ISSUES AND PRINCIPLES FOR EXPRESSWAY AUDIT, DEVELOPING

CHECKLIST FOR AUDIT OF EXPRESSWAY International Course on Transportation Planning and Road

Safety’

05-12 Dec 2019

K. Ramachandra Rao MoUD Chair Professor

Department of Civil Engineering and Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme

(TRIPP) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

New Delhi, India

Outline

• Expressway status India

• Road safety audit principles

• Expressway design principles and elements

• Geometric elements

• Best practices for safer highways

• Overview of Checklists

• Some field observations

– Yamuna Expressway

– Agra-Lucknow Expressway

• References

2

Expressways – status in India

• Around 1,583 km of expressways

• Longest Agra-Lucknow: 302 km

• Target length by 2022: 18,637 km

3

Expressway (indicative list; not

exhaustive

Length

Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway 95 km

Delhi-Meerut Expressway 8.7 km

Ambala Chandigarh Expressway 35 km

Belghoria Expressway 8 km

Jaipur-Kishangarh Expressway 90 km

Yamuna Expressway 165 km

Delhi Faridabad Skyway 4.4 km

Mumbai-Pune Expressway 94.5 km

Hyderabad Outer Ring Road 158 km

Agra-Lucknow Expressway 302 km

Road safety audit principles

• Adaptation of road design and features to vehicle

dynamics and to pedestrian movements

• Error and conflict avoidance

• Facilitation of emergency manœuvres and of

recovery after loss of control

4

IRC Code Description

IRC:SP:73-2015 Manual for Specifications and standards for two laning

of highways with paved shoulder

IRC:SP:84-2014 Manual for Specifications and standards for four laning

of highways with paved shoulder

IRC: SP: 87-2013 Manual of Specifications & Standards for Six-laning of

Highways Through Public Private Partnership

IRC: SP: 99-2013 Manual for Specifications and Standards for

Expressways

Geometric Design Standards of

Expressways

5

Design Speed

• Design speed depends on terrain and

facility type

– Expressways – 120 km/h (Rolling - 100 km/h)

– Multi-lane highways – 100 km/h (Mountainous

- 60 km/h)

Table 4-1 Design Speed for Expressway

Nature of Terrain Cross Slope of the

Ground

Design Speed

(km/h)

Plain Less than 10

percent

120

Rolling Between 10 and 25

percent

100

6

Lane width of Carriageway

The standard lane width of the Project Highway shall be 3.5 m.

But in case of expressway the standard lane width of the Project

Expressway shall be 3.75 m. Expressways shall have a minimum of

two lanes for each direction of travel.

Right-of-way:

A minimum Right of Way (ROW) of 60 m should be available for

development of a 4-lane highway

However in the case of Expressway, no service roads shall be

provided within the ROW of the Expressway

Table 4-3 Right of Way in Plain/Rolling Terrain for Expressway

Section Right of Way Width*

(ROW)

Rural Section 90 m - 120 m

Rural Sections passing through semi-

urban areas

120 m# 7

Median for expressway

• The median shall be depressed or flush. As a rule,

depressed median shall be provided except in situations

where the availability of ROW is a constraint

• An edge strip of 0.75 m width of depressed median adjacent

to carriageway in either direction shall be paved with same

specifications as of the adjoining carriageway

Table 4-4 Width of Median

Type of Median Recommended Median

Width (m)

Minimum Desirable

Depressed 12.0 15.0

Flush 4.5 4.5

Flush (to accommodate structure/pier

on median)

8.0 8.0

8

Extra roadway width on curves

• On horizontal curves with radius upto 300 m, width of pavement and

roadway shall be increased.

• The reason for providing the extra width on a curved section of

highway is as follows:

(i)Additional width is required for a vehicle taking a horizontal curve,

(ii)Tendency of the drivers to ply away from the edge of the

carriageway as they drive on a curve.

• AASHTO (2011) specifies that for large curve radii (>2000m) with

design speeds above 70 km/h for roads with 2 lanes are more would

NOT require any extra roadway width for extra widening

Radius of Curve Extra Width

75-100 m 0.9 m

101-300 m 0.6 m

9

Geometric design elements

• Superelevation

• Horizontal alignment

• Vertical alignment

10

Best Practices for safer highways

11

Clear Zone

• Clear zone:

“unobstructed traversable area

provided beyond the edge of the thro

ugh carriageway for the recovery of

errant vehicles.”

