Part I (A)

Review of Geometric Design Standards for Rural Roads in Hill Areas

Amendments Recommended S. No. Item As per IRC:SP:20 (Rural Roads Manual) / Hill Road Manual IRC:SP:48 New Construction Existing Roads (Tolerances that can be accepted)

1.

Classification

(a) Other District Roads (b) Village Roads

Same system as defined in NRRDA guidelines Same system as defined in NRRDA guidelines

2.

Carriageway width

Through Roads 3.75m but can be reduced to 3.00m where traffic less than 100 motorized vehicles per day. Link Roads*

3.75 m 3.00 m

Through Roads Existing roads with carriageway 3.0 m or more can wait unless evidence of safety hazard.

* If a link road carries traffic more than 100 Link Roads motorized vehicles per day, the carriageway As for new construction. width will be 3.75 m.

3.

Roadway width minimum

6m in SP:20 (virtually 6.7 m including parapet and drain)

5.95 m in Hill Road Manual for ODR

5.20 m in Hill Road Manual for VR

(a) Through Roads: 6.0 m (including parapet Existing roads with formation upto 5.0m may wait. and drain) Notes: (b) Link Roads: 6.0 m (including parapet and (i) In hard rock stretches, an additional tolerance of drain) 0.5 m can be considered i.e. existing roads with formation width upto 4.5 m may wait. Notes (ii) For curves see item 4 below. The width indicated is for roads in straight. This is to be increased on horizontal curves. (iii) Provide passing places at suitable locations.

S. No.

Item

As per IRC:SP:20 (Rural Roads Manual) / Hill Road Manual IRC:SP:48

Amendments Recommended New Construction Existing Roads (Tolerances that can be accepted)

4.

Widening at Curves

Widening of Pavement and Roadway Upto 20m radius 0.9 m 21 60m radius 0.6 m More than 60 m radius - Nil of 5.5 m Rural Roads Manual SP: 20 4.25 m clear width between kerbs Hill Road Manual SP:48

Widening of Pavement and Roadway Upto 20m radius 0.9 m 21 60m radius 0.6 m More than 60 m radius - Nil Through roads Link roads 5.5 m 4.25 m

For existing roads, widening of pavement and roadway can wait unless there is evidence of safety hazard. For existing bridges, widening may be undertaken at the time of replacing the old and distressed bridges unless there is evidence of safety hazard. Need to provide cautionary sign posts.

5.

Width Bridges

Bridge of > 50m will have 5.5m width.

6.

Roadway width for culverts and causeways

6m in SP:20 (virtually 6.7 m including (a) Through Roads: 6.0 m (including parapet For existing culverts, widening may be undertaken parapet and drain) and drain) at the time of replacing the old and dilapidated/distressed culverts and causeways unless 5.95 m in Hill Road Manual for ODR (b) Link Roads: 6.0 m (including parapet and there is evidence of safety hazard. drain) 5.20 m in Hill Road Manual for VR Need to provide cautionary sign posts Notes The width indicated is for roads in straight. This is to be increased on horizontal curves.

S. No.

Item

As per IRC:SP:20 (Rural Roads Manual) / Hill Road Manual IRC:SP:48

Amendments Recommended New Construction Existing Roads (Tolerances that can be accepted)

7.

Minimum radius of horizontal curves

As per IRCSP:20 Mountainous terrain

(i) Through roads Steep Terrain Mountainous terrain Steep Terrain For existing roads, the horizontal geometry upto absolute minimum may be considered acceptable unless there is evidence of site-specific safety problem related to horizontal curvature such as skid marks, complaints from users, history of crashes, etc. Need to provide cautionary sign posts. (ii) Link roads For existing roads, the existing horizontal geometry may be considered acceptable unless there is evidence of site-specific safety problem related to horizontal curvature such as skid marks, complaints from users, history of crashes, etc. Need to provide cautionary sign posts.

Not Not affected Snow affected Snow with bound with bound snow snow (i) ODR Ruling 30m 33m 23m 20m 14m 23m 15m

Not Not affected Snow affected Snow with bound with bound snow snow (i) Through roads Ruling 30m 33m 15m 20m 12m 23m 15m

Absolute 20m minimum (ii) VR Ruling 20m

Absolute 12m minimum (ii) Link roads

23m 15m

20m 14m

23m 15m

Ruling

30m

33m 15m

20m 12m

23m 15m

Absolute 14m minimum

Absolute 12m minimum

S. No.

Item

As per IRC:SP:20 (Rural Roads Manual) / Hill Road Manual IRC:SP:48

Amendments Recommended New Construction Existing Roads (Tolerances that can be accepted)

8.

Longitudinal Mountainous Steep gradients Terrain Terrain (except hairpin Ruling 5% 6% bends) Gradient Limiting 6% 7% Gradient Exceptional 7% 8% Gradient

Ruling Gradient Limiting 7% 8% Gradient Exceptional 10% 10% Need to provide cautionary sign posts. Gradient* * Length of exceptional gradient not to exceed 100m at a stretch. Successive stretches to be separated by a minimum length of 100 m with gradient ruling or flatter (i) Minimum design speed (ii) Minimum roadway (a) Through Roads / Link Roads (b) Through Roads / Link Roads (iii) Minimum radius for the curve at central line (iv) Minimum length of transition curve (v) Gradient (a) Maximum (b) Minimum (vi) Maximum Super elevation 20 km/hour 7.5 m 6.5 m

Mountainous Terrain 5%

Steep Terrain 6%

For existing roads, the existing vertical curves up to limiting gradient may be considered acceptable. Gradients steeper than limiting gradient but upto exceptional gradient in short stretches could also be considered acceptable unless there is evidence of site-specific problem.

9.

Hairpin Bends

(i) Minimum design speed (ii) Minimum roadway (a) ODR (b) VR (iii) Minimum radius for the inner curve (iv) Minimum length of transition curve (v) Gradient (a) Maximum (b) Minimum (vi) Maximum Super elevation

20 km/hour 7.5 m 6.5 m 14 m 15 m

The existing hair pin bends may be considered acceptable unless there is site-specific problem and evidence of complaints from users, history of crashes. Need to provide cautionary sign posts.

12 m 15 m

2.5% (1 in 40) 0.5% (1 in 200) 10 %

2.5% (1 in 40) 0.5% (1 in 200) 10 %