Intersection/Junction

Design & Control

Types of intersection

The types of intersection may be categorized

into three, namely as to:

1. shape
2. structure
3. operation
 Shape /configuration

• 3-leg:’T’ or ‘Y’

• 4-leg: normal crossing,

oblique, or skewed

• multi-leg: intersections with

more than 4 legs

• rotary or roundabout
 Existing Residential Area

National Highway

Alt. 1 ?
Pond Alt. 2 ?

New Commercial Development

Which scheme is better?

Structural Type
• At-grade intersection
• Grade-separation such as flyovers or interchanges

Operational Type
• Unchannelized or channelized
• Signalized or unsignalized
Intersection Design, Control &
Analysis
Design
Analysis:
-capacity
-safety
-cost
Control
Hierarchy of Intersections/Control of
Intersections

• Unsignalized
- ‘right of way’ rule
- ‘STOP’ or ‘YIELD’ sign
- roundabout
- U-turn scheme
• Signalized
• Flyover/Grade Separation
Turning Geometry Treatments

Direct Semi-direct

Indirect
Combinations
 Principles of safe/good design
and/or control of intersections
• Minimize the number of conflicts
• Minimize the speed of vehicles at potential collision
points; Minimize relative speed of conflicting
movements
• Minimize the area of conflict
• Separate movements and points of conflict
• Control movements to reduce the possibility of
conflict; give preference to major movement/s
• Define vehicle paths clearly
• Check visibility requirements
 Minimize the number of conflicts

Maximum number of legs should be 4

No. of Intersection Conflicts

Type of Intersection Type
conflict 3-Leg 4-Leg
Diverging 3 8
Merging 3 8
Crossing 3 16
3-leg
Total 9 32

No. of Legs No. of conflicts

5-leg 79
6-leg 172
200
180
160
No. of Conflicts

140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2 3 4 5 6 7
4-leg No. of Legs 10
 Minimize the number of conflicts

• If 5-leg cannot be avoided, use the fifth as a

minor leg only for exit
 Minimize the number of conflicts
Number of Conflicts by Intersection Control
Unsignalized Intersection Signalized Intersection

P-1 P-2

P-3 P-4

Roundabout/Rotary U-Turn Slots

 Minimize relative speed of vehicles

Relative speed- vectorial speed of convergence of

the vehicles in a conflict maneauver

A=60kph
B=60kph 𝐶 2 = 𝐴2 + 𝐵2 − 2𝐴𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
Relative speed C=85kph
A • 2 roads should
𝜃 preferably intersect at
C B right angle (must be at
least 60o)
 Give preference to major movement/s

• When modifying alignment, major highway

should not be bent (and the intersection
must be at right angle).
Channelization
- Use of traffic islands or pavement markings to direct the
traffic into predetermined paths. It can be used to:
• Separate conflicting movements
• Reduce areas of conflict
• Cause opposing traffic streams to intersect at right angles
• Improve and define the alignment of major movements
• Control the speed of traffic entering an intersection by
changing alignment
• Control speed of traffic by restricting width
• Provide refuge or median to shelter a turning or crossing
vehicle
• Provide protection for pedestrians
• Prohibit certain turns
• Provide locations for traffic signal poles or traffic signs
 Channelization

Reduction of area of conflict

Crossing must be at or near right angle

 Channelization

Very high relative speeds

Conflicts at T junction with 2-way traffic

Channelization

18
Channelization

19
 Channelization
Refuge for crossing Refuge for crossing
and turning vehicles pedestrians

Merge traffic stream at small angles

 Channelization

Speed of traffic stream may be controlled by bending

Speed of traffic stream may be controlled by funneling

 Channelization
Conflict movements are separated; drivers are exposed to one
conflict at a time

Blockage of prohibited turns

One way
 Channelization

Installation of essential traffic control devices (traffic signals and

signs)
 Channelization
Design Elements of Intersection
(one approach shown)
4
7
5
1. Left turn storage bay
1 2. Through lanes
2 3. Exclusive right turn lane
3
4. Corner island
5. Turning roadway
6. Median
6
7. Nose treatment
 Channelization

Remove
 Channelization

Swept paths of large vehicles

Path of
front
overhang

Outside
front
Traffic islands, kerb lines and
wheel
street furnitures must be placed
path
outside the vehicle swept paths

Articulated vehicle
 Control movements to reduce the possibility of conflict

Visibility requirements

Right of Way Rule (No ‘STOP’ or signal control)

 Control movements to reduce the possibility of conflict

Visibility requirements
Drivers must be able to see and
judge their approach speeds and
available gaps in the major road
traffic
d = v*(T +t)
v – design speed of major road
T – reaction time to shift to 1st gear
t – time required to accelerate and
traverse the distance S=D+W+L

Priority control
Roundabouts

signalization
• Conflicts can arise from both legal and illegal maneuvers;
• Many of the most serious crashes are caused by failure to
observe traffic control devices.
• Even though traffic control devices (signals) can
significantly reduce many conflicts, they cannot eliminate
them entirely due to violations of those devices.

