Geometric Design

Strategic Research Program

Transportation Research Board
AFB10 Geometric Design Committee
Brian L. Ray, PE Committee Chair
July 27, 2010

What have we heard so far?

Freight

design criteria
Complete Streets
2015 Green Book Topics
Highway Safety Manual
Flexibility in preliminary Engineering
Right sized projects
Urban street design standards
Practical Design
Others?

What will be the basis of our

design decisions?

RESEARCH!

Presentation Outline
Overview

of the TRB Geometric

Design Committee

Geometric

Design Strategic Research

Opportunities

for Collaboration

Committee Scope
Expanding the body of knowledge regarding highway and
street geometric design elements that affect safe and efficient
operations for all users.
Developing research needs statements and communicating
findings that advance geometric design criteria, guidance,
methods, and performance-based design objectives.
Facilitating domestic and international dialogues and idea
exchanges while supporting emerging and developing
professionals

Committee Structure
Research

Subcommittee purpose

Coordinate and manage the strategic

research program
Produce the research needs statements
using the input from others

Committee Structure
Technical

Subcommittee purpose

Conduct activities that lead our

exploration of technical issues and
priorities.
Subgroups:
Streets and Intersections;
Highways;
Freeways and Interchanges; and
Methodology

Committee Structure
Business

Subcommittee purpose

Execute reoccurring and ad-hoc

committee business
Conduct outreach to external sources in
support of committee business,
Coordinate special assignments and
forums as they arise

AASHTO Members
Jim

Brewer/Kansas

Bart

Thrasher/Virginia

Presentation Outline
Overview

of the TRB Geometric

Design Committee

Geometric

Design Strategic Research

Opportunities

for Collaboration

Current Research Needs

Documentation
Transportation

E-Circular
(E-C110)
22

research
needs
statements

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec110.

Research Needs Development Process

Re-thinking Design
Process
Design
Controls/Criteria
User/Vehicle Controls
Rural Highways
Freeways/Interchanges
Urban Streets

TRB Committees on
Geometric Design
(AFB10)
& Operational Effects
of
Geometrics (AHB65)
&

Original Research Needs

No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Problem Statement Title

Median Design and Barrier Issues in Urban and Rural
Environments
Performance-based Geometric Design Analysis
Multimodal Highway Design for Complete Streets
Investigation of Alternative Geometric Highway Design Processes
Horizontal Curve Design Philosophy
Right-turn Interactions and Channelized Right-turns
Ramp and Interchange Spacing

Transition Zone Design

Ramp Design as a System
Safety and Operational Tradeoffs of and Shoulder Widths
Safety, Operations, and Usability Tradeoffs of Road User Groups
Safety and Operational Impacts of Four-and Six- Lane Cross12
sections with Raised versus Two-way Left-turn Lanes
Superelevation Criteria for Steep Grades on Horizontal Curves
13
Geometric Design Guidelines for Major Intersection Alternatives to
14
Accommodate Multimodal Users
Design, Safety, and Operational Considerations of Pedestrian
15
Treatments at Intersections
One- and Two-lane Loop Ramp Design
16
Effectiveness of Mid-block Crossing Treatments
17
Intersection Design to Accommodate Pedestrian Crosswalk Cross
18
Slopes
Guidelines for Provision of Sidewalks
19
Safety Effects of Intersection Skew Angle
20
Accommodating Bicyclists on Rural Highways
21
Safety and Operational Effects of Angle versus Parallel Parking
22
Other Funded Projects
Placement of Traffic Barriers on Roadside and Median Slopes
8
9
10
11

Funded
(Y/N)

Project No.

