At-grade Intersection Design 2

• Intersection Sight Distance

• Type of Intersection control

• Intersection Sight Distance Design

- Type A
- Type B
- Type C
- Type D
- Type E
- Type F
• Intersection Sight Distance

Purpose – provide sight distance at intersections to allow drivers to perceive

the presence of potentially conflicting vehicles and traffic control devices.

Method – Specified areas along intersection approach legs and corners

should be clear of obstructions. Two types of clear sight triangles are
considered in intersection design: Approach Sight Triangle and Departure
Sight Triangle

Assumption – Driver’s eye is 3.5 ft above the roadway surface, the object to
be seen is of same height (3.5 ft)
- Approach Sight Triangles
- Departure Sight Triangles
• Intersection Right-of-Way: types of intersection control

- Traffic Signal
Fixed-time
Semi-actuated V
Full-actuated O
Adaptive L
U
- Stop sign M
E
all-way stop
2-way stop

- Yield sign

- Uncontrolled: yield to the vehicle on the right

Cases:
- Case A: intersection with no control

- Case B: intersection with stop control on the minor road

Case B1: Left turn from the minor road

Case B2: Right turn from the minor road
Case B3: Crossing maneuver from the minor road

- Case C: intersection with yield control on the minor road

Case C1: Crossing maneuver from the minor road
Case C2: Left or right turn from the minor road

- Case D: Intersections with traffic signal control

- Case E: Intersection with all-way stop control
- Case F: Left turn from the major road
- Case A: intersection with no control
Location of decision point on each approach is determined from a model that
is analogous to the stopping sight distance model, with slightly different
assumptions.

Assumptions:

Deceleration rate: 5 ft/s2,

e.g.
Time of detection and
recognition of a vehicle on
conflicting approach: 2.5 sec

(Approach triangle)
Grade adjustment
Case A (intersection with no control) and SSD:
- Case B: intersection with stop control on minor road
(departure triangle)

major
Case B1: Left-turn from the Minor Road

ISD  1.47Vmajor t g STOP

Vmajor: design speed of major road

tg: time gap for minor road vehicle to enter the major road,
7.5 sec for passenger car;
9.5 sec for single-unit truck;
11.5 sec for combination truck.

Assumption: major road is of 2-lane without median, and grades less than 3 percent
Adjustment: multi-lane & minor road grade exceeds 3 percent
Refer to: Exhibit 9-54, pp. 660 (Green book 2004 edition)
For design: Exhibit 9-55, pp.661 (Green book 2004 edition)
SSD & Case B1 ISD
Case B2: Right turn from the Minor Road

Determination of ISD for B2 is similar to that for B1, except that t g is smaller
Case B3: Crossing from the Minor Road

In most cases, ISD determined by B1 and/or B2 is more than enough to provide enough
ISD for crossing vehicles and no specific design is needed.

- Case C – intersections with yield control on the minor road

Case C1 – Crossing maneuver from the minor road

(approach triangle)

ISD  1.47Vmajor t g
where ,
w  La
t g  ta 
0.88V minor
ta: travel time to reach the major road from the decision point for a vehicle that does not
stop (assume deceleration rate = 5 ft/s2).

W: width of the intersection

La: Length of design vehicle

Vmajor: design speed of major road

Vminor: design speed of minor road

ta & t g
For design:
Case C2 – Left-turn or right-turn from the minor road

1. Length of legs of the minor road:

(approach triangle)

Minor road to accommodate left/right turn vehicles without stopping: 82 ft (based on the
assumption that drivers making left and right turns without stopping will slow to a turning
speed of 10 mph)

2. Length of legs of the major road:

(departure triangle)

Similar to the determination of B1 & B2, with slight changes of gap time
For design:
SSD & ISD:
Case D – Intersections with Traffic Signal Control

No specific design requirements for Case D intersections except for two-way flashing
Operation, where Case B should apply

Case E – Intersections with all-way stop control

No specific design criteria for Case E intersections, and indeed, all way stop control may
be designed wherever sight distance for other control types can not be attained.

Case F – Left-turns from the major road

If stopping sight distance has been provided continuously along the major road and if
sight distance for Case B (stop control) or Case C (yield control) has been provided for
each minor approach, sight distance will be adequate for left-turns from the major road.