Roundabouts – can prevent serious

crashes
 Modern Roundabout Features

Roundabouts are circular intersections designed so

that:

1. Entering traffic must yield to circulating;

2. Entering vehicles are deflected by splitter islands,
creating a low/similar speed environment;
3. Circulating vehicles must travel around a
non-mountable center island.
 Roundabouts
Capacity Limits:
If sum is less than 1,000 then
Single lane works
If sum is 1,000 – 1,300 then
Single lane might work
If sum is 1,300 – 1,800 then
2 laner works
If sum is1,800 – 2,200 then
2 laner might work
If sum is 2,200 – 2,900 Source: New York State
3 laner might work Department of Transportation;
Roundabout Design Unit
Case Study: Timog-T. Morato Roundabout
Roundabouts
 Roundabouts
Well-Designed Roundabout (NYSDOT, RDU)
 Other considerations

Signal control
• Signal control should be avoided for high
speed traffic of more than 100kph.
• When signal control are introduced for
comparatively higher speed (70kph), install
warning signs in upper streams.
 Other considerations

Signal control
• Check duration of yellow and all-red
indications (clearance interval)
Clearance
interval

Phase 1

Phase 2

Clearance interval = Yellow + All-Red

Yellow = 3 sec.
Phase 1 Phase 2
All-Red – depends on size of intersection
 Other considerations
Signal control: Pedestrian safety

Refuge for
crossing
pedestrians

Exclusive phase for pedestrians

Phase 1 Phase 2 Scramble

Scramble Phase
 Other considerations

• Design speed near intersection is basically

the same as for the road but preferably one
step lower than the design speed of the road
(20kph lower).
• Intersections should be avoided on curve
sections, cutting, sag, crest, bridge attaching
part, near entrance of tunnel, beside rail
crossing, etc.
 Other considerations

• One way schemes significantly reduce

number of conflicts at an intersection

from 32 down to 13 down to ? 5?5

• One way circulation around a block

preferably clockwise preferably

- Right in; right out counterclockwise
- Passenger seat on - Right in; right out
the safer side. - Passenger seat on
the safer side.
Measure of Performance of Intersections
(capacity and level of service)
Intersection Type of Analysis Measure of
Type Performance
Unsignalized:
a)ROW rule, Merging; gap Reserved capacity;
‘STOP’, ‘YIELD’ acceptance queue length

b)Roundabout; Gap acceptance, Weaving capacity;

U-turn scheme Weaving queue length

Signalized: Phase pattern; Delay; degree of

cycle length; congestion; queue
allocation of green time length

Grade Separation Weaving Weaving capacity;

(+ analysis for signalized) (+delay; queue length)

Safety issue – built-in

Tools for Intersection Analysis
• Manual method – okay for analysis of
isolated intersections
• Computer-aided – for isolated intersections,
arterials or network analysis
- SIDRA solutions, HCM method, SYNCHRO, etc.
- Computer Simulation programs (VISSIM,
CORSIM, etc.)

Assumptions: Inputs; local conditions

Practice
1 2

6
Practice on intersection design and control
• Observe assign intersection; do counts,
speed measurements, if necessary;
• Note issues and concerns (e.g.,
vehicle/pedestrian/bicycle conflicts, safety)
• Redesign/modify geometry, if necessary
• Recommend appropriate traffic control
devices – traffic signals(?), signs and
pavement markings

Brief presentation (8 minutes) on October 22, 2019

Grouping
1 2015-06644 ABRAHAN PIERCE NATHANIEL
2 2015-08177 ANG HOLLY MARIE
3 2015-02467 ARRIOLA FRANCIS JOSEPH 1
4 2015-03142 BESMONTE HANNAH LOU
5 2015-05414 CARAG STEPHANIE JOY
6 2015-10396 CIRUNAY DIANNE GRACE
7 2015-14565 CLEMENTE LANCE LEIGHTON
8 2015-90601 COLLADO XYRUZ 2
9 2015-03082 CORRALES CRYSTEL BIANCA
10 2015-03467 DAMEG ARIANNE JOYCE
11 2015-01206 GUERRERO CARLOS MIGUEL
12 2014-89380 HERNAEZ JESSIE JAMES
13 2014-89002 LAPERAL MIGUEL DAVID 3
14 2013-05411 LESCANO NICOLE ANNE

15 2015-05352 MACAPAGAL MANUEL JR.

16 2015-13684 MANEJA AMIEL BRYAN
17 2015-07358 OLPINDO RAPHAEL
18 2015-14052 ORTECIO LALAINE 4
19 2015-10221 QUILAY LOUISE ANNE
20 2014-22609 RABADON JERSON
21 2015-12977 RAMOS ALVIN
22 2015-07058 RECINTO DANIEL ANTONIO
23 2015-03810 REJUSO MA ARIELLE ANGELA 5
24 2015-11580 SAKANDAL ALREEN-NADZRIF
25 2015-14223 SALVADOR MARIE ANTONETTE
26 2014-04146 SANTOS PAULO
27 2015-00232 SAPLA NARBEN
28 2015-08230 TAN TIMOTHY WESLEY 6
29 2015-04323 TAPEL MIGUEL FRANCIS
30 2015-05316 TESORO LORENZO