198 Up to 350 A

183,198 351 to 600 B

213,229 Up to 250 A
213,229 251 to 600 B

244,259 Up to 200 A
244,259 201 to 500 B
244,259 501 to 600 C

274,290 Up to 200 A
274,290 201 to 400 B
274,290 401 to 600 C

305,320 Up to 350 B
305,320 351 to 600 C
335,351 Up to 350 B

335,351 351 to 600 C

366,381 Up to 300 B
366,381 301 to 600 C

Note: For signs wider than 600 cm, use 3 posts.

Figure 900.04
Sign Post Types

Part 2 900-9
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
904.05 ARABIC LETTERING FOR GUIDE
SIGNS
904.05.01 General
Guide signs shall be designed in Arabic and
English, with the Arabic message above the
English translation. To size the signs, the actual
width of the Arabic and English messages must
be determined.
904.05.02 The Arabic Alphabet
The first letter in the Arabic alphabet is aleph
which is a simple downstroke. For the purposes of
the Standard Script, aleph is used to proportion
the height of the letters. In developing the
Standard Script, it has been determined that an
aleph height of 30 cm generally corresponds to
signing on freeways, while an aleph height of 24
cm corresponds to signing on arterial roads.
Figure 900.05 provides spacing criteria for Guide
Sign design. Figures 900.06 through 900.17 are
template guides for Arabic letters and numerals.
When designing guide signs for all Abu Dhabi
roadway projects, signs to be read from freeways
and expressways will have 30 cm (aleph height)
Arabic lettering and 27 cm English lettering.
Signs to be read from ramps and main roads will
have 24 cm (aleph height) Arabic lettering and 20
cm English lettering.
904.05.03 Use of the Standard Arabic Script
The shape of each letter and number in the
Standard Script is shown on a five-millimeter grid
in Figures 900.06 through 900.17.
To get the actual width of a word on the guide
sign, find the width of each letter shape in the
Standard Script. Then multiply that width by the
proportion of the aleph height in the final guide
sign to the aleph height shown in the Script.
Finally, add the width of each letter shape, taking
into account the spacing rules for unconnected
letters to obtain the total message width.
Arabic lettering is aligned on a baseline, just as in
English. The location of the baseline for each
letter is indicated by an arrow (V) adjacent to that
letter in the Standard Script. Some letters extend
Part 2 900-10
quite a distance below this baseline; therefore, the
vertical spacing on the sign face should be
checked and adjusted, if necessary.
The width of the message Corniche Road is
calculated in Example 900-01 on the following
page. The page numbers refer to the fourteen
pages in the Standard Arabic Script for Highway
Signs, Section 904.07. Aleph height was assumed
to be 24 cm, slightly larger than the English 20
cm lettering. Calculations proceed right to left.
Looking at the last letter in the first word, the
shape extends 43 mm below the baseline. Using
the proportion of 4.8, at least 20.64 cm will be
required between the Arabic and English message
to avoid conflict.
904.06 GUIDE SIGN DIMENSIONS
904.06.01 Single Message Guide Signs
(Example 900-02)
After computing the preliminary sign width
(message width, arrow width, and offsets) it shall
be rounded to the nearest 5 cm to get the final
sign width. Changes to the adjustable base
dimensions most likely will have to be made to
achieve this.
Sign faces shall be detailed as per the theoretical
height dimensions for a particular sign. Small
variations in the spacing between the legend and
the border can be used to increase or decrease the
overall sign height to an even 50mm increment.
However, any reduction shall be limited to 90%
of the original spacing.
Changes made to achieve the recommended height
and width shall be spread as evenly as possible
over the appropriate adjustable dimensions. If the
preliminary sign height or width is a halfway
between two recommended sign heights or widths,
always round to the higher size.
Center the smaller lettering with the center of the
wider lettering.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Proportion: 24 cm = 4.8
5 cm

First letter: page 6; connected on left: 55 mm x 4.8 = 26.40 cm

Second letter: Page 3; connected on right 10 mm x 4.8 = 4.80 cm
Space: from Table A, 1-1/2 squares: 7.5 mm x 4.8 = 3.60 cm
Third letter: page 5; unconnected: 30 mm x 4.8 = 14.40 cm
Space: from Table A, overlap by 1-1/2 squares: 7.5 mm x 4.8 = -3.60 cm
Fourth letter: page 9; end of word: 53 mm x 4.8 = 25.44 cm
Space between words: 6 squares: 30mm x 4.8 = 14.40 cm
First letter: page 3; unconnected: 8 mm x 4.8 = 3.84 cm
Space: from Table A, 1-1/2 squares: 7.5 mm x 4.8 = 3.60 cm
Second letter: page 11; connected on left: 22 mm x 4.8 = 10.56 cm
Third letter: page 10; connected both sides: 50mm x 4.8 = 24.00 cm
Fourth letter: page 12; connected on right: 45mm x 4.8 = 21.60 cm
Space: from Table A, no space: = 0.00 cm
Fifth letter: page 5, unconnected: 30mm x 4.8 = 14.40 cm
Space: from Table A, overlap by 2 squares: -10 mm x 4.8 = -4.80 cm
sixth letter: page 11, connected on left: 22 mm x 4.8 = 10.56 cm
Seventh letter: page 12, connected both sides: 27 mm x 4.8 = 12.96 cm
Eighth letter: page 6, end of word: 80 mm x 4.8 = 38.40 cm

Total Length of Message = 220.56 cm

Example 900-01
Sample Calculation Of Arabic Message Width

Part 2 900-11
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
904.06.02 Multiple Message Guide Signs
(Example 900-03)
For multiple message guide signs, the rules and
base dimensions for a single message guide shall
apply, with a few additions and exceptions.
Guide sign width shall be determined by the
widest message (message width, arrow width and
offsets), measured as if it was a single message
guide sign.
To achieve a recommended height, changes in he
adjustable dimensions should be spread as evenly
as possible throughout all messages.
The multiple sign should be shown with a similar
dimensional breakdown as the single message sign
(Example 900-02).
The following paragraphs provide guides for use
with messages containing arrows. Separate guide
arrows for each message:
The smaller message shall not be centered
with the larger message, but placed with the
same offsets from the guide arrow side of the
sign as if they were a single message sign.
A single white stripe of 3 cm or 5 cm shall be
placed between all messages that use separate
guide arrows. English and Arabic lettering
shall be offset from this line as from the
border stripes in a single message guide sign.
It is preferable to place the guide arrows on
opposite sides of the guide sign.
Separate guide arrows for each message:
Part 2 900-12
These multiple messages shall be centered
with the center of the largest message.
The dimension between two messages shall be
the same as between the Arabic lettering and
the upper border stripe on a single message
guide sign.
The guide arrow shall be vertically centered.
It will also be horizontally offset from the
largest message as in a single message sign.
Separate guide arrows for each message (multiple
messages):
The smaller messages shall not be centered
with largest message, but placed with the
same offsets from the guide arrow side of the
sign as if they were a single message sign.
A single white stripe of 3 or 5 cm shall be
placed between all messages that use separate
guide arrows. English and Arabic lettering
shall be offset from this line as from the
border stripes in a single message guide sign.
It is preferable to place the guide arrows on
opposite sides of the guide sign.
Same guide arrow for multiple messages:
These multiple messages shall be centered
with the center of the largest message.
The dimension between two messages shall be
the same as between the Arabic lettering and
the upper border stripe on a single message
guide sign.
The guide arrow shall be vertically centered.
It will also be horizontally offset from the
largest message as in a single message sign.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Dimensions For Guide Signs

Aleph Height

24 cm 30 cm

A 3 5
B* 20 27
C 20 27
D (See Note A)
E 24 30
F* 24 30
G* 35 (See Note B) 40
H* 30 (See Note B) 40
J (See Note C)
K (See Note D)

(A) 10 cm + largest distance an Arabic letter in the message goes below the baseline.

(B) From the edge of the wider message, Arabic or English.

(C) See Standard Drawings for arrow dimensions.

(D) (Height of sign - arrow height) 2, use whole numbers.

* These dimensions may be adjusted to comply with recommended heights and widths.

Example 900-02
Dimensions For Guide Signs

Part 2 900-13
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Example 900-03
Multiple Message Guide Signs

Part 2 900-14
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

1 of 14
904.07 STANDARD ARABIC SCRIPT
FOR HIGHWAY SIGNS

This section consists of pages numbered 1

through 14 of 14. The design of each letter and
number is shown on a 5 mm grid in Figures
900.06 through 900.17. Letter shapes are shown
when the letter occurs at the end of a word (or is
unconnected), at the beginning of a word, and in
the middle of a word (generally shown left to right
respectively). The length of the connections to
proceeding and following letters are included in
the design. However, they may be increased
slightly to maintain proper proportion with the
English legend if it is larger than the Arabic
legend.

Letter height and spacing between words shall be

detailed in the project drawings.

Certain Arabic letters are not connected with

letters which follow in the same word. The space
between the letters and the letters which follow
them are given in Figure 900.05.

Part 2 900-15
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

2 of 14

Figure 900.05
Guide Sign Letter Spacing

Part 2 900-16
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

3 of 14

Figure 900.06
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-17
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

4 of 14

Figure 900.07
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-18
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

5 of 14

Figure 900.08
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-19
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

6 of 14

Figure 900.09
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-20
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

7 of 14

Figure 900.10
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-21
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

8 of 14

Figure 900.11
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-22
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

9 of 14

Figure 900.12
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-23
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

10 of 14

Figure 900.13
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-24
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

11 of 14

Figure 900.14
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-25
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

12 of 14

Figure 900.15
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-26
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

13 of 14

Figure 900.16
Guide Sign Lettering
Part 2 900-27
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

14 of 14

Figure 900.17
Guide Sign Lettering

Part 2 900-28
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

904.08 SIGN LIGHTING reflect general practices which may not always be
applicable to Abu Dhabi. Where there are
Roadway sign lighting shall be as recommended conflicts between this section, the Standard
in AASHTOs An Informational Guide for Drawings and the MUTCD, the guidelines in this
Roadway Lighting, 1984, pages 30-32. section and the Standard Drawings should be
followed, consistent with sound engineering
Sign Lighting shall be designed using medium practices and judgment.
ambient illuminance in accordance with the
following table: All pavement markings and symbols shall be
thermoplastic per the Standard Drawings and the
Table 900.01 Standard Specifications.
Sign Lighting
Lighting Medium Ambient Typical urban layouts for pavement markings and
Levels Illuminance raised pavement markers are shown in the
Illuminance 20-40 Fc Standard Plans. Raised pavement markers are
Luminance 48-96 cd/m2 generally not used in rural areas.

The uniformity (maximum) for the illuminance 905.02 TYPES OF PAVEMENT

shall not exceed a ratio of 6:1, 4:1 is desirable. MARKINGS

904.09 SIGN LUMINARES The following types of pavement markings shall

be used, as required:
High-pressure sodium fixtures shall be used, 150
watt size. Each sign lighting shall be designed for 1. Lane Markings
mounting horizontally at the top of the sign 2. Stop Line Markings
panels, number and spacing of the fixtures shall 3. Pedestrian Crossing Markings
be determined during design. Maximum spacing 4. Channelization Markings
of the fixtures should not exceed 6 m. 5. Pavement Edge Markings
6. Parking Space Markings
Sign lighting shall follow AASHTO 7. Pavement Symbols (Arrows and Letters)
recommendations. Independent design
calculations are recommended using the design 905.02.01 Lane Markings
program Micro-Site-Lite, CALA or equivalent.
The effect of adjacent roadway lighting on the In urban areas, markings separating traffic lanes
sign should be considered in these calculations. in the same direction shall be comprised of type
CR and type NR pavement markers spaced as
Each fixture shall be individually fused in a shown on the Standard Drawings. Markings
NEMA 32 box at each sign structure. If a sign separating exclusive turning lanes from through
structure has four or more sign lights, two traffic lanes shall be type NR pavement markers
independent circuits shall be provided for that spaced as shown on the Standard Drawings from
structure. the stop bar to the end of the taper.

905 PAVEMENT MARKINGS In instances where two parallel and adjacent

longitudinal lines are placed, they shall be 10 cm
905.01 GENERAL apart.

Pavement markings shall be used for regulating, For lane marking standards not shown in the
warning, and guiding road users. Discussion in Standard Drawings see Figure 900.18.
this section is complimentary to the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and
shall be used in conjunction with that document.
However, policies presenting in the MUTCD
Part 2 900-29
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Figure 900.18
Lane Markings
905.02.02 Stop Line Markings
Stop line markings shall be continuous from curb
to curb and shall be 30 cm wide as shown on the
standard drawings.
905.02.03 Pedestrian Crossing Markings
Pedestrian crossings shall be marked by
longitudinal stripes through the width of the
pedestrian crossing which shall be 4.0 m. Stripes
shall be 50 cm wide, with a 50 cm gap between
adjacent stripes.
The distance between the upstream edge of the
pedestrian crossing and the beginning of the
adjacent stop line shall be 1.0 m.
905.02.04 Channelization Markings
All channelization markings, except those
mentioned above, shall be 20 cm wide solid lines.
Dead areas created by channelization will have
chevrons which shall be comprised of 20 cm
continuous line.
Part 2 900-30
905.02.05 Pavement Edge Markings
Pavement edges shall be marked only when there
is no curb. The marking shall be a 10 cm wide
continuous white line on the outside edge and a
yellow line on the inside edge with corresponding
type CR or YR pavement markings at 16.0 m
intervals as shown on the Standard Drawings.
905.02.06 Parking Space Markings
Parking space markings shall be used wherever
parking is allowed. They shall be 10 cm wide
solid lines showing the borders of each parking
space.
905.02.07 Pavement Symbols
(Arrows and Letters)
Arrows shall be used, as necessary, to indicate the
types of movements, that can be made from the
lanes where arrows are placed. They shall be
solid, elongated, and 5.0 m long. The shape shall
be as specified by international standards.
Letters, whenever used, shall be solid, elongated,
and 3.0 m long. The shape shall be as specified
by international standards. Letter messages shall
be both in Arabic and English.
906 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC
During Construction, existing traffic flow will be
maintained on paved, lighted detour roads. In
general, detours will have two through lanes in
each direction.
906.01 CONSTRUCTION STAGING
Construction will be staged so as to avoid
disruption of traffic flow as much as possible.
When required and possible, pedestrian
movements will be maintained by temporary
sidewalks.
Temporary pavement shall be used for all
detours. Temporary lighting shall be provided
during all stages of construction, including
temporary detours.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

906.02 SAFETY MEASURES

Standard barriers, barricades, signs, flashers and

other protective measures will be provided for
guiding, warning, and protecting vehicular and
pedestrian traffic during construction.

All road closures and construction traffic shall be

coordinated with local police and fire services.

906.03 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNALS

At locations of complex traffic movements,

temporary and portable traffic signals will be
used for the safe, orderly movement of traffic
during construction.

906.04 MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC

PLANS

A work phase plan shall be established by

construction phases or sequence, indicating the
duration of each phase or sequence. The plan
shall include but not be limited to:
maintenance of traffic circulation during
construction,
traffic control methods that need to be
implemented,
construction detours,
Work areas per stage,
temporary barrier locations and details,
temporary signing and striping locations and
details,
temporary construction quantities.

