Geometric Design

DESIGN CONTROLS AND CRITERIA

DESIGN CONTROLS AND CRITERIA

The physical design of a new highway is controlled

by many factors.
a. Design speed
b. Traffic volume
c. Design hour volume
d. Vehicle characteristics
Design Speed

"Design speed is the maximum safe speed that can

be maintained over a specified section of a highway
when conditions are so favorable that the design
features of the highway govern." (AASHTO, 1990).
The selection of a suitable design speed will depend
on the terrain and functional class of the highway.
Typical design speeds for freeways range from 50
mph to 70 mph depending on the terrain type (level,
rolling or mountainous).
Traffic Volume

The traffic engineer’s measure or indicator of traffic

volume is the average daily traffic (ADT). The ADT
is the volume that results from dividing a traffic
count obtained during a given time period by the
number of days in that time period
Traffic Volume
For example, given a traffic count of 52,800 vehicles
that was taken over a continuous period of 30 days,
the ADT for this count equals 1,760 vehicles (52,800
divided by 30). Another commonly used measure of
traffic volume is the annual average daily traffic
(AADT), which is determined by dividing a count of
the total yearly traffic volume by 365. The ADT and
the AADT are not the same and it’s important to be
aware of the time period when calculating the ADT.
Design Hour Volume
• The DHV is a two-way traffic volume that is determined
by multiplying the ADT by a percentage called the K-
factor. Values for K typically range from 8 to 12% for
urban facilities and 12 to 18% for rural facilities. Neither
the AADT nor the ADT indicate the variations in traffic
volumes that occur on an hourly basis during the day,
specifically high traffic volumes that occur during the peak
hour of travel. The traffic engineer has to balance the
desire to provide an adequate level of service (LOS) for the
peak hour traffic volume with proposing a design in which
the highway capacity would only be utilized for a few
hours of the year. This is where the design hour volume
(DHV) comes in.
Directional Design Hour Volume

• The directional design hour volume (DDHV) is the one-

way volume in the predominant direction of travel in the
design hour, expressed as a percentage of the two-way
DHV. For rural and suburban roads, the directional
distribution factor (D) ranges from 55 to 80 percent. A
factor of approximately 50 percent is used for urban
highways. Keep in mind that the directional distribution
can change during the day. For example, traffic volume
heading into the central business district is usually higher
than outbound traffic in the morning, but the reverse is true
during the afternoon peak hour. In summary, DDHV =
ADT (or AADT)*K*D.
Vehicle Characteristics
Traffic engineers design highways that will
accommodate all classes of vehicles. Width and
height, overhangs and minimum turning paths at
intersections are important parameters to have at
hand during the design process. AASHTO states that
the vehicle which should be used in designing for
normal operations is the largest one that represents a
significant percentage of the traffic for the design
year.
Design Vehicle