Considered for
Begin Date
Funding (Y/N)

NCHRP 22-21

NCHRP 15-34

End Date

Amount

Jan. 2006

Jan. 2009

$800,000

July 2006

Dec. 2009

$600,000

NCHRP 3-89

April 2008

October 2009

$500,000

NCHRP 3-88

June 2008

December 2010

$500,000

NCHRP 15-40

FY 2010

TBD

$300,000

NCHRP 15-39

FY 2010

TBD

$500,000

FY 2010

TBD

$300,000

Y (FY 2010)

NCHRP 15-42

NCHRP 22-22

Pending

$500,000

Funded Synthesis Statements

Topic

40-07: Trade-off Considerations in

Highway Geometric Design

Topic

40-08: Effective Speed Reduction

Techniques for Rural High to Low Speed
Transitions

Topic

41-01: Geometric Design Practices

for Resurfacing, Restoration, and
Rehabilitation

UPDATING STRATEGIC
RESEARCH NEEDS
July 2009 Mid-year meeting

Process
Form

four technical subgroups:

Methodology
Highways
Freeways and Interchanges
Streets and Intersections

Review

and update existing white papers

Review and update unfunded research
needs statements
Identify emerging topics

PRIORITIZED RESEARCH
NEEDS

AFB10/AHB65

Methodology/Design Controls
Critical

assessment of geometric design

policies and practices
Safety effects of intersection sight distance
Updating decision sight distance criteria
Applying geometric design criteria in
intermediate speed range
Forgiving roadside design (coordinate with
AFB20)
Bicycle safety prediction methodology

Highways
Safety

evaluation of 13 controlling criteria*

Study of vehicle paths on horizontal curve
transitions*
Speed prediction models for multilane
rural/suburban highways
Speed prediction models for trucks
Relationship between safety, roadway
lighting, and geometric design features

*Developed and considered by AA

AFB10/AHB65

Freeways and Interchanges

Integrated

Ramp and Ramp Terminal

Design*
Multilane Loop Ramp Design*
Allocation of Freeway Lane and
Shoulder Widths

*Developed and considered by AA

AFB10/AHB65

Streets and Intersections

Auxiliary

Turn Lane Design Guidance

and Policy Upgrades*
Safety effects and implementation of
intersection skew angles
Intersection design and evaluation
guidebook
Comprehensive roadway design for
complete streets

*Developed and considered by AA

AFB10/AHB65

Synthesis Topics

Design and maintenance of traffic during

construction
Curve and cross-section design on temporary
facilities
Truck facility design (marshaling yards, truck-only
ramps)
Highway design to support traffic enforcement
Barrier toll plaza vs. open-road tolling design
Current practices for provision of sidewalks
Vertical pavement profiles at intersections
Crosswalk cross-slope design practices

AFB10/AHB65

Updated Research Program

No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Problem Statement Title

Developing Design Criteria for Cost-effective Multi-lane Loop
Ramp Design
Safety Evaluation of 13 Controlling Criteria for Design
Auxiliary Turn Lane Design Guidance and Policy Upgrades
Integrated Ramp and Ramp Terminal Design
Study of Vehicle Paths on Horizontal Transition Curves
An Assessment of Geometric Design Policies and Processes
Intersection Sight Distance and Safety
Decision Sight Distance
Applying Geometric Design Criteria within The Intermediate Speed
Range
Forgiving Roadway Design
Development of a Bicycle Safety Prediction Methodology
Effective Allocation of Available Freeway Travel Lane and
Shoulder Widths
Impacts and Implementation of Skew Angles
Intersection Design and Evaluation Resource
Comprehensive roadway design (complete streets)
Speed Prediction Models for Multilane Rural/Suburban Highways
Speed Prediction Models for Trucks
Lighting-Safety-Geometric Design Feature

Funded
(Y/N)

Project No.

N
Y
Y
N

Considered for
Funding (Y/N)

Begin Date

End Date

Amount

Sp 2011
Sp 2011

TBD
TBD

$600,000
$400,000

N (FY 2011)
NCHRP 17-53
NCHRP 3-102

Y
Y
N (FY 2011)

Presentation Outline
Overview

of the TRB Geometric

Design Committee

Geometric

Design Strategic Research

Opportunities

for Collaboration

In general
Support

the effort to update

Transportation Research E-circular

Provide

input and support on existing

and new research needs statements
and synthesis topics

Share

ideas on Green Book revision

and other research needs

2010 and 2011

Share

results of Green Book needs discussion

from this SCOD meeting

Obtain

effort

input from 2010 Green Book update

Identify
Plan

other emerging needs

for the joint Mid-year 2011 meeting with

TRB and AASHTO Technical Committee on
Geometric Design

Questions?
Interested?
Contact:
Brian Ray
Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
bray@kittelson.com