Part 2 900-31
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 1000
LIGHTING
1001 ROADWAY LIGHTING
1001.01 GENERAL
The main function of roadway lighting is to
improve driver visibility. A well illuminated
roadway increases safety by allowing drivers to
identify potential hazards or conflicts. Well
designed lighting allows the driver to quickly
recognize roadway features such as alignment,
delineation, intersections, ramps, traffic signs,
traffic signals, and pedestrian crossings. The
improved driving environment in turn improves
traffic operations, capacity and safety.
Lighting continuity is recommended for esthetic
and functional reasons. Lighting continuity helps
drivers identify roadway facilities and acts as a
unifying design element.
Lighting design responsibility generally
encompasses entire roadways within the project
limits. However, at the time of concept planning,
the design responsibility may be reduced or
expanded by the Municipality. The designer
should consult the Road Section as to any
variation in the design requirements.
1001.02 LIGHTING DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS
Freeways and Expressways
Because freeways and expressways are wide and
have higher traffic speeds, general street lighting
requirements are inadequate for freeway and
expressway lighting. High lumen lamps in
conjunction with high mast poles are used to
illuminate large roadway areas and reduce glare.
Interchanges
High mast lighting is ideal for illuminating
interchanges and other large areas, because the
illumination pattern is not confined to the basic
driving lanes. High mast lights illuminate the
entire interchange, creating the same overall view
of the area as that perceived in daylight. High
mast poles can be installed in suitably wide
medians on multiple-lane roadways. This type of
Part 2 1000-1
lighting enhances traffic safety through high
visibility, the need for fewer poles, and greater
flexibility in their location.
Arterials and Frontage Roads
Arterials serve moderately high volumes of traffic
at lower speeds than freeways and expressways.
Although their primary function is to move and
maintain uninterrupted traffic flow, they
frequently have busy at-grade intersections
requiring traffic control devices. These at-grade
intersections require greater visibility for traffic
signals, signs and the resulting crossing and
turning conflicts.
Also, increased commercial development along
arterials means increased pedestrian movements
and possibly the need to accommodate public
transportation (taxicabs and buses). Adequate
lighting for pedestrian movements and public
transportations frequent stopping, loading and
unloading of passengers is vital to safety along
arterials. Arterial lighting must also blend with
commercial development lighting to avoid
combinations which detract from the overall
lighting or result in poor visibility.
Sector Roads
A sector roads primary function is to provide
direct access to adjacent properties. Although
traffic speed is low, traffic volume can be heavy
and frequently interrupted especially in residential
and commercially developed areas. Because of
increased access to commercial and private
property, sector roads, compared to arterials,
must accommodate an even heavier volume of
pedestrian movement. Lighting considerations are
much the same as for arterials.
Intersections and Pedestrian Crossings
Lighting intersection and pedestrian crossings is
of particular concern and must be adequate for
traffic and pedestrian security, as well as meeting
environmental objectives. If necessary for traffic
safety, pedestrian security, or to enhance
appearance, the lighting color should be varied to
define the various elements more clearly.
Generally, the illumination level at an intersection
of two at-grade roadways is the sum of the
illumination of the two roadways.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Table 1000.01
Illumination Requirements
Roadway Minimum Uniformity Light Lantern Pole
Illumination Ratio Source Height
(Lux) (m)
Freeways & 22 2:1 HPS Cut-off Type III 30.5
Expressways
Interchanges 22 2:1 HPS Cut-off Type V 30.5 ***

Main Roads/ 22 2:1 HPS or Rectilinear, Sharp Cut-off 14

Arterials MH
Sector Roads 15* 3:1 HPS or Rectilinear, Sharp Cut-off 10 ***
/Ramps MH
Crosswalks 33 2:1 HPS or Rectilinear, Sharp Cut-off 10-14
MH
Ramp Terminals 40** 2:1 Match Cut-off Type 30.5 ***
&Traffic Conflict Road or 14
Areas
Parking Areas 15 3:1 HPS, or Rectilinear, Sharp Cut-off 10
MH
Sidewalks Away 10* 3:1 HPS Decorative 4.6
From Road
HPS - High Pressure Sodium
MH - Metal Halide

Notes:
1. Lamps for sign lighting should be a different color from roadway. Mercury vapor lamps for sign
lights will provide good contrast and easy differentiation from high pressure sodium roadway
lighting.
2. Recommended illumination level indictates the minimum allowable. Individual designs shall specify
lighting levels as advised by the Municipality/WED at the design phase.

* On high volume roads, lighting will be upgraded to suit conditions.

** Areas of traffic conflict would have high levels of illumination equal to the sum of values
recommended for each of the intersecting roads.
*** Use high mast with HPS on ramps wherever possible.

Rural Lighting 1001.03 ILLUMINATION

Rural roadway lighting is generally warranted
only at decision points such as interchanges or
intersections. However, accident records should
be examined to determine if poor visibility was a
recurring factor. Continuous lighting on rural
roadways may be considered early in the design
process.
REQUIREMENTS
Table 1000.01 summarizes the illumination
requirements for various roadways.
Illumination
Illumination levels stated in Table 1000.01
represent the lowest average maintained levels
considered appropriate for each kind of roadway
or walkway in the various areas. Illumination

