ROADWAY CROSS SECTION | TYPICAL HIGHWAY CROSS SECTION

HIGHWAY CROSS SECTION ELEMENTS

1. LANE WIDTH OR HIGHWAY TRAVEL WAY:
The width of the surfaced road and number of lanes should be adequate to accommodate the type
and volume of anticipated traffic and assumed design speed of vehicles. Roads presently in use
have traditionally been separated into generalized categories that include two-lanes, three-lanes,
multilane undivided, multilane divided, and limited access highways.
As traffic density, vehicle speed and truck widths have increased, two lane highway have also
increased in width from 16 to the current recommended value of 24 width 10 shoulders on
either side along primary routes.

Three lane roads were built in previous years. The three lane road does appear to have a high
accident rate, and construction of these types of roads is no longer recommended except in
special cases
On four lane highways traffic flows in opposite directions on each pair of lanes, and passing is
accomplished within the lanes of forward movement and not in the lanes of opposing traffic.
In order to provide positive protection against conflict of opposing traffic, highways are
frequently divided by a median strip. On such highways, lane widths should be minimum of 3.6
m, with 4 lanes provided where many large trucks combinations are anticipated.

2. MEDIAN STRIP FOR DIVIDED HIGHWAY:In order to provide positive protection against a conflict with opposing traffic median strop are
provided on divided highways.The width of these median strip varies from 1.2m to 18m.
Where narrow medians must be used, many agencies install median barriers to physically
separate opposing flows of traffic and minimize the potential for head on collisions. Medians of
4.2 m to 4.8 m have been used and are sufficient to provide most of the separate advantages for
opposing traffic while permitting the inclusion of a median lane at crossroads for right turn
movements, however , medians 4.8 m to 18 m wide and greater are now recommended when
surrounding conditions permit.
Many agencies design the width of medians so that additional travel lanes can be added in the
future, if required, within the limit of the median.
For rural divided highways a median width of 13.4 m is considered desirable to provide one 3.6
m travel lane in each direction.

ADVANTAGES of Median of a road

Are given as;
1. The chance of freak accidents which might produce head on collision over a narrow
median is reduced.
2. Headlights glare from opposing traffic is less troublesome.

3. At intersection, a wide median provides refuge from crossing traffic.

Due to high cost of land, narrow width is provided at normal sections and added widths where
right turn or x-traffic are to be accommodate are used.

3. SHOULDERS in Highway Cross Section :

It is that portion of the roadway between the outer edge of the outer traffic lane and the inside
edge of the ditch, curb or slope.
shoulders should be wide enough to permit and encourage vehicles to leave the pavement when
stopping. The greater the traffic volume, the greater is the likelihood of the shoulders being put
to emergency use.
Shoulders also provide lateral support for pavement subbase, base and surface courses. Shoulder
widths are usually determined by the traffic volume and the percent of heavy vehicles. Shoulders
are provided for the safe operation and to allow the development of full traffic capacity. Shoulder
provides a place for vehicle to park for changing tires.
widths greater than 3.0 m [10 ft] may encourage unauthorized use of the shoulder as a travel
lane. The slope of the shoulder should be greater than that of the pavement.

DIMENSIONS:
1. Outside shoulders are width of at least 10 and preferably, 12 that is clear of all
obstructions is desirable for all heavily traveled and high speed highways.
2. Inside shoulder are often not as wide (often 4)
3. In section with guardrails or other vertical elements, an additional 2 of shoulder
widening should be provided

4. SLOPES in Roadway Cross Section:

The graded area immediately adjacent to the graded roadway shoulder is called side slope

Highway Cross Section - Types of Side slopes:

BACKSLOPE: - Slopes back to natural topography are known as back slope.
Backslopes steeper than 3:1 may be difficult to maintain and need to be evaluated with regard to
slope stability.
FORESLOPE: - Slopes down to ditch are called foreslope.
AASHTO states that foreslopes steeper than 3:1 (33%) are recommended only where conditions
do not permit the use of flatter slopes.
5. DRAINAGE DITCHES/CHANNELS
Drainage channels perform the vital function of collecting and conveying surface water from the
highway right-of-way. Drainage channels, therefore, should have adequate capacity for the
design runoff, provide for unusual storm water with minimum damage to the highway, and be
located and shaped to provide a safe transition from the roadway to the backslope. The depth of
channel should be sufficient to remove surface water without saturation of the subgrade.