Detailed Project Report for Improvement, Rehabilitation, Strengthening and Widening of Gobindpur-Jamtara Road

6. INTERSECTIONS, INTERCHANGES AND OVERPASS 6.1 General Intersection is an important part of a highway because, to a great extent, the efficiency, safety, speed, cost of operation, and capacity depend on its design. Each intersection involves through or cross traffic movements on one or more of the roads concerned and may involve turning movements between these roads. These movements may be handled by various means depending on the type of intersection. There are three general types of intersections:

At-grade Highway grade separators without ramps Interchanges

The main objective of intersection design is to reduce the severity of potential conflicts between motor vehicles, buses, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians and facilities and to facilitate the convenience, ease and comfort of people traversing the intersection. The design should fit closely to the natural transitional paths and operating characteristics of the users. 6.2 At-grade Intersections Four basic elements enter into design considerations of at-grade intersections A. Human Factors 1. Driving habits 2. Ability to make decisions 3. Driver Expectancy 4. Decision and reaction time 5. Conformance to natural paths of movement 6. Pedestrian use and habits 7. Bicycle traffic use and habits B. Traffic Considerations 1. Design and actual capacities 2. Design-hour turning movements 3. Size and operating characteristics of vehicle 4. Variety of movements (diverging, merging, weaving and crossing) 5. Vehicle speeds 6. Transit involvement 7. Accident experience 8. Bicycle movements C. Physical Elements 1. Character and use of abutting property 2. Vertical alignments at the intersections 3. Sight distance 4. Angle of the intersection 5. Conflict area
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6. Speed change lanes 7. Geometric features 8. Traffic control devices 9. Lighting equipment 10. Safety features 11. Bicycle traffic 12. Environmental factors D. Economic Factors 1. Cost of Improvements 2. Effect of controlling or limiting rights-of-way on abutting residential or commercial properties where channelization restricts or prohibits vehicular movements. 3. Energy consumption Intersection capacity should be equal to the capacity of the approach roads. The design capacity of two lane one way road may be taken to vary from 1400 to 2400 PCUs/hour (i.e. 700 to 1200 PCUs/hour/lane). On a two-lane two way road, capacity is 900 to 1500 PCUs/hour (i.e. 450 to 750 PCUs/hour/lane). 6.3 Highway Grade Separators without Ramps An intersection layout, which permits crossing maneuvers at different levels without ramps, is described as highway grade separator without ramps. Highway grade separators are to be provided at intersection of divided rural highway if the ADT (fast vehicles only) on the cross road within the next 5 years is likely to exceed 5000. Where this traffic figure will be reached within the next 20 years, the need for such facilities is to be kept in view for future construction. 6.4 Interchanges The ability to accommodate high volumes of traffic safely and efficiently through intersections depends largely on what arrangement is provided for handling conflicting traffic. The greatest efficiency, safety, and capacity are attained when the intersecting through traffic lanes are separated in grade. An interchange is a system of interconnecting roadways in conjunction with one or more grade separation that provides for the movement of traffic between two or more roads at different levels. An interchange may be justified when an at-grade intersection fails to handle the volume of traffic resulting in serious congestion and frequent choking of the intersection. This situation may arise when the total traffic of all the arms of the intersection is in excess of 10,000 PCUs per hour. The type of grade separation and interchange, along with its design is influenced by many factors, such as highway classification, character and composition of traffic, design speed and degree of access control. These controls plus signage requirements, terrain, and rightof-way are of great importance in designing facilities with adequate capacity to safely accommodate the traffic demand. 6.5 Warrants for Interchanges and Grade-separators An interchange is a useful and an adaptable solution for many intersection problems, but because of the high initial cost, its use to reduce existing traffic bottlenecks or to improve safety is limited to those cases where the required expenditure can be justified. An enumeration of the specific conditions or warrants justifying an interchange at a given intersection is different and, in some instances, can not be conclusively stated.