Part 2 1000-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
criteria and calculations are based on the
Illuminating Engineering Societys (I.E.S.)
standards modified to meet the higher uniformity
and illumination levels required by the WED and
the Municipality of Abu Dhabi.
Uniformity Ratio
A Uniformity Ratio (UR) is defined as the
average maintained illumination of the roadway
design area, divided by the lowest value at any
point in the area. See Table 1000.01 for roadway
criteria.
Light Source
Light sources shall be as identified in Table
1000.01 and as modified during the design phase
if advised by the Municipality. It is important
that the lighting design be compatible with the
surrounding area.
The roadways not identified in this manual will
use a light source as directed by the Municipality.
Side roads and ramps shall have the same light
source as the adjacent main roads. Metal halide
or high pressure sodium shall be selected to blend
with the surroundings on sector roads.
Lantern and Lamp Selection
Sharp cutoff lanterns are proposed for roadway
lighting per Table 1000.01. These lanterns are
designed to illuminate a relatively large area
without spilling light into adjacent areas. They
produce uniform illumination and minimum glare.
High pressure sodium lamps provide excellent
golden white color and enhance the esthetic
qualities of concrete, stone and brick. Metal
halide gives a whiter light, providing a color
contrast to sodium lamps, and enhance the
appearance of green and pastel colored materials.
The lanterns shall be mechanically strong and
easy to maintain. They shall be of adequate
design to operate at mounting heights of 30.5
meters and able to withstand sustained wind
speeds of 160 kph with 208 kph gusts.
Lanterns mounted on 14 meter poles shall be
1000 Watt high pressure sodium, metal halide
and mercury vapor lanterns cut-off, and provide
efficient even illumination.
Part 2 1000-3
Lanterns mounted on 10 m poles shall be 400
watt high pressure sodium or metal halide
lanterns.
Lanterns shall have optical systems sealed against
moisture, dirt and insects, and be mechanically
strong and easy to maintain.
Glare control for the mounting height specified,
and cut-off characteristics shall be designed based
on I.E.S. standards.
Lantern Mounting Height
High mast lighting (30.5 m) is proposed for
applicable interchanges and between closely
spaced interchanges when conditions permit. On
major thoroughfares not suitable for high mast
lighting, but where substantial lighting
requirements remain, pole heights would be 14m.
High-mast lighting (30.5 m poles) shall be used
on rural and urban freeways and expressways
with wide medians where one row of 14 m poles
is not suitable. The 30.5 m poles shall also be
used at all interchanges. Wherever possible high
mast lighting shall be used for ramps.
High mast lighting will be used on main roads
only when light height will not substantially
interfere with nearby buildings. On other major
thoroughfares, poles would be 14 m high and
would be placed at the side or in the median of the
roadway, as applicable. Single or multiple
lanterns would be used to provide uniform
illumination of the roadway.
1002 PARKING AREA LIGHTING
1002.01 GENERAL
The function of light sources in parking areas is
to give an overall view of the parking area and
provide a measure of security. Lighting is also
critical for vehicle maneuvers such as backing.
1002.02 ILLUMINATION
REQUIREMENTS
Light source shall be high pressure sodium or
metal halide selected to blend with the
surroundings per Table 1000.01.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
1002.03 LANTERN MOUNTING HEIGHT
Ten meter high poles shall be used for all parking
lot areas. Lantern configuration and light
distribution shall be selected to suit the parking
area geometry.
1002.04 LANTERN SELECTION
Lanterns shall be as detailed in the General
Specifications and Table 1000.01.
1003 SIDEWALK LIGHTING
1003.01 GENERAL
Sidewalk lighting provides visually pleasant and
decorative illumination to sidewalks adjacent to
buildings, to buildings themselves and to the other
pedestrian walkways.
1003.02 ILLUMINATION
REQUIREMENTS
Light source will be high pressure sodium per
Table 1000.01 unless otherwise directed by the
Municipality. Sidewalk lights will be provided
only for the areas specifically advised by the
Municipality.
1003.03 LANTERN MOUNTING HEIGHT
Sidewalk light poles shall generally be 4.6 meters
high with 2-100 watt high pressure sodium
lanterns. However, special pole heights and
lantern types may be required to meet special
situations. The Project Design Manager should
consult the Municipality as to the exact nature of
the requirements at the time of concept planning.
1003.04 LANTERN SELECTION
Ornamental lighting of proper height for the
pedestrian is proposed for sidewalks along
buildings and in parks and landscaped areas.
Low-level ground lights would be used to
illuminate vegetation.
Part 2 1000-4
1004 LIGHTING CONTROLS
1004.01 GENERAL
These items provide required electrical
connections and controls to all roadway lighting,
decorative lighting and street furniture lighting
items (i.e. bus shelters, telephone booths and
sidewalk lights).
1004.02 LIGHTING CONTROLLER
REQUIREMENTS
Lighting shall be controlled by a 24 hour timing
switch. Control cabinet requirements shall be as
specified in the Standard Specifications.
1004.03 DESIGN STANDARDS AND
PROCEDURES
Control cabinets should be located in the median
where feasible. The maximum voltage drop in the
outgoing circuits beginning at the control cabinet
shall be four percent. Branching of underground
cable circuits from all lighting units except 4.6 m
poles will be allowed. There shall not be any
intermediate joints in the lighting cable circuitry
except the terminations in the lighting units or in
the junction boxes.
1005 POWER DISTRIBUTION
Electric service is 415/240 volts, three-phase,
four-wire, 50 Hz system furnished by the Water
and Electricity Department (WED). This service
shall be provided at the lighting control cabinets.
Underground distribution to the lighting units
utilizes four conductor and steel wire armored
XPLE insulated cables. Conductor size will be
25 mm2 for all 30.5 and 14 m light poles and 16
mm2 for all 10 and 4.6 m poles, street furniture
and decorative lighting units. The lanterns will be
connected in phase sequence to provide a
balanced three-phase load.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Type IV pull boxes shall be used adjacent to light
pole foundations in paved areas except where
interlocking pavers are used. They should be
installed between the foundation race way conduit
and the electrical conduit. Cables shall be direct
buried under sidewalks and interlocking pavers
used in parking areas except at the entry or exit of
sector roads or parking areas where PVC ducts
shall be provided. Cables under interlocking tiles
at the entry or exit of sector roads and parking
areas, shall be through concrete encased PVC
ducts.
All PVC conduits and ducts for underground
cable lighting circuitry, shall be a minimum of 10
cm diameter. There should be a minimum of one
spare duct at each crossing. Where lighting
cables are proposed along the service reserves at
road crossings, the available electrical ducts shall
be used. Separate lighting road crossing ducts are
not required at these locations.
The underground lighting cables shall be installed
along electrical service reserves in all possible
cases. Wherever the lighting cables are proposed
outside the service reserve, the cable route shall
be immediately adjacent to the curb line.
Separate earthing is required only at the terminal
pole of each circuitry. All light poles and fixtures
shall be earthed through the cable armoring.
Part 2 1000-5
1006 DESIGN AND SUPERVISION
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Municipality is responsible for the lighting
criteria standards to light the roads. This
criterion covers illumination levels, uniformity
ratios and distribution and differences in
brightness of the roadways.
WED may suggest/advise of criteria or
improvements in lighting for the Municipality and
its Consultant to consider in design and
construction. However, WED responsibility is
limited to advising of its requirements for
maintenance and access to the lighting poles and
lanterns for inclusion in the Specifications. The
Municipality and its Consultant are responsible
for adherence to the lighting specifications.
WED is responsible for the technical
specifications and sizing for the electrical power
supply for the lighting system including
underground cable circuits, fuses, control
cabinets, pull boxes and conduit. Accordingly,
WED will be responsible for review of contractor
submittals covering these items during the
construction period. WED shall have the right to
inspect such construction in the field and approval
by WED shall be required prior to burial of the
underground cable circuitry by the Contractor.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 1100
ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT
1101 LANDSCAPING
Landscaping and the associated irrigation system
for the roadside areas and medians will be
designed by the Agricultural Section of the Abu
Dhabi Municipality. The Design Project
Manager is responsible for coordinating with the
Agricultural Section to ensure that they are aware
of the Project and its design schedule.
Special permission from the Municipality is
required for the removal of any green (planted)
area. Newly created areas suitable for planting
along with remaining green areas must be
identified and presented on the General Plans.
The Design Project Manager must provide these
plans to the Agricultural Section so that they can
design the new landscaping and irrigation system.
Close coordination with the Agricultural Section
is essential to ensure that the irrigation design is
completed early enough to be incorporated into
the Tender Documents of the roadway project.
Agricultural planting areas should be shown on
the general plans designated as green areas.
Green areas within the residential sectors, (sectors
predominantly villas or low rise structures),
should be maximized while reducing paved areas.
In general the green areas should be limited to the
front portion of building plots. The areas
between and behind the existing buildings should
be paved with pedestrian or vehicular pavers as
applicable. However, each sector must be
considered individually. Local residents,
Mosques, Embassies and/or some other
significant feature within the sector, often require
special (non-standard) treatment.
1102 IRRIGATION
It may be required to design an irrigation
reservoir with electrical and water services. In
general, it will include the reservoir, pump-house
structure and the incoming services, but will not
include the interior piping, wiring or pumping
systems.
Part 2 1100-1
The Agricultural Section will determine if a
reservoir is required on a project. They will, also
determine its location and size. However, final
approval for including this work in a project must
come from the Road Section.
1102.01 IRRIGATION DUCTS
All irrigation facility crossings of all roadways
shall be accommodated within a duct. Duct
details are included on the Miscellaneous Utility
Detail Standard Drawings. Duct crossings should
be located within allocated service reservation
corridors.
Guidelines for providing the irrigation ducts and
appurtenances are:
1. Ducts for irrigation lines may be Glass
Reinforced Plastic (GRP) or
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe conforming to
the Standard Specifications.
2. Generally, ducts will be provided under the
roadway at intersection crossings. Additional
contingency ducts shall be located at spacing
of approximately 250 to 300 meters between
interchanges. Specific contingency duct
requirements for each project must be
coordinated with the Agriculture Department.
Ducts under the roadway pavement must be
aligned with each other in the median, both
horizontally and vertically.
3. Ducts should normally have one meter of
cover, however, one-half meter of cover is
acceptable where positioning is due to
conflicts with existing or proposed utilities.
In superelevated sections, the ducts should
have approximately the same degree of cross
slope as the highway. All ducts should have
a nominal (1%) slope for drainage.
4. The end of ducts must extend 0.5 meters
(minimum) past back face of curbs or
sidewalks when in curbed situations.
5. The end of the ducts should extend into the
verge area in an un-curbed condition. The
intent is to maintain the cover from the
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
sideslope at one meter (minimum) where the
irrigation line comes out of sleeve.
6. Ducts should be considered where
maintenance roads and driveways cross
irrigation lines.
1103 FENCING
The Designer and Abu Dhabi Road Section shall
review fence requirements on a project specific
basis.
1104 SLOPE PAVING
Slope paving at bridge abutments shall conform
to the Abu Dhabi Road Section Standard slope
paving details.
Where the mainline is depressed below the local
crossroad, the slope paving shall approximate the
typical cross section contours. A 6 meter grading
transition at each edge of the slope paving should
be indicated on the plans.
Special treatment of slope paving may be
applicable at specific locations. The Designer
should coordinate slope paving treatments with
the Abu Dhabi Road Section.
1105 SWEET SAND COVERING
In general, all proposed green areas shall be
covered with a 30 cm minimum depth of sweet
sand at the finish grade.
The Designer shall calculate the quantity of sweet
sand required for the project. The General Plan
drawings will show the green areas included in the
project.
1106 STREET FURNITURE
1106.01 GENERAL
Street furniture to be provided as part of the Abu
Dhabi Roadway Section projects includes
benches, bus shelters, telephone booths and
sidewalk lighting. The purpose is to provide
pedestrian amenities and to enhance the urban
environment with street furniture that has a
Part 2 1100-2
uniform and visually pleasing design and
appearance.
In general, street furniture will only be provided
in roadway projects at the direction of the Road
Section. For urban interchange projects,
installation of street furniture will be included as
part of the proposed improvements. On rural
interchange contracts, the extent of street
furniture required could range from pedestrian
signals to a full compliment of street furniture
elements. On all types of projects, during the
close of the Concept Phase, the Designer should
consult with the Abu Dhabi Road Section to
determine the types of street furniture that should
be provided.
Descriptions of the basic function, elements,
design standards and procedure for each street
furniture item are included in following sections.
1106.02 DESIGN
Details of street furniture have been designed and
shown on the Standard Street Furniture Detail
drawings and in the Standard Specifications.
These details do not have to be revised from one
contract to the other unless there is a project-
specific requirement.
1106.03 BENCHES
Benches provide resting facilities for pedestrians,
much needed in Abu Dhabi in view of the warm
climate. There are three types of benches
designed for the Abu Dhabi Roadway Section
projects, Type A, Type B and Type C.
1106.03.01 Type A bench
This type of bench is comprised of two precast
concrete ends and wood slats (over aluminum
tubes), and does not have a backrest. The Type A
bench is always used in combination with the
Type B bench, except when it is used at taxi
stops.
1106.03.02 Type B bench
This type of bench includes a back rest, a planter
and a waste receptacle. Basic elements of the
bench itself are the same as the Type A bench,
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
except for the back rest and higher ends. The
Type B bench is also used in combination with a
Type A bench to create a small gathering place
for a group of people.
1106.03.03 Type C bench
This type of bench is comprised of the same
elements as a Type A bench except it is used only
in bus shelters.
Subject to space availability, basic criteria for
placement of benches are as follows:
1. Two combination Type A/Type B benches
are placed at every intersection, with each in
different quadrant (preferably diagonal
quadrants).
2. If space does not permit the above
arrangement, a Type B bench is placed in the
same fashion.
3. At least two Type B benches are placed at
each side of the main road between two
intersections.
4. Two Type C benches are placed within each
bus shelter (considered as part of and paid
under bus shelters).
5. One Type A bench is placed at each taxi stop.
1106.04 BUS SHELTERS
Bus shelters are placed on bus stop sidewalks to
provide shade and seating for bus passengers.
Part 2 1100-3
Bus shelters are to be placed at every bus stop
except where space limitations prohibit their use.
They are to be located at the far (downstream,
according to the direction of traffic) end of the
bus stop with one meter from the edge of the
curb.
1106.05 TELEPHONE BOOTHS
Foundations for telephone booths will be provided
in road projects, the telephone booth and
operating equipment are the responsibility of
Etisalat.
Etisalat determines locations and quantity of
telephone booths to be included in each Contract
as approved by the Road Section.
1107 NOISE ABATEMENT
The Designer and the Abu Dhabi Road Section
shall review any noise abatement requirements on
a project specific basis. In general, the Designer
is to mitigate, as much as possible, any increase
in the traffic noise, especially in residential
neighborhoods.
In special circumstances involving sensitive areas,
depressed roadways or noise abatement walls may
be required.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
PART 3
STRUCTURE DESIGN
SECTION 100
DESIGN CRITERIA
101 GENERAL
101.01 PURPOSE
The purpose of this section is to provide Bridge
Design Criteria in order to establish a uniform
project design and construction policy that will
aid the Consultant in the preparation of final
design, plans and specifications, and insure safe
and uniform structural capacity throughout the
project.
Structures shall be designed in accordance with
the latest edition, including revisions, of the
Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges -
published by the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) and the Structural Design Standards
included herewith in Part 3 of this Roadway
Design Manual. The design shall be based on the
latest edition of the AASHTO specifications as
existing on the date of the design contract. The
Structural Design Standards presented hereunder
shall govern over the AASHTO Specifications
wherever the are At Variance With or In
Addition To the AASHTO Specifications.
These criteria set forth minimum standards. The
Consultant may propose more conservative
criteria if, in his judgment, such criteria are
required. However, all deviations from the
criteria must be justified and receive prior
approval from the Abu Dhabi Roads Section
Project Manager.
101.02 DEFINITIONS
The following definitions and abbreviations are
provided to clarify usage of terms and to avoid
the need for excessive verbiage.
Part 3 100-1
AASHTOAmerican Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials Standard
Specifications for Highway Bridges, 15th Edition
-1992, including all Interim Specifications to
date.
ApprovalApproval as obtained from the Abu
Dhabi Roads Section Project Manager.
Drainage ReportThe Drainage Report as
produced by the Bridge Drainage Section or,
when applicable, by a consultant.
Geotechnical ReportThe Geotechnical Report
including the Foundation Design Report as
produced by the Geotechnical Section or by a
consultant.
Special ProvisionsThe Special Provisions to
the Standard Project Specifications as specifically
written for each individual project.
Standard SpecificationsThe Standard Project
Specifications
AASHTO Specifications for Structural
SupportsThe AASHTO Standard
Specifications for Structural Supports for
Highway Signs, Luminaries and Traffic Signals,
latest Edition.
101.03 BRIDGE TYPES
Bridge DefinitionA Bridge is defined as a
structure including supports erected over a
depression or an obstruction, as water, highway
or railway and having a track or passageway for
carrying traffic or other moving loads and having
an opening measured along the center of the
roadway of more than 6.00 meters between
undercopings of abutments or springlines of
arches or extreme ends of openings for multiple
boxes; it may include multiple pipes, where the
clear distance between openings is less than half
of the smaller contiguous opening.
BridgeThe term bridge is usually reserved
for structures over water courses or canyons.
OverpassA structure carrying the principal
route over a highway street or railroad.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
UnderpassA structure which provided for
passage of the principal route under a highway,
street, railroad or other feature.
Traffic InterchangeAn overpass or underpass
is also called a T.I. if on and off ramps are
provided to the intersecting roadway.
ViaductA structure of some length carrying a
roadway over various features such as streets,
waterways or railroads.
TunnelA structure carrying a roadway through
a hill or mountain.
Pedestrian OverpassA structure carrying a
pedestrian walkway over a roadway.
Pedestrian UnderpassA structure which
provides for passage of a pedestrian walkway
under a roadway.
102 DESIGN FEATURES
102.01 GENERAL
The general features of design shall be as
specified in Section 2 of AASHTO except as
clarified or modified in this manual.
102.02 DESIGN METHODS
ALL BRIDGE MEMBERS ARE TO BE
DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
AASHTO AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THIS MANUAL. (Other standards may be
allowed with Department approval.)
102.03 VERTICAL CLEARANCE AT
STRUCTURES
(AASHTO 2.2.3)
The following are minimum vertical clearance
standards for highway traffic structures,
pedestrian overpasses, railroad overpasses,
tunnels and sign structures. Lesser clearances
may be used only under very restrictive
conditions, upon individual analysis and with the
approval of the Abu Dhabi Roads Section Project
Manager.
Part 3 100-2
102.03.01 Highway Traffic Structures
The design vertical clearance to structures
passing over Freeways, Highways and all Rural
and Urban Arterials shall be at least 6.00 meters
over the entire roadway width, including auxiliary
lanes and shoulders. An allowance of 150
millimeters is included to accommodate future
resurfacing. This allowance may be waived if the
roadway under the structure is surfaced with
portland cement concrete.
The design vertical clearance to structures
passing over all other highways and streets shall
be at least 5.50 meters over the entire roadway
width, including auxiliary lanes and shoulders.
An allowance of 150 millimeters is included to
accommodate future resurfacing. This allowance
may be waived if the roadway under the structure
is surfaced with portland cement concrete.
Certain routes have been designated as truck
routes. On these routes, larger vertical clearance
must be maintained. For future projects, these
routes will be identified by the Abu Dhabi Roads
Section Project Manager during the concept
stage.
102.03.02 Pedestrian Overpasses
Because of their lesser resistance to impacts, the
minimum design vertical clearance to pedestrian
overpasses shall be 6.00 meters regardless of the
highway system classification. An allowance of
150 millimeters is included to accommodate
future resurfacing.
102.03.03 Railroad Overpasses
Structures over railways shall provide a minimum
clearance of 7.00 meters above top of rail, except
that overhead clearance greater than 7.00 meters
may be approved when justified on the basis of
railroad electrification. No additional allowance
shall be provided for future track adjustments.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
102.03.04 Tunnels
The minimum design vertical clearance for
tunnels shall be at least 6.00 meters for freeways
and arterials and at least 5.50 meters for all other
highways and streets.
102.03.05 Sign Structures
Because of their lesser resistance to impacts, the
minimum design vertical clearance to sign
structures shall be 6.00 meters regardless of the
highway system classification. An allowance of
150 millimeters is included to accommodate
future resurfacing.
102.03.06 Width (AASHTO 2.3.1)
The horizontal clear width for rural bridges where
approach guardrail is used shall provide an
additional width on each side of the approach
roadway width to allow the bridge rail to line up
with the approach guardrail. The horizontal clear
width for urban bridges, in which curb and gutter
and/or sidewalks are used, shall equal the
approach roadway width.
102.04 RAILINGS (AASHTO 2.7)
In general, concrete barrier should be used as a
vehicular railing. For situations requiring a
different barrier type, only FHWA crash test
approved bridge rails are allowable alternatives.
Bridge rails shall be constructed vertical.
Concrete barriers shall not be slipformed. For
cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete bridges,
barriers shall be cast after post-tensioning and
may be cast before falsework removal.
102.05 CONCRETE BARRIER
TRANSITIONS
Transitions from bridge concrete barrier to
approach guardrail should, when practical, be
located on the bridge, approach slab or
wingwalls.
Part 3 100-3
102.06 APPROACH SLABS
Concrete approach slabs shall be used on all
structures. Approach slabs serve a dual purpose
of providing a transition structure from the bridge
to the approach roadway should the roadway
embankment settle and of eliminating the live load
surcharge of the abutment backwall when the
conditions specified in AASHTO 3.20.4 are
satisfied. Approach slabs are to be designed
using the Service Load Design Method and shall
cover the entire roadway width including the
shoulders, from wingwall to wingwall.
102.07 ANCHOR SLABS
When approach roadways are paved with
portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP),
adequate means shall be provided to prevent
pavement growth from causing damage to the
bridge. Use of a properly designed anchor slab is
one means of providing such protection
102.08 DECK DRAINAGE
On grade separation structures, roadway drains
shall not discharge water onto unprotected
embankment slopes or within five meters of the
traveled roadway below, nor shall drains be
located less than 1.5 meters from the centerlines
of abutments or piers. In urban areas collection
of deck drainage in a pipe system may be
required, with down drains in or on pier columns
discharging into storm drainage collector systems.
Consideration should always be given to provide
collector drains and discharge systems on the
approach roadway gutter rather than on the
bridge.
For bridges with sidewalks, expansion joints shall
be turned up at the curb line to prevent roadway
water from entering sidewalk areas. Appropriate
means shall be taken to ensure that sidewalk
drainage does not pond and that the water does
not escape around the wing walls and erode the
embankment.
For deck drainage design criteria, refer to the
ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL - Drainage.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
102.09 WING WALLS
Wing walls shall extend 1.50 meters beyond the
catch point, where catch point is defined as the
intersection of the fill slope in front of the
abutment with the finished approach grade at the
outside face of the wing wall. The bottom of the
wing walls shall be embedded a minimum of 1
meter into the approach fill at the end of the wing
walls.
102.10 LIGHTING
Consideration shall be given to special lighting
above and below the structure. This lighting shall
serve as ornamental lighting to enhance the
aesthetics and also to enhance safety. This
lighting is in additional to the normal roadway
lighting. Refer to the lighting section of this
manual for roadway lighting criteria.
Coordination of all structure lighting with existing
and/or planned lighting of connecting and
adjacent roads must be considered.
102.11 BRIDGE DECK ELEVATIONS
The project design group shall prepare either
computer plotted contours at 0.1 meter intervals
at a 1:50 scale or tabulate elevations at 3.0 meter
intervals along the profile grade line, with
additional elevation points on each perpendicular
(radial) such that the bridge can be completely
covered with 0.1 meter contours. The number of
elevation points on each perpendicular must be
such that the lowest, or the highest, point is
outside the bridge for use by the construction
supervision staff to help check the contractors
geometric layout.
Part 3 100-4
102.12 CONCRETE CRACK CONTROL
Maximum flexural crack width at the tensile face
of a reinforced concrete section shall not exceed
0.25mm for normal conditions of exposure and
0.20mm for marine and unfavorable conditions of
exposure (such as alternate wetting and drying,
humid atmosphere, direct contact with soil, etc.).
The allowable crack width can be increased by
25% under earthquake/wind/temporary
construction conditions.
102.13 CORROSION PROTECTION
(AASHTO 8.22)
Due to the adverse corrosive environment, all
reinforced concrete structures shall use epoxy
coated rebar unless otherwise directed by the
Project Manager.
103 ARCHITECTURAL
CONSIDERATIONS
103.01 PROCEDURE
Following the approval of the civil and basic
structural concepts for an interchange, including
configuration, alignment, profile and pier
locations, the Project Design Manager will meet
with the Structural, Architectural, and Graphics
Design Managers to develop basic alternatives
and set architectural design parameters.
Environmental constraints and influences will be
established. The Concept Design Team will
determine the number of structural concepts and
architectural options to be studied. The purpose
of these studies will be do develop applicable
concepts and options in the form of presentation
displays, to be used as a basis for the Abu Dhabi
Roads Section review and decision making. The
approved displays are submitted to the Abu
Dhabi Roads Section for review and selection of
the desired alternative. The approved scheme the
will progress to the preliminary and final design
phases.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

103.02 GENERAL CRITERIA

Every effort should be made in the treatment of

structures to respect the Islamic design and
culture.

Design concepts should be easily implemented.

Construction considerations are also taken into
account in the architectural treatment concepts.
Architectural elements should be functional,
durable and easily maintained.

Each structure should have individuality;

however, a totally different design is not required
for each structure. It is desirable to maintain a
sense of continuity throughout the whole
program.

Architectural treatment should be continuous

through an interchange.

In the downtown area, underpasses spanning a

given roadway should have similar treatment to
establish continuity. Decorative and median
lighting should be similar on overpasses along a
given route.

Part 3 100-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 200 201.06 STRUCTURE LOADINGS

DESIGN LOADS
1. Highway Bridge Live Load: AASHTO 20-44
increased by 25 percent.
201 LOAD TYPES
2. Wind Velocity: 160 kilometers per hour.
3. Humidity Range: 25 percent to 100 percent.
201.01 GENERAL
4. Earth Pressure: For specific project
Loads shall be as specified in Section 3 of recommendations, refer to Soils Report
AASHTO except as clarified or modified in this 5. Future Utilities: 75 kg/m of Bridge Deck.
manual. 6. Earth Weight: 1920 kg/m3
7. Earthquake Loading: Only to be considered
201.02 DEAD LOADS (AASHTO 3.3.1) if directed by the Road Section Project
Manager.
Utility loads shall be included as applicable.
201.07 FRICTION FORCES
201.03 FUTURE WEARING SURFACE (AASHTO 3.9.2)
(AASHTO 3.3.3)
Friction forces due to elastomeric bearing pads or
All new structures shall be designed to carry an TFE surfaces shall be based on the
additional dead load of 120 kg/m2 from curb to Manufacturers data for the bearing used.
curb of roadway to allow for a future wearing
surface. This load is in addition to any wearing 201.08 THERMAL FORCES
surface which may be applied at the time of (AASHTO 3.16)
construction. The weight of the future wearing
surface shall be excluded from the dead load for 1. Temperature Range: 70C.
deflection calculations. 2. Temperature Fall: 30C to 0C = 30C.
3. Temperature Rise: 30C to 70C = 40C.
201.04 WEARING SURFACE 4. The temperature gradient between the top
(AASHTO 3.3.5) slab and bottom slab of concrete box girder
bridges is 20C.
The top 15 millimeters of the deck shall be
considered as a wearing surface. The weight of 201.09 STREAM FORCES
the wearing surface shall be included in the dead (AASHTO 3.18.1)
load but the 15 millimeter shall not be included in
the depth of the structural section for all strength A Drainage Report shall be produced by Bridge
calculations including the deck, superstructure Drainage Section or a consultant, when
and the pier cap, where appropriate. appropriate, for all stream and/or channel
crossings. The designer should review the
201.05 HIGHWAY LOADS Drainage Report for a full understanding of
(AASHTO 3.7.1.1) waterway considerations. The report should
contain as a minimum, the following information
P Loads (permit design live loads) are special for both the critical flow and superflood
vehicular loads that will be applied only to conditions:
specific structures, such as interchange ramps,
and at the direction of the Abu Dhabi Roads High water elevation
Section. Mean Velocity
Scour Elevations (General and Local)
Angle of attack
Required bank protection
Special drainage considerations
Horizontal and Vertical Clearances