• Design speed of 110 to 120 km/h

a clear zone width of 9 to 11m

has been recommended.

• Crash barrier is to be provided in

case if it is not possible to provide

the suggested clear-zone distance

from the edge of carriageway.

Figure 5-1 Clear Zone

12

Chevron Markings

Traffic Sings Manual, UK, Chapter 5:Road Markings,

Page no. 27

• Clause 4.61

13

Chevron markings

IRC 35-2015

Length from physical

Spacing

Thickness

Direction Arrows

14

Crash Cushion Specification as per IRC SP: 87-2013

• IRC SP: 87-2013: Manual of Specifications & Standards for Six-laning of

Highways Through Public Private Partnership

Fig 9.6 Space required to place Crash Attenuators

Traffic Impact Attenuator

15

Crash Cushion Specification as per IRC SP: 87-2013

Table Minimum Space Required for Crash Attenuators i.e. Reserve

Area (in m)

Speed of Main

Highways

(kmph)

Minimum Space Preferred Space

Restricted Conditions Unrestricted

Conditions

N L F N L F N L F

50 2 2.5 0.5 2.5 3.5 1 3.5 5 1.5

80 2 5 0.5 2.5 7.5 1 3.5 10 1.5

100 2 8.5 0.5 2.5 13.5 1 3.5 17 1.5

120 2 11 0.5 2.5 17 1 3.5 21 1.5

16

Crash cushions

Figure Example of TAU-IITM crash

cushion installed at site

Figure Example crash cushion at toll plaza

17

Bar Markings

Figure 11-1 Typical layout of Bar Markings

Approach

Speed

Bar Marking (Number of TM 08) Distance from hazard

81 to 100 kmph 4 set D1=50m; d2=80m; d3 =120m; d4=

180 m

Clause 11.2.1 of IRC: 35-2015 says that the thermoplastic bar marking is a softer

treatment to reduce the speed.

Specifications for the installation of bar markings

18

Median Design - Median/central verge

“ In general barrier curbs are not desirable for use on

freeways and other high speed roadways. An out od

control vehicle may over turn or become airborne as a

result of impacting the curb. Curbs are not adequate to

prevent a vehicle from leaving the roadway. Curbs are

not suitable use in front of traffic barriers because they

can result in unpredictable post-impact trajectories”

(AASHTO, 2011)

“Currently, median barrier is recommended on all

access-controlled, multilane highways with posted

speeds greater than 70 km/h if the median is less than

15 m wide”(Graham, et al., 2014)

19

Type of Median on High Speed Roads

IRC SP 99-2013: Manual of Specifications and Standards for Expressways

Recommended Type of Median on Expressways as per IRC: SP 99-2013;

Clause 2.5, Page No. 11

20

Kerb/Curb Height

• Height of Curb: 4 inches or less

Source: page no. 46; https://mdotcf.state.mi.us/public/design/files/englishroadmanual/erdm07.pdf 21

Crash barriers: Guardrails

22

New Jersey Barriers

23

Guardrail Specification

• Guardrail should not installed upon

structure: IRC SP: 87-2013: Manual of Specifications & Standards for Six-lane

of Highways Through Public Private Partnership

• As per Clause 9.7.1.1 “Types of safety barriers”

24

W-beam Specifications

• IRC SP: 87-2013: Manual of Specifications

& Standards for Six Laning of Highways

Through Public Private Partnership

• Clause 9.7.2: Road Side Steel Barriers; Fig 9.7;

Page No.84

Height: 730±25 mm

25

Thrie Beam

Clause 9.7.2: Road Side Steel

Barriers; Fig 9.8; Page No.84

• Height: 825±20 mm

26

Typical Toll Plaza with Chevron Markings

The toll plaza should be equipped with proper chevron markings

and with proper advance signs

27

Shoulder rumble strips

Shoulder Rumble Strips

Problem: Roadway departures account for more than half of all roadway

fatalities.

Roadway departure fatalities, which include run-off-the road (ROR) and head-on

fatalities, are a serious problem in the United States. In 2003, there were 25,562

roadway departure fatalities, accounting for 55 percent of all roadway fatalities in

the United States.

That same year, more than 16,700 people died in ROR crashes (39 percent of all

roadway fatalities). In 2008, 304 persons were killed in non-interstate roadway

departure crashes in New York State.