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Detailed Project Report for Improvement, Rehabilitation, Strengthening and Widening of Gobindpur-Jamtara Road

Because of the wide variety of site conditions, traffic volumes, highway types, and interchange layouts, the warrants that justify an interchange may differ at each location. The conditions that should be considered to reach a rational decision are the available warrants. These are shown as the following six items: Design Designation The conclusion to develop a highway with full control of access between selected terminals becomes the warrant for providing highway grade separations or interchanges for all intersecting highways. Although access control, provision of medians, and elimination of parking and pedestrian traffic are important, the separation of grades on freeways provides the greatest increment of safety. Once it has been decided to develop a route as a freeway, it must be determined whether each intersecting highway should be terminated, rerouted, or provided with a grade separation or interchange. For those cross roads that can not be terminated, the individual warrant for a separation or interchange is absorbed in the decision to develop the freeway. The chief concern is the continuous flow on the major road. If traffic on the minor road will cross the freeway, a grade separation or interchange is provided. Thus, an intersection that might warrant any traffic signal control, if considered as an isolated case, will warrant a grade separation or interchange when considered as a part of a freeway. Reduction of Bottlenecks or Spot Congestion Insufficient capacity at the intersection of heavily travelled routes results in intolerable congestion on one or all approaches. Inability to provide essential capacity with an atgrade facility provides a warrant for an interchange where development and available right-of-way permit. Even on facilities with partial control of access, the elimination of random signalization contributes greatly to improvement of free-flow characteristics. Improve Safety Some at-grade intersections have a disproportionate rate of serious accidents. Lacking inexpensive methods of eliminating accidents, a highway grade separation or interchange may be warranted. Accident-prone intersections frequently are found at the junction of comparatively light travelled highways in sparsely settled rural areas where speeds are high. In such areas, structures usually can be constructed at little cost compared with urban areas, right-ofway is not expensive, and these lower cost developments can be justified by the elimination of only a few serious accidents. Serious accidents at heavily travelled intersections, of course, also provide a warrant for interchange facilities. In addition to greater safety, the interchange also expedites all movements. Site Topography At some sites grade-separator designs are the only type that can be made economically. The topography at the site may be such that any other type of intersection, to meet required standards, is physically impossible to develop or is equal or greater in cost. Road-user Benefits The road-user costs due to delays at congested at-grade intersections are large. Such items as fuel, tires, oil, repairs, time, and accidents that require speed changes, stops, and waiting generate expenses well in excess of those for intersections permitting uninterrupted or continuous operation. In general, interchanges require some more total travel distance than direct crossings at-grade, but the added cost of the extra travel distance is less than the saving in cost effected by the reduction in stopping and delay
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costs. The relation of road user benefits to the cost of improvement indicates an economic warrant for that improvement. For convenience, the relation is expressed as a ratio, the annual benefit divided by the annual capital cost of the improvement. Furthermore, interchanges usually are adoptable to stage construction, and initial stages may produce incremental benefits that compare even more favorable with incremental costs. Traffic Volume Warrant A traffic volume warrant for interchange treatment would be the most tangible of any interchange warrant. Although a specific volume of traffic at an intersection can not be completely rationalised as the warrant for an interchange, it is an important guide, particularly when combined with the traffic distribution pattern and the effect of traffic behavior. However, volumes in excess of the capacity of an at-grade intersection would certainly be a warrant. Interchanges are desirable at cross streets with heavy traffic volumes but may be difficult to provide because of costly right-of-way. The elimination of conflicts due to high crossing volume greatly improves the movement of traffic. Some warrants for separators are given in warrants for interchanges, additional warrants are as follows:

Local roads and streets that cannot feasibly by terminated out-side the right-of-way limits of freeways. Access to area not served by frontage roads or other means of access. Rail-road grade separators. Unusual concentrations of pedestrian traffic (for instance, a city park developed on both sides of a major arterial) Bikeways and routine pedestrian crossings. Access to mass transit stations within the confines of major arterial. Free-flow aspects of certain ramp configurations and completing the geometry of interchanges.