Part 3 200-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Direction of Flow
For design for the most critical flow and the
superflood condition, the following criteria shall
be used unless more severe criteria is
recommended in the Drainage Report.
Design calculations of stream forces on piers over
natural water courses shall assume a 0.6 meter
increase in pier width per side due to blockage by
debris with a shape factor k = 1.40 for the first
3.5 meters of depth. For flows with depths
greater than 3.5 meters, only the top 3.5 meters
shall be assumed blocked by debris with lower
sections using the actual pier width and a shape
factor in accordance with AASHTO. For
uncased drilled shafts, a 20% increase in diameter
should be assumed to account for possible
oversizing of the hole and any irregular shape.
The force distribution on the pier shall be
assumed to vary linearly from the value at the
water surface to zero at the bottom of the scour
hole as described in AASHTO.
When the clear distance between columns or
shafts is 5.00 meters or greater, each column or
shaft shall be treated as an independent unit for
stream forces and debris. When the clear distance
is less than 5.00 meters the greater of the two
following criteria shall be used: 1) Each column
or shaft acting as an independent unit or 2) All
columns or shafts acting as one totally clogged
unit with 0.6 meters of debris normal to the flow
added on each end.
The average main channel velocity for the
appropriate flow condition shall be used in
calculating the stream forces. The water surface
elevation shall be the high water elevation for the
appropriate flow condition. A minimum angle of
attack of 15 degrees shall be assumed.
Scour may be categorized into two main types:
general and local. General scour is the permanent
loss of soil due to degradation or mining while
local scour is the temporary loss of soil during a
peak flow. Local scour may consist of two types:
contraction scour and local pier or abutment
scour. Contraction scour occurs uniformly across
Part 3 200-2
the bridge in the stream width. Local pier and
abutment scour occurs locally at substructure
units due to the turbulence caused by the presence
of the substructure unit.
Bridges over natural water courses shall be
investigated for four different streambed ground
lines. Refer to Figure 200.01 for an illustration
of these cases.
Case 1 represents the as-constructed stream
cross section. For this case, the bridge shall be
designed to withstand the forces from the
AASHTO Groups I to VII load combinations.
Case 2 represents the long term dry streambed
cross section, i.e. the as-constructed stream
cross section minus the depth of the general
scour. For this case, the bridge shall be designed
to withstand the same forces as for Case 1. The
requirements contained in AASHTO 4.4.5.2 need
not be met.
Case 3 represents the streambed cross section
condition for the most critical design flow.
Abutment protection is designed to withstand this
event and abutments may be assumed to be
protected from scour for this condition. Piers will
experience the full general and critical flow local
scour. For this case, the bridge shall be designed
to withstand the forces from the AASHTO
Groups I to VI load combinations.
Case 4 represents the streambed cross section
conditions for the superflood condition. For this
case, all bank protection and approach
embankments are assumed to have failed.
Abutments and piers should be designed for the
superflood scour assuming all substructure units
have experienced the maximum scour
simultaneously. For this case, the bridge shall be
designed to withstand the following forces: DL +
SF + B + 0.5W. For members designed using the
WSD Method an allowable overstress of 140%
shall be used. For members designed using the
LFD Method a gamma factor of 1.25 shall be
used.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Figure 200.01
Groundline Variations Due to Scour

201.10 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE Roads Section Project Manager, a minimum

(AASHTO 3.20.1)
For backfills compacted in conformance with the
Standard Specifications, active pressure for
unrestrained walls should be calculated using an
internal angle of friction of 33 degrees unless
recommended otherwise in the Geotechnical
Report.
201.11 DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT
(AASHTO 3.3.2.1)
Differential settlement shall be considered in the
design when indicated in the Geotechnical Report.
The Geotechnical Report should provide the
magnitude of differential settlement to be used in
the design. If not addressed in the Geotechnical
Report, and at the direction of the
differential settlement of 25mm may be used in
the design.
Differential settlement, if required, shall be
considered the same as temperature and shrinkage
forces and included in Group IV, V and VI load
combinations.
201.12 EARTHQUAKES
(AASHTO 3.21)
Earthquake criteria will only be considered in the
design process at the direction of the Road
Section Project Manager. If so directed, reference
is made to AASHTO Division 1-A.

Part 3 200-3
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

202 DISTRIBUTION OF LOADS In calculating bending moments in multi-beam

precast concrete bridges, conventional or
Loads shall be distributed as specified in Section prestressed, no longitudinal distribution of wheel
3 of AASHTO except as clarified or modified in load shall be assumed.
this manual.
The live load bending moment for each section
202.01 SUPERIMPOSED DEADLOAD shall be determined by applying to the beam the
DISTRIBUTION fraction of a wheel load (both front and rear)
(AASHTO 3.23.2.3.1.1) determined by the following relations:

The weight of curbs, barriers and sidewalks for Load Fraction = S

an I-Girder bridge with composite concrete deck D
shall be distributed as follows:
Where
i) Equally over all girders
ii) Equally over all girders under the sidewalk S = 12 NL + 9
iii) If there is no sidewalk, curb and barrier shall Ng
be distributed 60% to the exterior girders and
40% to the interior girders. D = 5 + NL + ( 3- 2NL ) ( 1-C ) 2 when C<3
10 7 3
Each girder shall be designed for the condition
that causes highest stresses. Girders shall in no D = 5 + NL when C>3
way be designed for loads less than that specified 10
in AASHTO Section 3.
NL = total number of traffic lanes from
202.02 CONCRETE BOX GIRDERS AASHTO Article 3.6
(AASHTO 3.23.2.3.2.2)
Ng = number of longitudinal beams
In calculating the number of lanes of live load on C = K(W/L), a stiffness parameter
the superstructure, the entire cross section of the
superstructure shall be considered as one unit W = overall width of bridge in meters
with the number of lanes of live load equal to the
out-to-out width of the deck in meters divided by L = span length in meters
4.27. Do not reduce this number for multiple
lanes as specified in AASHTO 3.12.1 nor round Values of K To Be Used in C = K(W/L)
to a whole number as specified in AASHTO Bridge Type Beam Type K
3.6.3. Multi-Beam Non-Voided Rect 0.7
Rect. w/ Circular Voids 0.8
202.03 PRESTRESSED VOIDED SLABS Box Section 1.0
(AASHTO 3.23.4.3) Channel 2.2

The equations for distribution of live load

202.04 PRESTRESSED BOX BEAMS
contained in the Fifteenth Edition (1992)
(AASHTO 3.23.4.3)
including the 1993 and 1994 Interims shall not be
used. The new distribution factors in the latest
The equations for distribution of live load
edition, initially changed in the Fourteenth Edition
contained in the Fifteenth Edition (1992)
(1989), are based on tests on T-beams and are not
including the 1993 and 1994 Interims, shall not
deemed appropriate for voided slabs or box
be used. Refer to Distribution of Loads in
beams. Instead, the equations in the Thirteenth
Section 202.02 of this manual for criteria on
Edition (1983) as repeated below shall be used to
distribution of loads.
distribute live loads:

Part 3 200-4
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
202.05 LATERAL TENSIONING OF
MULTI-BEAM UNITS
(AASHTO 3.23.4.1)
Each lateral tensioning tie shall consist of a 38
millimeter diameter mild steel bar tensioned to
13,560 kg. Tension in the 38 millimeter diameter
mild steel should be applied by the turn of nut
method. The designer should determine the
number of turns of the nut required to achieve the
13,560 kg force. This value should be shown on
the plans.
A36M steel bars for the tie normally come in 6
meter lengths. the final total length of the tie
should be made using threaded couplers; not
welded splices. When couplers are used, the hole
through the diagram should be increased from the
normal 64 millimeter to 102 millimeter diameter
to accommodate the couplers.
Adequate means shall be used to ensure that the
ties are adequately protected from corrosion. the
rod, nut and bearing plate shall be galvanized in
accordance with ASTM A153 (AASHTO M-
232).
202.06 LIVE LOAD DISTRIBUTION
(AASHTO 3.6.3 AND 3.12.1)
In designing the superstructure, the live load
distribution factors shall not be reduced for
multiple lanes as specified in AASHTO 3.12.1 or
rounded to a whole number as specified in
AASHTO 3.6.3. These two reductions apply to
substructure design only.
203 LOAD FACTORS
An essential feature of Load Factor Design (LFD)
requires raw design loads or related internal
moments and forces to be modified by specified
load factors (, gamma and , beta), and
computed material strengths to be reduced by
specified reduction factor (, phi).
These are safety factors which ensure certain
margins for variation. The three different kinds
of factors are each set up for a distinct purpose,
each independent of the other two. In this way,
any one of them may be refined in the future
without disturbing the other two.
Part 3 200-5
1. (Gamma) Factor
The (gamma) factor is the most basic of the
three. It varies in magnitude from one load
combination to another, but it always applies to
all the loads in a combination. Its main effect is
stress control that says we do not want to use
more than about 0.8 of the ultimate capacity. Its
most common magnitude, 1.3 lets us use 77%.
Earthquake loads are not factored above 1.0
because we recognize that stresses in the plastic
range are allowed, as long as collapse does not
occur.
An example may be given to justify the use of
gamma of 1.3 for dead load. Assuming the live
load being absent, the probable upper value of the
dead load could be a minimum of 30% greater
than calculated. For a simple structure this
percentage may be as follows:
10% due to excess weight.
5% due to misplaced rebar
5% structure behavior approximation
10% stress increase (actual vs. calcs.)
30% Total variation assumed to occur
concurrently at the section most
heavily stressed.
2. (Beta) Factor
The second factor, (beta), is a measure of the
accuracy with which we can predict various kinds
of loads. It also reflects the probability of one
loads simultaneous application with others in a
combination. It applies separately, with different
magnitudes, to different loads in a combination.
For example, it is usually 1.0 for dead load. It
varies from 1.0 to 1.67 for live loads and impact.
Due regard has been given to sign in assigning
values to beta factors, as one type of loading may
produce effects of opposite sense to that produced
by another type. The load combinations with
D=0.75 are specifically included for the case
where a higher dead load reduces the effects of
other loads.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

The beta factors for prestressing force effects are

set so that when multiplied by the respective
gamma factor, the product is unity. Beta of 1.67
for live load plus impact from H loads reflects
AASHTOs way of handling permit loads.

3. (Phi) Factor

(phi), the third factor, relates to materials and is

called either a capacity reduction factor or a
strength reduction factor. Its purpose is to
account for small adverse variations in material
strength, workmanship, and dimensions. It
applies separately to different magnitudes for
various load effects in reinforced concrete, and
various manufacturing processes in prestressed
concrete. Since relates to materials rather than
loads, its values are given in the various material
specifications. For structural steel it is almost
always 1.0. For concrete it varies from 0.7 to
1.0.

Part 3 200-6
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 300 301.03 DESIGN METHODS

(AASHTO 8.14.1)
REINFORCED CONCRETE
In accordance with the applicable provisions of
301 GENERAL AASHTO, the Strength Design Method (LFD)
shall be used for the design of all reinforced
Reinforced concrete design criteria shall be as concrete members except where such members
specified in Section 8 of AASHTO except as are to be below grade or intended for water
clarified or modified in this manual. retention, then the Service Load Design Method
shall be used.
301.01 CONCRETE (AASHTO 8.2)
301.04 REINFORCEMENT
Concrete for highway structures shall have the (AASHTO 8.15.2.2)
following minimum cylinder strengths, unless
otherwise directed by the Project Manager: Concrete shall be reinforced only with fusion
bonded epoxy coated reinforcement steel
Decks except barriers f c = 280 kg/cm2 conforming to AASHTO M 31M (ASTM
Abutments f c = 210 kg/cm2 A615M) Grade 400 as follows:
Piers except footings f c = 280 kg/cm2
Drilled Shafts f c = 280 kg/cm2 Deformed Round Steel Bar Reinforcement,
All other f c = 210 kg/cm2 AASHTO M 31M Grade 400

For Design Load use Concrete Weight = 2500 fy = 4 080 kg/cm2

kg/m3 fu = 6 120 kg/cm2
fs = 1 680 kg/cm2 T or C in beams
Class K 250 Concrete Design Parameters Es = 2 039 470 kg/cm2

f c = 210 kg/cm2 Spiral Reinforcement and Welded Wire

fc = 80 kg/cm2 Fabric
Ec = 220 000 kg/cm2
Steel Bars used as Spirals, AASHTO M
Class K 335 Concrete Design Parameters 31M Grade 400

f c = 280 kg/cm2 Steel Wire used as Spirals, AASHTO M

fc = 110 kg/cm2 32
Ec = 255 000 kg/cm2
Welded Wire Fabric used as reinforcement
Class K 415 Concrete Design Parameters in concrete and mortar, AASHTO M 55

f c = 350 kg/cm2 302 SLAB DESIGN

fc = 140 kg/cm2
Ec = 283 000 kg/cm2 Slabs shall be designed in accordance with the
criteria specified in Section 3 of AASHTO except
301.02 DIAPHRAGMS (AASHTO 8.12.3) as clarified or modified below.

Reinforced concrete box girder diaphragm criteria All reinforcing bars are to be epoxy coated bars.
shall be the same as for post-tensioned box All reinforcing bars shall be straight bars top and
girders as specified under Diaphragms in Section bottom. The use of truss bars will not be
402.06 of this manual. permitted.

Part 3 300-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

For skews less than or equal to 20 degrees the 302.03 PROTECTION AGAINST
transverse bars shall be placed parallel to the CORROSION
skew. For skews greater than 20 degrees the (AASHTO 8.22.1)
transverse bars shall be placed normal to the
girders. The minimum clearance for top reinforcing in
new decks shall be 50 millimeters with 50
Use of steel stay-in-place forms should be millimeter Asphaltic wearing surface and the
considered during design for steel girder or minimum specified concrete strength (f c) shall
precast girder bridges for special conditions only. be 280 kg/cm2.
Some circumstances which warrant such
investigation include: bridges over heavily 302.04 DISTRIBUTION METHOD
traveled roads, bridges over live streams and (AASHTO 3.24.3)
bridges over deep canyons. A discussion on their
use shall be made in the Design Concept Report. Use the AASHTO method for load distribution
If use of steel stay-in-place forms is not on slabs except for unusual loads or unusual
recommended during design, they will not be structures such as single cell boxes.
allowed during construction due to the extra dead
load. Contractor requests for usage during 302.05 RAILING LOADS
construction will not be approved. (AASHTO 3.24.5.2)

302.01 SPAN LENGTHS When barriers are located at the deck edge, the
(AASHTO 3.24.1.2) deck shall be designed to resist both the axial
force and the bending moments due to all dead
The deck slab span length for AASHTO loads and horizontal rail load or due to all dead
girders shall be the clear distance between the loads plus vertical wheel loads, whichever is
top flanges plus one-half the flange width. critical.

302.02 SLAB THICKNESS

(AASHTO 8.11.1)

The thickness of new deck slabs shall be

designed in 10 millimeter increments with the
minimum thickness as shown below, unless
otherwise directed by the Project Manager.

Slab Thickness
S(m) t(mm)

Up to 1.800 190
1.801 to 2.100 200
2.101 to 2.400 210
2.401 to 2.700 220
2.701 to 3.000 230
3.001 to 3.300 240
3.301 to 3.600 250
3.601 to 3.900 260

Where S = Design span as defined in AASHTO

3.24.1 and above.
t = Minimum thickness of deck slab.