14% reduction in all ROR crashes after

the installation of shoulder rumble strips

28

Audible markers for shoulder

marking Reduction in run-off-the road crashes, demarcation of shoulders (FHWA,

2011)

29

Raised Edgeline Markings Raised profile edge line markings

Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 5: Road Markings, Page

no. 21

Clause 4.39 to 4.48

Clause 4.39

Clause 4.40

30

Distance Markers at exit

Countdown markers at exit from expressway: Each bar

represents a distance of 100 m

31

Interventions for Highway Passing through Village or Settlement (IRC 99-2018)

32

Accident location SH 87 (Staggered

Junction)

33

Checklists

• 3 Types of Checklists

1.Checklist for Entry, Exit Ramps and Interchanges

2.Checklist for linear sections

3.Checklist for toll plazas

34

Checklist for Entry/Exit, and Interchanges

• Section 1: General Items

• Section 2: Check for Signs

• Section 3: Traffic Calming Measures

• Section 4: Check for Guardrail

• Section 5: Lighting Condition

35

Checklist Exit and Entry Ramp, Interchanges

36

Contd…

37

Checklist for Linear Section

• Checklist was divided into 10 sections

– Section 1: Check of Pavement Markings as per RIC

35-2015

– Section 2: Check for Road Signs IRC 67-2012

– Section 3: Check of Median Type and Design

– Section 4: Check for Road Side Barrier/Crash Barriers

– Section 5: Check on Shoulder Type and Design

– Section 6: Check on Lighting Conditions

– Section 7: Plantations (on median side)

– Section 8: Truck Lay Byes

– Section 9: Roadside Environment (Outside the crash

barrier or below the embankment)

– Section 10: Overall Observation of the Audited

Location or Section

38

Checklist for Linear Section

39

Contd…

40

Contd…

41

Contd…

42

Contd…

43

Contd…

44

Check List for Toll Plaza

• Checklist was divided into 5 sections

– Section 1: Traffic Sings

– Section 2: Markings

– Section 3: Speed reduction measures

– Section 4: Measures to curb last minute changes

– Section 5: Lighting

45

Check List for Toll Plaza

46

Contd…

47

YE Field visits – December 2018

Yamuna Expressway – sample

observations

48

Audit Findings of Exit Ramp Chainage 35 Km; Exit

Ramp No. 3; LHS

• Chevron marking is

missing.

• Adequate crash cushion is

missing.

• Non-functional flashing

beacon is present.

• Inappropriate hazard marker

in gore area.

• Passengers are waiting for

bus . 49

Exit Ramp

• Deceleration lane is not marked.

• Direction markings on main

carriageway is missing.

• Road studs are missing on

deceleration lane.

• Guardrail is in damaged (deformed)

condition.

• Retro-reflective marking on it is

missing.

• Measured guardrail height is 70 cm.

50

51

Inadequate Entry and Exit of Road Side

Facility (RSF)

Entry to facility

Absence of speed control,

markings, signage

Exit from facility

Absence of speed control,

markings, signage.

52

Agra-Lucknow Expressway – toll plaza 21 km

53

• Inadequate crash cushion

• Inadequate markings on

approach side to curb the

speed and last minute lane

change,

Crash Location at 139 km on Agra

Lucknow Expressway

• Inappropriate installation of

guardrail.

• Damaged guardrail after the crahs

• Measured curb height is 200mm.

54

References

• AASHTO. (2011). A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. 6th Edition, AASHTO.

• Michigan Design Manual Road Design, Chapter 7 Appurtenances

• Fwa, T. F. (2005). The handbook of highway engineering. CRC Press.

• Graham, J. L., Harwood, D. W., Richard, K. R., O'Laughlin, M. K., Donnell, E. T., & Brennan, S. N. (2014). Median Cross-Section Design for Rural Divided Highways (No. Project 22-21A).

• IRC: 73-1980. (1980). Geometric Standards for rural (non urban) highways

• IRC- SP: 73-2015. (2015). Manual of specifications and standards for two laning of highways with paved shoulder.

• IRC: SP: 84-2014. (2014). Manual of specifications and standards for four laning of highways through public private partnership

• IRC: SP: 87-2013. (2013). Manual of specifications and standards for six laning of highways through public private partnership

• IRC: 119-2015. (2015). Guidelines for Traffic Safety Barriers.

• IRC: SP: 99-2013. (2013). Manual of Specifications and Standards for Expressways.

• Traffic Sings Manual, UK, Chapter 5:Road Markings

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THANK YOU

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