6.6

Design of Major Junctions 3 important junctions exist on project road. The 2002 base year flows at all junctions are factored by the projected growth corresponding to the trips. The peak hour flows in the base year 2002 and the predicted peak hour flows in the years 2015 and 2025 for all major junctions are illustrated in Table 6.1 and in Appendix 6.1. Table 6.1 : Predicted Peak Hour Flows at all Major Junctions Name of the Road Name of Intersection Gobindpur Market Junction Borio Junction Jamtara Chowk Junction Chainage (Km) 0.00 2.50 69.750 Peak Hour Flows including all the Arms (PCUs) 2002 2015 2025 1899 446 1000 3847 901 1541 7171 1722 2541

Gobindpur-Jamtara Road

Based on the volume count survey, it is established that traffic flow is heavily peaked during morning and evening peak periods due to travel between home and work.
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Detailed Project Report for Improvement, Rehabilitation, Strengthening and Widening of Gobindpur-Jamtara Road

Consequently there is uneven distribution of traffic flow by direction during morning and evening peak hours. But during non-peak periods when traffic intensity is low, the directional flow is uniformly distributed. It can be concluded that except one intersection (Gobindpur market junction), the increase in traffic volume is not phenomenal. Based on the peak hour flows, the junctions have been designed, as per AASHTO / IRC and MORT&H specifications. Gobindpur Market Junction Gobindpur market junction is an important four arm signalised intersection on the project highway because majority of the city bound vehicles from Dhanbad / Gobindpur to Giridih cross at this junction on the project highway. The projected peak hour traffic including all the arms in the years 2015 and 2025 are 3847 PCUs and 7171 PCUs respectively. The composition of fast, slow and Trucks/MAV traffic in the year 2015 and 2025 are 80.98%, 19.02%, 10.60% and 90.3%, 9.7%, 9.3% respectively. It can be concluded that the increase in traffic volume is phenomenal at this junction, because significant percentage of motorized vehicles from Dhanbad / Gobindpur to Giridih cross at this junction. If the intersection is properly designed at grade with channelising island along with the signal, then it will be able to handle the traffic efficiently at this intersection. Therefore, this intersection has been designed at grade with channelising island along with the signal. The junction design is illustrated in Volume-XIV drawing folder. Borio Junction Borio junction is an important Y-intersection on the project highway, because majority of the vehicles from Pokharia to Gobindpur merge at this junction on the project highway. The projected peak hour traffic including all the arms in the year 2015 and 2025 are 901 PCUs and 1722 PCUs respectively. The composition of fast, slow and Trucks/MAV traffic in the years 2015 and 2025 are 75.7%, 24.3%, 3.69% and 87.6%, 12.4%, 3.2% respectively. It can be concluded that the compostion of fast traffic is predominant at this junction. If the junction is properly designed at grade with channelising island, then it will be able to handle the traffic efficiently at this intersection. Therefore, this intersection has been designed at- grade with channelising island. The junction design is illustrated in Volume-IV drawing folder. Jamtara Chowk Jamtara Chowk is an important four arm intersection on the project highway, because majority of the city bound vehicles form Jamtara to Mahijam cross at this junction. The projected peak hour traffic including all the arms in the years 2015 and 2025 are 1541 PCUs and 2541 PCUs respectively. The composition of fast, slow and Trucks/MAV traffic in the years 2015 and 2025 are 59.5%, 40.5%, 2.36% and 77.3%, 22.7%, 2.24% respectively. It can be concluded that the slow moving traffic is predominant at this junction. If the junction is properly designed at-grade with channelising island, then it will be able to handle the traffic efficiently at this intersection. The junction design is illustrated in Volume- XIV drawing folder. Minor Junction 6 minor junctions exist on the project highway. The minor junctions have been designed, as per AASHTO/IRC and MORT&H specification. The minor junctions design are illustrated in Volume- XIV drawing folder.