Part 3 300-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 400
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE
401 DESIGN CRITERIA
401.01 GENERAL
Prestressed design criteria shall be as specified
in Section 9 of AASHTO except as clarified or
modified in this manual.
Members shall be designed to meet both Service
Load Design and Strength Design (Load Factor
Design) criteria as specified in AASHTO.
Prestressing steel for precast prestressed
members and cast-in-place post-tensioned
members shall be 12.50 millimeter diameter
"Uncoated Seven-wire High Tensile Cold
Drawn Low Relaxation Strand for Prestressed
Concrete" as specified in ASTM A416, Grade
270 with f c = 18 360 kg/cm2 and Eps = 2
039 470 kg/cm2. Use of 15.20 millimeter
diameter strand is allowed for cast-in-place
post-tensioned members only.
The yield point stress of prestressing steel, f*y,
may be assumed equal to 0.90 f c for low
relaxation strand.
Prestress losses shall be calculated in accordance
with AASHTO Article 9.16.2.1. The estimated
losses contained in Table 9.16.2.2 and Article
9.16.2.2 shall not be used.
Section properties shall be based on gross area of
members. Use of the transformed area of bonded
reinforcement shall only be used for unusual
structures and only when approved.
Web reinforcement for shear shall consist of
rebars; not welded wire fabric.
The minimum top cover for slab reinforcement
specified in AASHTO Article 9.25.1.2.1 shall be
50 millimeters with 50 millimeter Asphaltic
wearing surface.
Expansion and contraction design criteria shall be
as specified in Part 3, Section 600 of this manual.
Part 3 400-1
401.02 ALLOWABLE STRESSES
CONCRETE (AASHTO 9.15.2.2)
The maximum allowable tensile stresses in a
precompressed tensile zone at service load after
losses have occurred shall be in accordance with
AASHTO except as modified below:
Tension
Load Condition Allowable
Stress
Girder DL + Prestress 0
Total Service Load 0.8 'c
401.03 SHEAR (AASHTO 9.20)
Shear design shall be in accordance with
Ultimate Strength Design Method contained in
the latest AASHTO Specifications.
Prestressed concrete members shall be
reinforced for diagonal tension stresses. Shear
reinforcement shall be placed perpendicular to
the axis of the member with spacing not-to-
exceed three-fourths the depth of the member.
The critical sections for shear in simply
supported beams will usually not be near the
ends of the span where the shear is a maximum,
but at some point away from the ends in a
region of high moment.
For the design of web reinforcement in simply
supported members carrying moving loads, it is
recommended that shear be investigated only in
the middle half of the span length. The web
reinforcement required at the quarter points
should be used throughout the outer quarters of
the span if the critical shear section is included
within the design section.
For continuous bridges whose individual spans
consist of precast prestressed girders, web
reinforcement shall be designed for the full
length of interior spans and for the interior
three-quarters of the exterior span and based on
the critical shear design section.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

402 POST TENSIONED BOX normal to girder for sloping exterior webs).
GIRDER BRIDGES Interior webs shall be constructed vertical.

402.01 GENERAL 402.06 DIAPHRAGMS (AASHTO 9.10)

Post-Tensioned Box Girder Bridges shall be A single 250 millimeter thick intermediate
designed in accordance with AASHTO diaphragm shall be placed at the midspan for all
specifications. Girders shall be designed by bridges. Special consideration for additional
Working Stress Method and checked by the diaphragms should be given to box girders with
Ultimate Strength Method (Load Factor Design). large skews, curved boxes and boxes over 2
The deck slab is to be designed by the Working meters in depth. Diaphragms shall be placed
Stress Method. parallel to abutments and piers for skews less
than or equal to 20 degrees and normal to girders
402.02 CONCRETE and staggered for skews over 20 degrees.
(AASHTO 9.2 AND 9.22) Diaphragms shall be cast integral with girder
The following concrete strengths are the desired webs.
strengths to be used. Higher strengths may be
used if approved by the Abu Dhabi Roads Section 402.07 DEFLECTIONS (AASHTO 9.11)
Project Manager.
The deflection shall be calculated using dead load
Initial 2
f c = 290 kg/cm minimum. including barriers, but not the future wearing
surface, gross section properties and calculated
Final f c = 350 kg/cm2 minimum final losses. The additional long term deflection
f c = 420 kg/cm2 maximum shall be calculated by multiplying the deflection
by two. An additional parabolic shaped
402.03 BEARING PADS deflection with a peak equal to 30 millimeters per
100 meters should be added to the total deflection
Allow an extra 80mm movement per 100 meters for simple spans. The final long term deflection
of girder length for long-term creep and shall be the sum of the deflection, the additional
shortening due to post-tensioning. long term deflection and the additional deflection
for simple spans. The camber shown on the plans
402.04 CREEP AND SHRINKAGE shall be the final long term deflection.
(AASHTO 9.4)

For restrained members in continuous bridges 402.08 ALLOWABLE STRESSES -

where shortening due to post-tensioning induces
moments and shears, a shrinkage and creep
coefficient of 1.5 shall be used for design of
substructure elements with the total movement
equal to 1.5 times the initial shortening. For
superstructure elements, no creep factor should be
applied except for long term deflection
considerations.
402.05 FLANGE AND WEB
THICKNESS - BOX GIRDERS
(AASHTO 9.9)
Minimum top slab thickness shall be 200
millimeters. Minimum bottom slab thickness
shall be 150 millimeters. Minimum web
thickness shall be 300 millimeters (measured
PRESTRESSING STEEL
(AASHTO 9.15.1)
In calculating the stress in the prestressing steel
after seating, the friction and anchor set losses
only should be included. For post-tensioned
members, overstressing for short periods of time
to offset seating and friction losses is permitted
but the maximum allowable jacking stress for low
relaxation strand shall be limited to 0.78 f s.
402.09 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-
CONCRETE (AASHTO 9.15.2)
In calculating the temporary stress in the concrete
before losses due to creep and shrinkage, the
friction, anchor set and elastic shortening losses
should be included.

Part 3 400-2
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Special consideration shall be given to bridges
supported on falsework with large openings where
deflections could be harmful to the structure.
Unless falsework requirements are strengthened
or other means taken to ensure the bridge does not
form tension cracks prior to tensioning, the
maximum allowable tension in a precompressed
tensile zone shall be limited to zero.
402.10 LOSS OF PRESTRESS
(AASHTO 9.16)
For multi-span bridges, the cable path should
have its low point at the midspan. Design should
be based on usage of galvanized rigid ducts with
K = 0.00000066 and = 0.25. Anchor set losses
should be based on 16 millimeter set.
For creep of concrete, the variable fcds should be
calculated using the total dead load applied after
prestressing, including the 120 kg/m2 future
wearing surface.
402.11 FLEXURAL STRENGTH
(AASHTO 9.17)
In determining the negative ultimate moment
capacity, the top layer of temperature and
shrinkage and bottom layer of distribution
reinforcing may be used. In determining the
positive ultimate moment capacity, the
longitudinal flange reinforcing (AASHTO 9.24)
may be used.
402.12 SHEAR (AASHTO 9.20)
Girder webs will be designed for shear using the
Ultimate Strength Method according to the 1979
Interim AASHTO Standard Specifications. The
maximum girder web stirrup spacing will be 300
mm within 6 meters from the front face of the
abutment diaphragms. This will eliminate the
need for re-spacing the web stirrups at the point
of web flare if the post-tensioning system requires
flaring.
The value of "d" to be used in shear calculations
shall be the larger of the calculated "d" value or
0.8 times the overall effective depth.
Horizontal shear shall be investigated in
accordance with the provisions of AASHTO
9.20.4.
Part 3 400-3
Calculations shall include the shear due to
secondary moment and cable shear. For curved
box girder bridges, the shear due to torsion shall
be included.
402.13 FLANGE REINFORCEMENT
(AASHTO 9.24)
Reinforcing in the bottom slab of box girders
shall conform to the provisions of AASHTO
8.17.2.3 except that the minimum distributed
reinforcing in the bottom flanges parallel to the
girders as specified in AASHTO 8.17.2.3.1 shall
be modified to be 0.30 percent of the flange area.
402.14 METHOD OF ANALYSIS
The superstructure may be designed using the
system as described below:
1) The bottom slab, in the vicinity of the
intermediate support, may be flared to
increase its thickness at the face of the
support when the required concrete strength
exceeds 320 kg/cm2. When thickened, the
bottom slab thickness should be increased by
a minimum of 50 percent. The length of the
flare should be at least one-tenth of the span
length (measured from the center of the
support) unless design computations indicate
that a longer flare is required.
2) Section properties at the face of the support
should be used throughout the support; i.e.
the solid cap properties should not be
included in the model.
3) Negative moments should be reduced to
reflect the effect of the width of the integral
support.
4) Dead load forces should not produce any
tension in the extreme fibers of the
superstructure.
5) The superstructure should be designed as a
unit with the number of live loads applied in
accordance with Section 202.02 of this
manual.
For box girders with severe sloping webs or
boxes over 2 meter deep, transverse flange
forces induced by laterally inclined longitudinal
post-tensioning shall be considered in the design.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Single span structures should be jacked from one
end only. Symmetrical two span structures may
be jacked from one end only or jacked from both
ends. Unsymmetrical bridges should be jacked
from one end or both ends as required by the
design. Three span or longer structures should
be jacked from both ends.
Several prestressing systems should be checked
to verify that the eccentricity and anchorage
details will work. In determining the center of
gravity of the strands, the Z factor, the difference
between the center of gravity of the strands and
the center of the ducts, shall be considered. For
structures over 120 meters in length, in
determining the c.g. of the strands, the diameter
of the ducts should be oversized by 13
millimeters to allow for ease of pulling the
strands.
For horizontally curved bridges, special care
shall be taken in detailing stirrups and duct ties.
Friction losses should be based on both vertical
and horizontal curvatures. In designing for
horizontal curvature, the exterior web with the
smallest radius shall be used. Consideration to
the 5% variation allowed per web shall be
included.
403 PRECAST PRESTRESSED
CONCRETE
403.01 CONCRETE (AASHTO 9.2)
Concrete for highway structures shall have a
minimum specified initial and final concrete
strengths as shown below. Higher strength
concrete may only be used when required by
design and when approved.
Initial f ci = 290 kg/cm2 Min
f ci = 320 kg/cm2 Max
Final f c = 360 kg/cm2 Min
f c = 420 kg/cm2 Max
403.02 DEFLECTIONS (AASHTO 9.11)
The Release, Initial and Final Deflections shall be
shown on the plans. Deflections shall be shown
in centimeters at the tenth points.
Part 3 400-4
The Release Deflection equals the deflection the
prestress girder undergoes at the time of strand
release. The Release Deflection includes the dead
load of the girder and the release prestressing
force (including the effects of elastic shortening).
The Initial Deflection equals the deflection the
prestress girder undergoes at the time of erection
prior to the diaphragm or deck pours. The Initial
Deflection includes the deflection due to the dead
load of the girder, the initial prestressing and the
effects of creep and shrinkage up to the time of
erection. The time of erection should be assumed
to be 60 days after release.
The Final Deflection equals the deflection due to
the dead load of the deck slab, diaphragms and
barriers and the effects of long term creep on the
composite girders. The effects of the 120 kg/m2
future wearing surface shall be excluded from
deflection calculations.
Minimum build-up at the edge of Type III girders
and smaller shall be 15 millimeters. For Type IV,
V and VI girders the minimum build-up shall be
25 millimeters. This minimum build-up at the
critical section will ensure that the flange of the
girder will not encroach into the gross depth of
the slab.
The tops of the erected girders shall be surveyed
in the field prior to placement of the deck
forming. If the tops of the erected girder
elevations are higher than the finish grade plus
camber elevations minus deck slab and buildup
thickness, adjustments will have to be made in the
roadway profile or in the girder seat elevations.
Encroachment into the slab of up to 15
millimeters will be allowed for random
occurrences.
403.03 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-
PRESTRESSING STEEL
(AASHTO 9.15.1)
For pretensioned members, overstressing the
prestressing steel above the initial stressing limit
for short periods of time to offset seating losses is
not permitted.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
403.04 ALLOWABLE STRESSES-
CONCRETE (AASHTO 9.15.2)
In calculating the temporary stress in concrete
before losses due to creep and shrinkage, the steel
relaxation prior to release and the elastic
shortening should be included.
403.05 LOSS OF PRESTRESS
(AASHTO 9.16)
For creep of concrete, the variable fcds, should be
calculated using the total dead load applied after
prestressing including the 120 kg/m2 future
wearing surface.
For girders with required concrete release
strengths of 320 kg/cm2 or less, the time of
release may be assumed to be 18 hours. For
specified strengths over 320 kg/cm2 the time of
release should be increased accordingly. For
precast girders, the final losses shall include
release losses.
The value of relative humidity to be used in
calculating shrinkage losses, shall be the value of
relative humidity at the bridge site.
403.06 SHEAR (AASHTO 9.20)
The value of "d" to be used in shear calculations
shall equal the depth of the beam plus the
effective depth of the slab with a minimum d =
0.80 times the overall depth. The shear shall be
calculated assuming full continuity for composite
dead load and live load plus impact.
For single span structures, use the shear design
spacing at the 1/4 point for sections from the end
of the beam to the 1/4 point. For continuous
multi-span structures, use the shear design
spacing required from the 1/4 point to the pier for
the section from the 1/4 point to the abutment end
to obtain a symmetrical reinforcing pattern for all
girders.
403.07 METHOD OF ANALYSIS
The dead load shall be assumed to be unsupported
and carried by the girders only. Use of masked
strands for debonding shall not be allowed.
Part 3 400-5
The location of the harped point of the strand
should be located as required by design with the
preferable locations being near the 1/10 of the
span as measured from the midspan of the girder.
404 PRESTRESSED I-GIRDERS
404.01 GENERAL
Precast Prestressed I-Girder Bridges shall be
designed in accordance with AASHTO
specifications. Girders shall be designed by
Working Stress Method and checked by the
Ultimate Strength Method (Load Factor Design).
The deck slab is to be designed by the Working
Stress Method using a maximum allowable stress
of Fc = 110 kg/cm, Class K 335.
The slab and diaphragm dead load is to be
supported by the girders only.
The Girders are to be designed as a composite-
section, simply-supported beams for Live Load
and Impact and all superimposed dead loads.
Negative moment reinforcement is to be designed
over the intermediate supports considering span
continuity and all loads.
Continuity designs will include shrinkage and
creep moments as required by AASHTO Article
9.7.2.1.
404.02 CONCRETE
The following concrete strengths are the desired
strengths to be used. Higher strengths may be
used if approved by the Abu Dhabi Roads Section
Project Manager.
Initial f ci = 280 kg/cm minimum.
f ci = 350 kg/cm maximum.
Note: 350 kg/cm release strengths can be
usually obtained within 18 hours, but require 4 to
6 additional hours for each additional 7 kg/cm
required above 350 kg/cm. Permission is
required from the Abu Dhabi Roads Section
Project Manager for release strengths above 350
kg/cm and final strengths above 420 kg/cm.
Final f c = 350 kg/cm minimum
f c = 420 kg/cm maximum
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

The maximum allowable stresses are to be in Allow an extra 40 mm movement per 100 meters
accordance with AASHTO except as modified of girder length for long-term creep and
below: shortening due to prestressing.

Elastomeric bearing pads will be a maximum

Tension width of 50 mm less than the normal width of the
Load Condition Allowable bottom flange to accommodate the 20 mm side
Stress chamfer and should be set back 50 mm from the
Girder DL + Prestress 0 end of the girder to avoid spalling of the girder
Total Service Load 0.8 'c ends.

404.07 CREEP FACTOR

404.03 EFFECTIVE FLANGE WIDTH
(AASHTO 9.8 AND 8.10.1) Use a creep factor of 3 when calculating long
term deflections.
The effective flange width will be as specified by
AASHTO except for Type V and standard and
404.08 FRAMES AND CONTINUOUS
modified type VI girders where the requirement of
CONSTRUCTION (AASHTO
12 times the slab thickness plus web thickness
9.7.2)
will be increased by 430 mm.
Girders shall be designed as composite section,
404.04 SHEAR simple supported beams for live load plus impact
and composite dead load. The superstructure
Girders will be designed for shear using the latest
shall be constructed continuous with the negative
AASHTO Standard Specifications. The depth to
moment reinforcing designed considering
be used in the calculation of shear will be the
continuity over intermediate supports for live load
depth of the beam plus the depth of the of the
plus impact and composite dead loads. The
slab. If composite action is fully developed, the
positive moment connection may be designed
shear will be calculated assuming full continuity
using the method described in the PCA
for composite dead load and live load plus
publication "Design of Continuous Highway
impact.
Bridges with Precast, Prestressed Concrete
Girders". In determining the positive restraint
404.05 INTERMEDIATE DIAPHRAGMS
moment, use 30 days as the length, of time
(AASHTO 9.10)
between casting the girders and deck closure. The
development length of the strands may be based
A single 300 millimeter thick intermediate
on the criteria contained in Report No. FHWA-
diaphragm shall be placed at the midspan for all
RD-77-14, "End Connections of Pretensioned I-
spans over 12 meters. For skews less than or
Beam Bridges" November 1974. In determining
equal to 10, place the diaphragms parallel to the
the number and pattern of strands extended,
skew. For skews greater than 10, the
preference shall be given to limiting the number of
diaphragms shall be staggered and placed normal
strands by increasing the extension length and
to the girders.
alternating the pattern to increase constructability.
404.06 BEARING PADS

Laminated neoprene bearing pads should be used

for relatively light reactions and moderate
superstructure movements.

Pot type bearings should be used for heavy

reactions, large superstructure movements and
superstructure on horizontal curve alignment.
Part 3 400-6
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

404.09 DIFFERENTIAL SHRINKAGE 406 PRESTRESSED BOX BEAMS

(AASHTO 9.13.3.3)
406.01 END BLOCKS
Differential shrinkage should be considered in the
design when the effects become significant and END BLOCKS 450 MILLIMETERS LONG
when approved by the Project Manager. SHALL BE PROVIDED AT EACH END
AND SUFFICIENT STEEL SHALL BE
404.10 METHOD OF ANALYSIS PROVIDED IN THE END BLOCKS TO
RESIST THE TENSILE FORCES DUE TO
AASHTO Type V and Type VI modified girders THE PRESTRESSING LOADS.
should be used in place of Type V and Type VI
regular girders whenever possible. 406.02 DIAPHRAGM

The theoretical build-up depth shall be ignored for
calculation of composite section properties.
405 PRESTRESSSED VOIDED SLABS
405.01 END BLOCKS
End Blocks should be 380 millimeters long with
sufficient steel provided to resist the tensile forces
due to concentrated prestressing loads.
405.02 DIAPHRAGMS
Diaphragms shall be cast within the slab at
midspan for spans up to 12 meters and at third
points for spans over 12 meters.
405.03 LATERAL TIES
One lateral tie shall be provided through each
diaphragm located at the mid-depth of the section.
Diaphragms, cast within the beam, shall be
provided at the midspan for spans up to 15
meters, at the third points for spans from 15 to 22
meters and at quarter points for spans over 22
meters.
406.03 LATERAL TIES
One lateral tie shall be provided through each
diaphragm located at the mid-depth of the section.
However, for the 990 millimeter and 1065
millimeter deep sections, when adjacent units are
tied in pairs for skewed bridges, in lieu of
continuous ties, two ties shall be provided, located
at the third points of the section depth.
406.04 SHEAR KEYS
After shear keys have been filled with an
approved non-shrink, low slump mortar, lateral
ties shall be placed and tightened.

405.04 SHEAR KEYS

After shear keys have been filled with an

approved non-shrink mortar, lateral ties shall be
placed and tightened.

405.05 BARRIERS

Barriers shall have a 6 millimeter open joint at the

midspan to prevent the barrier from acting as an
edge beam and causing long term differential
deflection of the exterior beam.

Part 3 400-7
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 500 501.05 LOAD CYCLES (AASHTO 10.3.2)

STRUCTURAL STEEL
501 DESIGN CRITERIA
501.01 GENERAL
Structural steel design criteria shall be as
specified in Section 10 of AASHTO except as
clarified or modified in this manual.
501.02 DESIGN METHODS
The Service Load Design Method (Allowable
Stress Design) shall be used except that the
Strength Design Method (Load Factor Design)
may be used for major or unusual structures when
approved.
501.03 MATERIALS (AASHTO 10.2)
Materials shall conform with the requirements of
AASHTO Article 10.2 with the selection based
on stress requirements and overall economy.
The preferred maximum thickness of tension
flanges is 50 millimeters. Tension flanges thicker
than 50 millimeters shall be normalized.
The stress cycle case to be used in AASHTO
Table 10.3.2A shall be Case I.
501.06 CHARPY V-NOTCH IMPACT
REQUIREMENTS
(AASHTO 10.3.3)
Where applicable, the Charpy V-Notch impact
requirements for structural steel shall be for
Temperature Zone 1 at elevations less than 1800
meters and Temperature Zone 2 at elevations
1800 meters and higher, unless otherwise directed
by the Project Manager.
Intermediate stiffeners shall be placed only on the
inside face of exterior girders.
The number and location of girder shop and field
splices shall be determined so as to minimize
fabricated and erected cost of the girders.
All connections except field connections shall be
welded. ASTM A325M high strength bolts shall
be used for field connections.

501.04 ALLOWABLE FATIGUE

STRESS (AASHTO 10.3.1)

Splices, stiffeners, shear connectors and bracing

details shall be designed using categories A
through C details in order to limit the fatigue
stress.

Category E details shall not be used.

Part 3 500-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 600
EXPANSION AND
CONTRACTION
601 MOVEMENT CRITERIA
601.01 MOVEMENT RATING
Provisions shall be made in the design of
structures to resist induced stresses or to provide
for movements resulting from variations in
temperature and anticipated shortening due to
creep, shrinkage or prestressing. Accommodation
of thermal and shortening movements will entail
consideration of deck expansion joints, bearing
systems, restraining devices and the interaction of
these three items.
The main purpose of the deck joint is to seal the
joint opening to obtain a watertight joint while
allowing for vertical, horizontal and/or rotational
movement. The bearings are required to transmit
the vertical and lateral loads from the
superstructure to the substructure units and to
allow for movement in the unrestrained directions.
Restraining devices are required to limit the
displacement in the restrained directions.
Improper design or construction of any of these
devices could adversely affect the operation of the
other devices.
The required movement rating is equal to the total
anticipated movement (i.e. the difference between
the widest and the narrowest opening of a joint).
The calculated movements used in determining
the required movement rating shall be as specified
in AASHTO except as modified below:
Mean temperature and temperature ranges shall
be as specified in Section 201.08 of this manual.
To allow for the effects of long term creep and
shrinkage in precast prestressed concrete
members, the following additional shortening
shall be considered:
Joints: 20 mm per 100 meters.
Bearings: 40 mm per 100 meters.
Part 3 600-1
To allow for the effects of long term creep and
shrinkage in post-tensioned box girder bridges,
the following additional shortening shall be
included:
Joints: 40 mm per 100 meters.
Bearings: 80 mm per 100 meters.
602 DECK JOINTS
602.01 GENERAL
The movement rating for joints for steel structures
shall be based primarily on the thermal expansion
and contraction characteristics of the
superstructure, while for concrete structures the
effects of shortening due to creep and shrinkage
and where applicable, prestressing shall also be
added. Movement ratings shall be based on
temperature variations as measured from the
assumed mean temperature.
Published movement ratings are usually based on
the difference between the maximum and
minimum openings without consideration to the
required minimum installation width. In
determining the movement rating, consideration
must be given to the installation width required to
install the seal element.
Other factors which should be considered in
determining the required movement rating include
consideration of the effects of any skew,
anticipated settlement and rotations due to live
loads and dead loads, where appropriate.
Items requiring attention include:
1) The type of anchorage system to be used.
2) The method of joint termination at the
ends.
3) The method of running joints through
barriers, sidewalks and/or medians.
4) Physical limitation on size of joints.
5) Susceptibility of joint to leakage.
6) Possible interference with post-tensioning
anchorages.
7) Selection of appropriate modular
proprietary systems that meet design
requirements.
8) Forces applied to the surrounding
concrete by the joint.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
Available types of joints include compression
seals, strip seals, and modular joints.
Compression seal joints and strip seal joints are
generic and should be detailed on the plans, by
standards and/or covered in the special
provisions. Modular joints are proprietary and
require that the designer specify allowable joint
types and styles in the special provisions.
Information concerning specific design
parameters and installation details of modular
joints should be obtained from literature supplied
by the manufacturer of the system. It is the
responsibility of the designer to review the
proprietary joint literature and related
manufacturer's specifications to ensure that the
selected joint types are properly specified and
compatible with the design requirements.
The following features of joints should be shown
on the plans:
1) Blockout details showing a second pour,
including blockout dimensions and
additional reinforcing required.
2) Required end treatment in barriers or
curbs, including enough detail or
explanation to accommodate each of the
proprietary systems selected (i.e. cover
plates, etc.).
3) Consideration to traffic control in
determining section pattern lengths.
4) Movement rating.
5) Assumed temperature and opening at time
of installation with temperature correction
factors.
6) Actual horizontal length of joint measured
from inside of barrier face to inside of
barrier face corrected for skew.
The following features of joints should be
specified in the specifications:
1) For modular joints, the joint style, gland
type, steel edge beam material, and the
name of a representative manufacturer.
2) Method of measurement (by linear meter
from face to face of barrier).
A general discussion of joint types follows.
However, for modular joints the actual selection
of the specific alternates should be made from the
Part 3 600-2
list of approved joint types which can be obtained
from the Project Manager.
602.02 COMPRESSION SEALS
The compression seal element should have a
shape factor of 1:1 (width to height) to minimize
side wall pressure. The size of the compression
seal shall be specified on the plans.
Effective movement ratings for this type of joint
range up to 50 millimeters. Advantages for this
type of joint include its low cost, proven
performance and acceptance for use on pedestrian
walkways. However, this type of joint can not be
unbolted and easily raised, generates pressure and
is not good for high skews or horizontal
directional changes.
602.03 STRIP SEALS
Strip seals should generally conform to the details
shown in the structure detail drawing titled "Strip
Seal Joint". Proprietary alternates to this detail
other than those shown on the detail drawing will
not be allowed.
Effective movement ratings for this type of joint
range up to 100 millimeters. This type of joint is
best used when the movement rating is beyond the
capacity of compression seals and for large
skews. Strip seal joints will require cover plates
for pedestrian walkways.
602.04 MODULAR JOINTS
Modular joints are very complex joint systems.
Effective movement ratings range from 100
millimeters up to 750 millimeters. Modular joints
are the best choice for movement ratings over 100
millimeters.
603 BEARINGS
603.01 GENERAL
Unlike joints, where the opening can be adjusted
if the ambient temperature at the time of
construction is different than the assumed mean
temperature, bearings must be designed to be
installed at temperatures other than the mean
temperature. For this reason, the movement
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
rating should be based on the full temperature
range and not the rise or fall from a mean
temperature.
Calculation of the movement rating shall include
thermal movement and anticipated shortening due
to creep, shrinkage and prestressed shortening.
For cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete box
girder bridges both the elastic and long term
prestress shortening effects shall be considered.
An initial offset of the top sliding surface from the
centerline of bearing should be calculated and
shown on the plans so that the top sliding surface
will be centered over the bottom sliding surface
and the centerline of bearing after all shrinkage,
creep and post-tensioning shortening has taken
place in the sperstructure.
Permissible bearing types include neoprene strips,
elastomeric bearing pads, steel bearings, sliding
elastomeric bearings and high-load multi-
rotational bearings (pot, disc or spherical).
Neoprene strips, elastomeric bearing pads and
steel bearings are generic and shall be detailed on
the plans and/or covered in the standard
specifications and special provisions. High-load
multi-rotational bearings are proprietary bearing
types and require that the designer include a
Bearing Schedule in the plans. It is the
responsibility of the designer to review the Stored
Specification to ensure that the bearings are
properly specified and compatible with the design
requirements. Sliding elastomeric bearings are
both generic and proprietary in that a generic
bearing should be designed and detailed on the
plans with proprietary alternates allowed.
All bearings types except elastomeric bearing
pads shall be designed for impact.
603.02 NEOPRENE STRIPS
Neoprene strips consist of a sliding plate on a
continuous neoprene pad. Where appropriate,
neoprene strips are the preferred bearing type for
post-tensioned box girder bridges. However,
neoprene strips are not appropriate for the
following applications: curved bridges, skews
greater than 20 degrees, contributing spans
greater than 50 meters, where initial shortening
Part 3 600-3
due to prestressing is greater than 25 millimeters
and where the movement rating including elastic
shortening, long term creep and shrinkage and
temperature is greater than 40 millimeters.
603.03 ELASTOMERIC BEARING
PADS
Elastomeric bearing pads shall conform to the
requirements of Section 14 of AASHTO. Bearing
pads shall be designed to be constructed using
either steel or fiberglass laminates, with the
controlling case determining the size. The
following data should be shown on the plans:
Length, width and thickness of pad
Durometer Hardness
Design Method (A or B)
Design Load
Low Temperature Zone (A, B or C)
Elastomer Grade (0, 2 or 3)
Shear Modulus
Generally, bearing pads shall be Durometer 60 -
Elastormer with steel reinforcement.
Normally Design Method A will be used in
design, however, where only steel reinforced pads
will work Design Method B may be used provided
the special testing is performed.
The following should be used as a guide for
determining low temperature zones:
Elevation (meters) Zone
Below 900 A
900-1800 B
1800 and above C
Pads shall have a minimum thickness of 25
millimeters and be designated in 10 millimeter
increments. The use of elastomeric bearing pads
should generally be limited to a thickness not
greater than 100 millimeters. Holes will not be
allowed in the pads.
Width and length dimensions shall be detailed in
even 50 millimeter increments. When used with
prestressed I-girders, pads shall be sized a
minimum width of 50 millimeters less than the
nominal width of the girder base to accommodate
the 20 millimeter side chamfer and shall be set
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
back 50 millimeters from the end of the girder to
avoid spalling of the girder ends.
Elastomeric pads should not be used in cases
where deck joints or bearings limit vertical
movements, such as in older style sliding steel
plate joints or widenings where existing steel
bearings are to remain.
Where elastomeric bearing pads with greased
sliding plates are used on post-tensioned box
girder bridges to limit the required thickness of
the pad, the pad thickness should be determined
based on temperature movements only, with the
initial and long term shortening assumed to be
taken by the sliding surface.
Elastomeric bearing pads are the preferred
bearing type for new steel girders, precast
prestressed girders and post-tensioned box girder
bridges where neoprene strips are not appropriate.
603.04 STEEL BEARINGS
Steel bearings may consist of rockers or fixed or
expansion assemblies which conform to the
requirements specified in Section 10 of
AASHTO.
Steel bearings are not a preferred bearing type
and their use should normally be limited to
situations where new bearings are to match the
existing bearing type on bridge widening projects.
603.05 SLIDING ELASTOMERIC
BEARINGS
Sliding elastomeric bearings consist of an upper
steel bearing plate anchored to the superstructure,
a stainless steel undersurface and an elastomeric
pad with a teflon coated upper surface. The
teflon surface shall be attached to a 10 millimeter
minimum thick plate which is vulcanized to the
elastomeric pad. The bearing accommodates
horizontal movement through the teflon sliding
surface and rotation through the elastomeric
bearing with the thickness of the elastomeric
bearing determined by the rotational and friction
force requirements. Keepers may be used for
horizontal restraint of the pads. Vertical restraint
may be provided by anchor bolts with slotted
keeper plates or individual vertical restrainers as
Part 3 600-4
appropriate. The pad dimensions and all details
of the anchorage and restraint systems shall be
shown on the plans. The special provisions
should allow for proprietary alternates.
Sliding elastomeric bearings should be considered
for applications where regular elastomeric bearing
pads would exceed 100 millimeters in height or
where special access details would be required for
other proprietary bearings in such places as
hinges.
603.06 HIGH-LOAD MULTI-
ROTATIONAL BEARINGS
603.06.01 Description
High-load multi-rotational fixed bearings consist
of a rotational element of the Pot-type, Disc-type
or Spherical-type. High-load multi-rotational
expansion bearings consist of a rotational element
of the Pot-type, Disc-type or Spherical-type,
sliding surfaces to accommodate translation and
guide bars to limit movement in specified
directions when required.
Pot bearings consist of a rotational element
comprised of an elastomeric disc totally confined
within a steel cylinder. Disc bearings consist of a
rotational element comprised of a polyether
urethane disc confined by upper and lower steel
bearing plates and restricted from horizontal
movement by limiting rings and a shear restriction
mechanism. Spherical bearings consist of a
rotational element comprised of a spherical
bottom convex plate and mating spherical top
concave plate.
These design criteria were prepared for the broad
range of normal applications and the specified
limits of loads, forces and movements. The
design and manufacture of multi-rotational
bearings relies heavily on the principles of
engineering mechanics and extensive practical
experience in bearing design and manufacture.
Therefore, in special cases where structural
requirements fall outside the normal limits, a
bearing manufacturer should be consulted.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

603.06.02 Rotational Requirements 9. It is desirable to reduce the moment

The rotational requirements of these bearings is
treated in a new way. Rotational requirements of
the bearings, Rb, are determined by:
Rb = Rs + Rc
applied to truss or space frame panels.
10. Large movements are anticipated.
11. Economical, long life, or low
maintenance bearings are desirable.

where 12. Regular elastomeric bearing pads

Rb = Rotation capacity designed into
the bearing.
Rs = Anticipated rotation of the
structure in service. (includes live
loads and rotations induced by
construction/erection sequences).
Rc = Rotation induced in the bearing
by construction tolerances, 0.02
radians maximum (see Design
Criteria 14).
603.06.03 Use
Use of multi-rotational bearings is especially
indicated where:
1. Low profile, high load bearings are
required.
2. Long span, curved, or skewed bridges
and other similar structures of complex
design are required.
3. Long slender columns or light frames
and members exhibit minimum stiffness
or rigidity.
4. The direction of rotation varies.
5. The direction of rotation cannot be
precisely determined.
6. Settlement of the substructure is
anticipated.
7. Self aligning capabilities are required.
8. Load and rotation eccentricity does not
significantly alter the net distribution of
stress through the bearing and into the
substructure and superstructure.
would exceed 100 millimeters in height.
603.06.04 Design Criteria
Since special details are required to allow for
access for inspection, repair or replacement of the
bearings, the respacing of joints to eliminate the
need for use of these bearing types should be
considered.
Some structural considerations in use of multi-
rotational bearings are listed below. Reference to
"this specification" refers to the design criteria
below.
1. Vertical and horizontal loads shall be
assumed to occur simultaneously. All
loads are service loads. Minimum
vertical loads are for dead loads and
superimposed dead loads excluding the
future wearing surface. Maximum
vertical loads are for dead loads,
superimposed dead loads including the
future wearing surface, and live loads
and impact.
2. The total recommended clearance
between all guiding and guided sliding
surfaces is 1.5 millimeters in order to
limit edge stress on guiding interfaces.
3. Avoid specifying total spacing of more
than 1.5 millimeters between guides
and guided components where possible.
4. In specifying the horizontal force
capacity of bearings, it is recommended
only one fixed or guided expansion
bearing shall be assumed to resist the
sum of all the horizontal forces at each
abutment, bent, column, hinge or pier.