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6.7

Traffic Safety Features Pedestrian guardrail shall be designed to control and guide pedestrian road crossing movement safely at the service road intersections Concrete guard posts may be used at less hazardous locations. These shall have 2.5 m offset at 2 m spacing. Concrete Crash Barriers of New Jersey type and / or steel beam guardrails shall be installed mainly at major hazard locations. Concrete Crash Barriers of New Jersey type shall be constructed at the outer edge of both the shoulders of the road. It will also generally be installed on sections of the road (a) where embankment height is more than 6 m, (b) bridge approaches, and (c) where the project road passes through large ponds. Concrete Crash Barriers shall be installed along the edge of the outside shoulder with an offset of 2.5 m from the edge of the driving pavement. Either Concrete Crash Barriers and/ or Steel Beam Guardrails (W-Shaped) installation shall have short transition flared section at the approach ends. W-shaped Steel Beam Crash Barriers shall be installed back to back in the 1.5 m narrow median for stretches of the project highway with service roads. Barriers installations will be extended beyond the transition section of the median between 1.5 m and 4.5 m. Metallic crash barriers shall be provided at important At-Grade intersections. The safety barriers shall conform to MORT & H circular no. 604.15. The traffic safety measures are illustrated in Drawing number PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/CB/1/1/RO. Road Furniture Road furniture such as traffic signs, kilometer posts, etc. on the project road provided as per IRC codes shall meet requirements of MORT & H Specifications. The drawings of road furnitures are illustrated in Drawing numbers PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RF/1/2/RO and PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RF/2/2/RO respectively. Road markings Road markings shall be of hot applied thermoplastic materials with glass reflectorising beads as per relevant clauses of section 803 of MORT & H Specifications. Road markings shall be as per IRC: 35-1997. These markings shall be applied to road center lines, edge lines, continuity line, stop lines, give-way lines, diagonal/ chevron markings, zebra crossing and at parking areas by means of an approved self-propelled machine which has a satisfactory cut-off value capable of applying broken lines automatically. Synthetic enamel paints shall be used to display details of structure number, span arrangement etc. on all culverts and bridges with required description as per MORT & H guidelines. The drawings of road markings are illustrated in Drawing PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RM/1/3/RO, PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RM/2/3/RO PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RM/3/3/RO respectively. Road Signs All road signs shall be with retro-reflective sheet of high intensity grade with encapsulated lens fixed over aluminium substrat as per clause 801 MORT & H Specifications. The road signs erected on the project highway conform to IRC: 67-2001, Code of Practice for Road signs. For overhead signs the standards prescribed by MORT & H shall be followed. numbers and

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Detailed Project Report for Improvement, Rehabilitation, Strengthening and Widening of Gobindpur-Jamtara Road

The overhead signs shall be placed on a structurally sound gantry or cantilever structure made of tubular structure or steel structure. These signs shall be of high intensity retroreflective sheeting. The height, lateral clearance and installation of the sign structures shall be as per the MORT & H / IRC Specifications. On kerbed road sections the edges of the road signs shall be at least 600 mm away from the edge of the kerb whereas on un-kerbed road sections the edge of the signs shall be at a distance of 2.5 m from the edge of the carriageway. The design and placement of highway kilometer stones, the dimensions of stones, size, colour, arrangements of letters shall be as per IRC: 26-1967 and IRC: 8-1980. The design, location and materials to be used for road delineators shall be as per IRC: 79-1981, the colour, configuration, size and location of size of traffic signs shall be as per IRC: 67-2001. Road Delineators shall conform to the recommended practice as per IRC: 79-1981. The details of Road signs are illustrated in Drawing number PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/1/6/RO, PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/2/6/RO, PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/3/6/RO, PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/4/6/RO, PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/5/6/RO and PWD/JHA/GOB-JAM/RS/6/6/RO respectively. 6.8 Pedestrian and Cattle Subways Cross pedestrian counts were carried out at all the important junctions on the project road. Based on the results of pedestrian counts all the major and minor junctions are designed, keeping in view the safe movement of pedestrians, non-motorised and motorised vehicles. So there is no requirement of separate pedestrian and cattle subways along the project road. However, underpass drawing is illustrated in Volume- XIV drawing folder. 6.9 Service Road The composition of Goods vehicle is very less whereas the composition of slow moving vehicle is predominant on the project road. Therefore there is no requirement of service road for slow moving vehicles because motorised traffic is very less. If the service road is provided to segregate the slow moving vehicles from motorised vehicles then there will be no requirement of two lane for motorised traffic. Keeping in view the above factors the service road is not provided along the project road. 6.10 Toll Collection Plaza, Weighing Station and Other Wayside Amenities Toll gate and plaza is the backbone of Toll highway. Its configuration depends upon the toll collection system, equipment for toll collection and type of volume of traffic. Extra capital cost is involved in construction and operation of toll plaza. The cost of constructing toll plaza with extra right-of-way, service lanes, toll booths, lighting and installation of toll collection equipment, weighing station, telephone system and other wayside amenities could be around 10 to 15% of the total cost of the project. The composition of commercial vehicle is very less, whereas the composition of slow moving vehicle is predominant. As a result financial analysis indicates the Toll plaza and other way side amenities will not be viable for the project road. However drawings of Toll plaza and other wayside amenities are illustrated in Volume- XIV drawing folder.

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