Part 3 600-5
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
5. Where feasible provide at least two
fixed or guided expansion bearings
each able to resist all horizontal forces
at each abutment, column, hinge or pier
for design redundancy.
6. Some press-fit guide bar details in
common use have proven
unsatisfactory in resisting horizontal
loads. When analyzing these designs,
consideration should be given to the
possibility of rolling of the bar in the
recess.
7. Multi-rotational bearings should not be
used at vertical loads less than 20% of
their vertical capacity. Bearings for
less than 20% vertical capacity require
special design.
8. Special consideration in bearing design
shall be given where high horizontal to
vertical load (above 0.30) is
anticipated.
9. Frictional resistance of bearing slide
surfaces should be neglected when
calculating horizontal load capacity.
10. The installed alignment of bearing
guiding systems relative to the
anticipated movement direction of the
structure should be carefully considered
to avoid bearing guide system failure.
Special studies or designs may be
required on curved or skewed
structures to ensure correct installation.
11. The substructure and superstructure
should be designed so as to remain
rigid under all service conditions in
areas around and in contact with the
bearings, paying particular attention to
the use of stiffeners at extreme points
of movements.
12. The substructure and superstructure
design should permit bearings to be
removed for inspection or rehabilitation
by minimum jacking of the structure.
Jacking points shall be provided in the
structural design.
Part 3 600-6
13. The minimum Structure Rotational, Rs,
of bearings covered in the specification
is 0.01 radians. Rs comprises live
loads and rotations induced by
construction/erection sequences.
14. The maximum Construction Rotation,
Rc (rotation induced by construction
tolerances), is 0.02 radians. The
designer may elect to specify a smaller
Rc than 0.02 radians but is cautioned
to investigate the cost and practicality
of the changes contemplated.
15. Recommended coefficients of friction
for structure design follows:
Unfilled sheet or woven fiber
PTFE/stainless steel 0.04
Filled PTFE sheet/stainless 0.08
The above coefficients of friction are
based on the average stress and limits
of edge stress of PTFE in this
specification. Out of level installations
within the limits of this specification
and normal in service oxidation of the
stainless steel mating surface. Service
conditions, where exceptional corrosion
of the stainless steel mating surface
may occur, will require special
assessment of the long term coefficient
of friction.
16. Pot, disc and spherical multi-rotational
bearings should not be mixed at the
same expansion joint or bent. The
differing deflection characteristics and
differing rotation characteristics may
result in damage to the bearings and/or
structure.
17. Contract drawings and documents
should contain a Bearing Schedule (See
Section 603.07, Bearing Schedule).
18. Some bearing tests are very costly to
perform. Other bearing tests cannot be
performed because of the unavailability
of test equipment. The following test
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
requirements should be carefully
considered before specifying them:
A) Vertical loads exceeding
2,250,000 kg.
B) Horizontal loads exceeding
225,000 kg.
C) The simultaneous application
of horizontal and vertical loads
where the horizontal loads
exceeds 75% of the vertical
loads.
D) Triaxial test loading.
E) The requirement for dynamic
rotation of the test bearing
while under vertical load.
603.07 BEARING SCHEDULE
A bearing schedule shall be included in the
contract drawings and documents and shall
contain the following as a minimum:
1. A schedule of all minimum and
maximum vertical and horizontal
service loads.
2. Minimum Structure and Construction
Rotation requirements.
3. Magnitude and direction of movements
at all bearing support points.
4. Quantity, type (fixed, expansion or
guided expansion).
5. Plan view, alignment and location of all
bearing units.
6. Allowable upper and lower bearing
contact pressure.
7. Fixing or anchorage details and/or
requirements.
8. Grades, bevels and slopes of all
bearings.
Part 3 600-7
9. Allowable coefficient of friction of
slide surfaces.
10. Surface coating requirements and the
appropriate specifications.
11. Seismic requirements, if any.
12. Uplift details, temporary attachments
or other requirements.
13. Installation scheme.
14. Bearing preset details, if required.
Design rotation, movement and other
requirements in the Bearing Schedule should only
refer to the requirements of the structure where
the bearings are to be used.
604 RESTRAINING DEVICES
604.01 GENERAL
Restraining devices are meant to prohibit
movement in a specified direction. Restraining
devices shall be designed to resist the imposed
loads including earthquake as specified in
AASHTO and as modified in Section 200 of this
manual.
Restraining devices could include concrete shear
keys or end blocks, horizontal or vertical cable
restrainers or mechanical restraining devices
which could be an integral part of a bearing or a
separate system. Restraining devices to prohibit
vertical displacement at expansion ends, shall be
designed to allow for inspection and future
replacement of bearings.
Allowable restraining devices include, but are not
limited to the following: Vertical Fixed
Restrainers, Vertical Expansion Restrainers,
External Shear Keys, Internal Shear Keys and
Keyed Hinges.
604.02 VERTICAL FIXED
RESTRAINERS
Vertical fixed restrainers consist of cable and
appropriate hardware and are designed to allow
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
rotation but no translation in either horizontal or
vertical directions.
604.03 VERTICAL EXPANSION
RESTRAINERS
Vertical expansion restrainers consist of cable
and appropriate hardware and are designed to
allow rotation and longitudinal translation but no
transverse translation. Some limited vertical
displacement is allowed to permit replacement of
bearings if required.
604.04 EXTERNAL SHEAR KEYS
External shear keys are reinforced concrete blocks
designed to limit transverse displacement while
allowing longitudinal and rotational movements.
External shear keys are preferred to internal shear
keys since they are more accessible for repairs
and easier to construct.
604.05 INTERNAL SHEAR KEYS
Internal shear keys are reinforced concrete blocks
designed to limit transverse displacement while
allowing longitudinal and rotational movements.
Part 3 600-8
604.06 KEYED HINGE
A keyed hinge is a restraining device which limits
displacements in both horizontal directions while
allowing rotation.
For a typical expansion seat abutment where
restraining devices are required, the restraining
devices will consist of vertical expansion
restrainers and external shear keys.
For a typical pinned seat abutment for a post-
tensioned box girder bridge, restraining devices
will consist of vertical fixed restrainers and
external shear keys. For a typical pinned seat
abutment for a prestressed girder bridge,
restraining devices will consist of vertical fixed
restrainers and external or internal shear keys.
For a typical expansion pier, restraining devices
will consist of vertical expansion restrainers and
internal shear keys.
For a typical pinned pier, restraining devices will
consist of vertical fixed restrainers and internal
shear keys or a keyed hinge.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 700
GEOTECHNICAL
701 FOUNDATIONS
701.01 GENERAL
The main purpose of this section is to document
bridge design criteria as related to bridge
foundation geotechnical issues.
Since problems requiring geotechnical and
structural expertise often result in confusion
concerning the responsibilities of each, another
purpose of this section is to define the role of the
geotechnical engineer and the bridge engineer in
design problems involving both fields.
The usual procedure for designing bridge
foundation substructure units is as follows:
The bridge design group will develop a resist the maximum applied moments and shears.
preliminary location plan.
The Geotechnical Engineer will conduct a site
investigation, identify borehole locations, drill and
log borings, perform soil testing as appropriate,
plot the boring logs and summarize the results in
a Geotechnical Report. The Geotechnical Report
will include a Foundation Design Report which
identifies the type of foundation recommended for
each substructure unit including the allowable
loads and required depths.
The Geotechnical Engineer is responsible for
preparing the boring logs on construction plans.
They also prepare necessary special provisions
for construction of the foundation elements.
During construction of the bridge foundations, the
Geotechnical Engineer oversees geotechnical
testing, spread footing excavations and piling and
drilled shaft construction. They work closely
with bridge design group to jointly resolve
problems requiring redesign because of changed
site conditions. The bridge design group is
responsible for producing the structural design
and construction documents for the substructure
units as part of the bridge plans.
Part 3 700-1
701.02 SPREAD FOOTINGS
Where good soil materials exist near the surface,
shallow foundations in the form of spread
footings will normally be the recommended
foundation type. For foundation units situated in
a stream, spread footings shall only be used when
they can be placed on non-erodible rock. Spread
footings are normally not placed on embankment
material.
When spread footings are the recommended
foundation type, the Geotechnical Report shall
contain the allowable bearing pressure, the
elevation of the bottom of the footing and the
estimated total settlement, differential settlement
and time rate of settlement, if applicable.
The bridge design group shall size the footing to
ensure that the allowable bearing pressure is not
exceeded for any AASHTO Group Loading and
that the footing is properly sized and reinforced to
The bottom elevations of spread footings shall be
set at the recommended depth. The minimum top
cover over the top of footings shall be 500
millimeters. If the possibility for differential
settlement is identified, the bridge designer shall
ensure that the entire structure is capable of
structurally resisting the forces induced by the
differential settlement.
701.03 PILE FOUNDATIONS
When good foundation material is not located
near the surface, when settlement is a problem, or
for foundation units located in streams where
scour is a problem, deep foundations will usually
be recommended. One type of deep foundation is
a driven pile. Driven piles may be either steel H
piles, steel pipe piles or prestressed concrete piles.
The other type of deep foundation is a bored pile.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
701.04 DRIVEN PILES
The Geotechnical Engineer is responsible for
recommending when driven piles are to be used,
The type of driven pile to be used, the allowable
capacity of the pile, the estimated pile tip
elevation and any special requirements necessary
to drive the piles. When steel piles are used, the
corrosive life of the pile will be reported in the
Geotechnical Report. The Geotechnical Engineer
is also responsible for running the WEAP87 wave
equation computer program to determine the
driveability of the specified piles and to develop
charts or other guidelines to be used by
construction personnel to control the pile driving
process.
The bridge design group is responsible for
ensuring that the allowable axial capacity is not
exceeded for any AASHTO Group Loading and
that the pile can withstand the applied lateral
loads.
701.05 BORED PILES
A bored pile foundation consists of excavating a
round hole by machine, installing a metal casing
or liner, placing a reinforcing cage in the casing
or liner and then filling the casing or liner with
concrete.
The Geotechnical Engineer is responsible for
recommending the minimum diameter of bored
pile to be used and providing the necessary
information for determining the minimum
required embedment below a specified elevation
to develop the required axial load. The
Geotechnical Engineer is also responsible for
determining the soil properties in each layer to be
used in analyzing lateral loads and whether slurry
methods of construction may be utilized. If
necessary, methods of testing the pile after
concreting will be specified in the Geotechnical
Report.
Part 3 700-2
For the most part, bored piles will include a
temporary casing or liner intended to preclude the
intrusion of earth into the hole during the boring
operation and a permanent casing or liner that
will remain in place and not be withdrawn during
the concreting process. The temporary casing
will be advanced a sufficient depth into rock to
provide a seal against water inflow. The
temporary casing shall be clean and free of water
before the permanent casings or liners, reinforcing
steel and concrete are placed.
The bridge design group is responsible for
ensuring that the allowable axial capacity is not
exceeded for any AASHTO Group Loading and
that the shaft can withstand the applied lateral
loads.
Unless specified otherwise in the Geotechnical
Report, the following minimum criteria should be
used in designing bored pile foundations:
1. Bored Piles shall be spaced a minimum of
two diameters measured center to center of
the holes plus 100mm.
2. Temporary and permanent casings or liners
shall be designed to withstand handling
stresses, applicable concrete and surrounding
soil pressures, and shall be watertight.
3. Vertical reinforcing should be detailed to
provide the minimum recommended clearance
in AASHTO Article 4.6.6.2.1. In no case
shall the clearance between vertical
reinforcing be less than 115 millimeters.
4. Reinforcement shall have a clear distance of
not less than 50 millimeters from the inside
face of the permanent casing or lining.
5. Horizontal ties should be spaced at 150
millimeters minimum.
6. The footing, if applicable, shall be sized to
extend a minimum of 200 millimeters from
the edge of a bored pile.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

SECTION 800 801.02 POLICY

RETAINING WALLS
The following policy shall apply to retaining wall
design:
801 DESIGN CRITERIA
1. Walls up to 6 meters high:
801.01 GENERAL
The Consultant shall prepare
Retaining walls are used when normal fill or cut drawings for cast-in-place concrete
slopes extend beyond acceptable limits. Walls retaining walls utilizing the Abu
may be classified in the following classes: Dhabi Roads Section Standards and
Specifications.
Gravity Walls
Bin 2. Walls over 6 meters high:
Crib
Wire basket The Consultant shall evaluate the
Mass concrete applicability of mechanically
Cantilever Walls stabilized wall systems and confirm
Concrete their site-specific suitability. If the
Braced Walls Consultant determines that a
Anchored Walls mechanically stabilized wall system
Soldier pile and lagging is not appropriate due to soils
Tangent cylinder piles conditions or other site specific
Mechanically Stabilized Walls conditions, a complete cast-in-place
Reinforced Earth concrete retaining wall design must
VSL Retained Earth be prepared for inclusion into the bid
Hilfiker-Reinforced Soil embankment documents.

Walls shall be designed for a minimum factor of 801.03 RESPONSIBILITIES

safety of 1.5 against sliding and 2.0 against
overturning. The design of a retaining wall will usually involve
the efforts of three sections: Roadway Design
The wall selection process includes identification Section, Geotechnical Section, and the Bridge
of types of walls appropriate for the site, Design Section.
evaluation of geotechnical behavior and
properties affecting wall behavior and selection of 801.03.01 Roadway Design Section
wall systems which fit all site constraints.
Identification of alternate designs may be Roadway Design Section is responsible for
appropriate. identifying the need for and limits of the retaining
walls. They will be responsible for providing a
In determining the types of retaining walls profile adjacent to the top of the wall and the soil
capable of fitting a particular site the following profile line along the front face of the wall.
should be considered: Roadway Design is also responsible for
Availability of materials identifying the acceptable limit of excavation
required to maintain traffic and to design any
Service life, maintenance, future use
detours when required.
Deflection tolerance
Ease of construction
Environmental/visual considerations
Special loading requirements
Settlement tolerance
Availability of space

Part 3 800-1
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
801.03.02 Geotechnical Section
The Geotechnical Section is responsible for
investigating the site, drilling exploratory holes as
required, determining the external stability of the
site and determining the material properties of the
existing soil and backfill. The Geotechnical
Section will also recommend soil strength
parameters and groundwater elevations for
computing design lateral earth pressure. They are
also responsible for determining the maximum
safe slopes allowed during excavation.
The Geotechnical Section also is responsible for
determining the type of foundation required to
support the wall loads, the allowable bearing
pressure of the soil and the minimum required
depths of the foundation units. This Section
determines the soil properties to be used in
determining the lateral loads to be applied to the
wall and determines the amount of settlement,
differential settlement and the time rate of
settlement for walls on compressible foundation
soils.
The Geotechnical Section prepares appropriate
Special Provisions for construction of the
retaining walls and monitors construction of the
foundation elements, assisting the resident
engineer as requested concerning geotechnical
issues. The Section works closely with the Bridge
Design Section on any structural design changes
needed during construction because of changed
site conditions.
801.03.03 Bridge Design Section
The Bridge Design Section is responsible for the
design of the structural elements of the wall, the
length of the wall and for producing the required
construction plans, when requested by others, for
any non-proprietary wall requiring structural
analysis. The Bridge Design Section is also
responsible for determining whether shoring will
be required during construction based on the
acceptable limits of excavation provided by
Roadway Design and the safe excavation slopes
provided by Geotechnical. The Bridge Design
Section also selects walls which will handle
differential settlement, when present, and provides
Part 3 800-2
details for drainage on plans. Appurtenant traffic
and/or pedestrian rails will also be designed and
detailed by the Bridge Design Section. This
Section works with the Geotechnical Section on
required structural design changes during
construction because of changed site conditions.
801.04 PROPRIETARY RETAINING
WALLS
When a proprietary retaining wall is chosen as an
acceptable alternate, the special provisions will
specify the pre-approved wall systems which are
acceptable for the particular application and site.
The proprietary wall type is to be chosen from a
pre-approved list of wall types. The contractor
will be required to identify the alternate in his bid,
with bid shopping after the award of the contract
not allowed.
The Roadway Design Section will prepare plans
showing the location and extent of the walls and
the profile along the top of the wall and the soil
profile along the front face of the wall. The plans
should also show any restrictions regarding
excavation which may exist and requirements for
appurtenant features such as traffic barrier,
handrail or other attachments. Blockouts for
lighting, signing, utilities and drainage structures
will also be detailed on the plans or identified to
be included with the proprietary plan submittals.
The Geotechnical Section will prepare special
provisions containing the design criteria to be
used in evaluating the proprietary wall. As a
minimum the following should be included:
1. The minimum factor of safety against
overturning
2. The minimum factor of safety against sliding
3. Maximum coefficient of friction against
sliding
4. Phi angle of the backfill
5. Allowable bearing pressure
6. Minimum design life
7. Water table level
8. Elevation of footing bottom
9. Maximum tolerable deflection
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
SECTION 900
MISCELLANEOUS
901 TRAFFIC STRUCTURAL
SUPPORTS
901.01 GENERAL
Luminaires, traffic signals and sign supports
shall be designed using the AASHTO
Specifications for Structural Supports except as
clarified or modified in this manual.
901.02 WIND SPEED
Major structural supports shall be designed for
the wind frequency of 160 kph.
901.03 ALLOWABLE STRESSES
The, L /45.7 limitation on dead load deflection
contained in Article 1.9.1(A) need not be
satisfied since there is no scientific basis to
support this limitation.
For high mast light poles, the maximum
deflection shall be limited to 15% of the pole
height under wind load. The maximum allowable
yield strength for design purposes shall be 4590
kg/cm2.
For all other applications, for steel with a yield
strength greater than 3360 kg/cm2, the allowable
stresses for design shall be limited to a yield
strength of 3360 kg/cm2. This limitation
indirectly places a limit on allowable deflections
in an attempt to satisfy the criteria of Article
1.9.1. This limitation also reduces the stresses in
any high strength welds which are more brittle
and subject to cracking due to fatigue from
vibrations.
902 UTILITIES IN STRUCTURES
902.01 GENERAL
Where utility conflicts exist; water, power,
telephone, cable TV and gas lines will be
relocated as required for construction of the
project. Where it is feasible and reasonable to
locate utility lines elsewhere, attachment to
Part 3 900-1
structures will not be permitted. Trenching in the
vicinity of existing piers or abutments shall be
kept a sufficient distance from footings to
prevent undercutting of existing footings or to
prevent disturbing foundation soils for future
foundations.
Where other locations prove to be extremely
difficult and very costly, utility lines except
natural gas may be allowed in the structures.
Natural gas encroachments will be evaluated
under the following policy:
A. Cases where gas line attachments to
structures will not be considered under any
condition:
1. Grade separation structures carrying
vehicular traffic on or over freeways.
2. Inside closed cell-type box girder
bridges.
3. High pressure transmission lines over 4
kg/cm2 and/or distribution lines of over
150 millimeters in diameter.
4. Gas lines over minor waterway crossings
where burial is feasible.
B. Gas line attachments on structures will be
considered under the following cases or
conditions:
1. Each case will be judged on its own
merit with the utilities providing
complete justification as to why
alternative locations are not feasible.
2. Economics will not be a significant
factor considered in the feasibility issue.
3. Open girder type structures across major
rivers.
4. Pedestrian or utility bridges where
proper vented casings and other safety
systems are used.
5. All lines are protected by casements.
Provision for accommodation of relocated and
future utilities on structures should follow the
following General Policy.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
902.02 POLICY
Support bracket details and attachments for all
utilities will require Bridge Group approval.
All approved utilities shall have individual
sleeved casings, conduits or ducts as appropriate.
All utilities carrying liquids shall be placed inside
casings through the entire length of the structure.
The casing shall be designed to carry full service
pressure so as to provide a satisfactory
containment in case the utility is damaged or
leaks.
Water lines, telephone conduits, power lines,
cable TV lines, supports or other related items
will not be permitted to be suspended below or
attached to the exterior of any new or existing
structure.
Product lines for transmitting volatile fluids will
not be permitted to be attached to or suspended
from or placed within any new or existing
structure.
902.03 UTILITY AGENCY
RESPONSIBILITY
The utility agency is responsible for obtaining
necessary information regarding the proposed
construction schedule for the project. The
agency shall submit a request including
justification for attaching to the structure and
preliminary relocation plans including line mass
and support spacing as early as possible but no
later than the completion of preliminary
structural plans.
The utility agency shall be responsible for the
design of all conduits, pipes, sleeves, casings,
expansion devices, supports and other related
items including the following information:
1. Number and size of conduits for power,
telephone and cable TV lines.
2. Size and schedule of carrier pipe for
water lines.
Part 3 900-2
3. Size and schedule of sleeved casings.
4. Spacing and details of support brackets.
5. Expansion device details.
6. Total combined weight of carrier pipe
and transmitted fluids, conduits, casings,
support brackets, expansion joints and
other related items.
7. Design calculations.
902.04 BRIDGE GROUP
RESPONSIBILITY
The Bridge Group shall be responsible for and
have final approval authority for the following
aspects of the design:
1. Determination of how many lines, if any,
the structure can accommodate.
2. Determination of where such lines should
be located within a structure.
3. Determination of the size of the access
openings and design of the required
reinforcing.
4. Determination of construction problems
related to required sequencing of project.
5. Tracking man-hours associated with
utility relocations for cost recovery.
Usually utilities will be accommodated by
providing individual access openings for casings
and sleeves to pass through. Access openings
should be 50 millimeters larger than the diameter
of the casings or sleeves and spaced as required
by structural considerations.
For box girder bridges, access openings should
be located as low as possible but no lower than
250 millimeters above the top of the bottom slab
to allow for support brackets to be supported
from the bottom slab. Where possible all utilities
shall be supported from the bottom slab for box
girder bridges.
For girder bridges, the utilities shall not be
placed in the exterior girder bay and shall be
supported from the deck slab.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
903 FALSEWORK POLICY FOR
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
903.01 FALSEWORK REQUIREMENTS
To ensure that traffic handling is given proper
consideration in the early design stages, it is
necessary to identify traffic handling and
falsework assumptions in the Bridge Selection
Report. If falsework is to be used, the horizontal
and vertical clearances shall be shown on the
General Plan. Usually, one of the following
listed conditions will prevail:
1. Traffic will be routed around construction
site.
2. Traffic will pass through construction site.
A. No falsework allowed over traffic. This
restriction would require precast
concrete or steel superstructure with field
splices located clear of traffic.
B. Stage construction required. Stage
construction must be detailed on the
plans. Construction joints or hinges
would be required.
C. Falsework openings required. The size
and number of openings must be shown.
General discussions and a table of falsework
openings are covered under "Falsework
Clearances".
903.02 FALSEWORK USE
When traffic must pass through the construction
site, three possible conditions exist. Condition
2.A. is limited to sites which can be spanned by
precast members or where steel is competitive in
cost. The staged construction option of
Condition 2.B. is not always feasible while the
presence of a hinge is a permanent disadvantage.
Condition 2.C. is used for all other cases when it
is necessary to route traffic through the
construction site. The elimination of permanent
obstructions by using longer spans and
eliminating shoulder piers will usually outweigh
objections to the temporary inconvenience of
falsework during construction.
Part 3 900-3
903.03 FALSEWORK CLEARANCES
For cast-in-place structures, the preferred method
of construction is to route traffic around the
construction site and to use earth fills for
falsework. This provides an economical solution,
a safe working area and eliminates possible
problems associated with the design, approval,
construction and performance of falsework
including the possible effect of excessive
deflections of falsework on the structure.
When the street or highway must be kept open
and detours are not feasible, falsework shall be
used with openings through which traffic may
pass. Because the width of traffic openings
through falsework can significantly affect costs,
special care should be given to minimizing
opening widths consistent with traffic and safety
considerations. The following should be
considered:
1. Staging and traffic handling
requirements.
2. The width of approach roadway that will
exist at the time the bridge is
constructed.
3. Traffic volumes and percentage of
trucks.
4. Vehicular design speed.
5. Desires of local agencies.
6. Controls in the form of existing facilities.
7. The practical problems of falsework
construction.
8. Consideration of pedestrian
requirements.
The minimum width of traffic openings through
falsework for various lane and shoulder
requirements shall be as shown in Table 900.01.
The resulting falsework span shown in Table
900.01 is the minimum span. When temporary
concrete barrier is used, 0.6 meters of safety
margin per side is allowed for deflection. When
blocked-out "W" beam is used, 1.2 meters of
safety margin per side is allowed for deflection.
The normal spans may be reduced or increased if
other forms of protection are used depending on
the required space for installation and deflection.
The actual width of traffic openings through
falsework and the resulting falsework span to be
used in design shall be determined by the Abu
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges

Dhabi Roads Section Project Manager and shall
be stated in the Bridge Selection Report.
To establish the grade line of a structure
spanning an existing street or highway,
allowance must be made for depth of falsework,
where used, to provide the clearance needed to
permit traffic through the work area during
construction. The minimum allowances to be
made for depth of falsework shall be as shown in
Table 900.02 and shall be based on the actual
falsework openings determined by the Abu Dhabi
Roads Section Project Manager.
The minimum vertical clearance for falsework
over freeways shall be 4.50 meters.
Where the vertical falsework clearance is less
than 4.50 meters, advance warning devices shall
be specified or shown on the plans. Such devices
may consist of flashing lights, overhead signs,
over-height detectors or a combination of these or
other devices. A standard insert sheet has been
developed for the details of the over-height
detectors or safety beams. Providing for these
devices in the specifications or on the plans shall
be the responsibility of the Abu Dhabi Roads
Section Project Manager.
Note to bridge designer: Special consideration
shall be given to limit the maximum allowable
tension in a precompressed tensile zone of post-
tensioned box girder bridges supported on
falsework with large openings.

Table 900.01
FALSEWORK SPAN REQUIREMENTS

Detour Roadway Minimum Width Resulting Falsework Span (1)

Facility to No. Shoulder of Traffic Temporary Blocked-out
be spanned Lanes Widths Opening (1) Conc. Barrier "W" beam
(meters) (meters) (meters) (meters)
Freeway & 1 0.6 & 0.6 4.8 7.2 8.4
Non-Freeway 2 0.6 & 0.6 8.4 10.8 12.0
3 0.6 & 0.6 12.0 14.4 15.6
4 0.6 & 0.6 15.6 18.0 19.2
NOTES: (1) Traffic Opening and Falsework Span are measured normal to detour centerline.

Table 900.02
FALSEWORK DEPTH REQUIREMENTS
Falsework Opening 7.2 8.4 10.8 12.0 14.4 15.6 18.0 19.2
(meters)
Minimum Required
Falsework Depth(mm)
Max 3365 kg/m 485 510 585 815 915 1070 1095 1145
per girder line
3365 - 4580 kg/m 510 560 815 890 1070 1120 1145 1170
per girder line
NOTES:
1. DL based on 2550 kg/m3 concrete.
2. Table 900.02 is based on the superstructure concrete being designed for zero tensile stress at the
falsework openings. Superstructures designed with concrete tensile stresses can significantly
increase the required falsework depths shown in the table and amount of falsework required.
3. Structures with greater than 4580 kg/m Dead Load per girder line will require special
considerations for required falsework depths.

Part 3 900-4
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
904 CONSTRUCTION JOINT
GUIDELINES FOR BRIDGE
CONSTRUCTION
904.01 GENERAL
The type of structure and method of construction,
combined with sound engineering judgment,
should be used in determining the number and
location of superstructure construction joints.
The use of construction joints should be
minimized for ease of construction and
subsequent cost savings. Some items which
should be considered are:
1. Method of construction - earthen fill
falsework, conventional falsework or
girder bridge without falsework.
2. Phase construction because of physical
constraints such as traffic handling.
3. Span length and estimated rotation and
deflection.
4. Degree of fixity at abutments and piers.
5. Effects of locating a construction joint in
a region of negative moment.
6. Volume of concrete to be poured without
a joint.
7. Consequences of continuous pour,
including adverse effects caused by a
breakdown during the pour.
Some important requirements regarding
construction joints contained in the Standard
Specifications are as follows:
1. The sequence of concrete placement
shall be as shown on the project plans
or as approved by the Engineer when
not shown on the project plans.
2. The rate of concrete placement and
consolidation shall be such that the
formation of cold joints within
monolithic sections of any structure will
not occur.
3. The rate of concrete placement for
major structures shall not be less than
27 cubic meters per hour unless
otherwise specified or approved in
writing by the Engineer.
4. Placement of the deck concrete shall be
in accordance with the placing sequence
shown on the project plans.
Part 3 900-5
5. The Contractor shall submit drawings
showing the placement sequence,
construction joint locations, directions
of the concrete placement and any other
pertinent data to the Engineer for his
review. The drawing shall be submitted
at least four weeks prior to the date of
deck placement.
6. Construction joints shall be placed in
the locations shown on the project plans
or as approved by the Engineer.
7. All construction joints shall be
perpendicular to the principal lines of
stress and in general located at points of
minimum shear and moment.
904.02 LONGITUDINAL
CONSTRUCTION JOINTS
Longitudinal construction joints in bridge decks
and/or superstructures should be identified as
optional unless required by construction phasing.
The optional deck joints should be placed on lane
lines or at center of structure. All longitudinal
construction joints should be keyed.
904.03 PRECAST CONCRETE GIRDER
BRIDGES
Precast concrete girder bridges made continuous
over supports shall have transverse construction
joints placed so that the girders undergo their
positive moment deflections prior to the final
pour over the negative moment areas of the fixed
piers or abutments. There shall be no horizontal
construction joint between fixed pier diaphragm
or abutment diaphragm and the deck.
Girder bridges will usually require details on the
plans showing a plan view with joint locations,
deck pour sequence and direction of pour, if
required. There should be a minimum of 12
hours between adjacent pours. A continuous
pour from abutment to abutment will not be
allowed. Construction joints where required
should be parallel to the centerline of the pier.
Their location will be near the point of minimum
dead load plus live load moment and shear. This
distance is generally one-quarter of the span
length from the pier if the adjacent spans are
approximately equal length.
 ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL Roads and Bridges
904.04 STEEL GIRDER BRIDGES
The effects of uplift and allowing a continuous
pour should be considered when developing deck
pour schedules for multi-span continuous steel
girder bridges. The required rate of pour should
be compared to the quantity of concrete to be
placed and the potential for poured sections to set
up and develop tensile stresses from pours in
adjacent spans shall be considered when
determining the need for construction joints.
Consideration must be given to the potential for
negative moment stresses in the deck due to
placement of positive moment pours in adjacent
spans.
Girder bridges will usually require details on the
plans showing a plan view with joint locations,
deck pour sequence and direction of pour, if
required. Except where otherwise required, there
should be a minimum of 12 hours between
adjacent pours. Construction joints, where
required, should be parallel to the centerline of
Part 3 900-6
the pier. Their location should be near the point
of dead load counterflexure.
904.05 CAST-IN-PLACE BOX GIRDER
BRIDGES
Box girder bridges made continuous over
supports shall have transverse construction joints
placed so that the webs undergo their positive
moment falsework deflections prior to the final
pour over the negative moment areas of the fixed
piers or abutments if the superstructure
formwork is supported on conventional
falsework. The transverse construction joints
may be omitted if the superstructure formwork is
supported on earthen fill. The webs and all
diaphragms should be poured concurrently with
the bottom slab. Transverse construction joints
where required should be parallel to the
centerline of the pier. Their location near the
inflection point is generally one-quarter of the
span length from the pier if the adjacent spans
are approximately equal length.