Highways Geometric

(CE 443)

Prepared by:
Dr. Aslam Al-Omari
Topic No. 1:

Introduction
Topic No. 1:
Introduction

1) Transportation vs. Traffic

2) Nature of Transportation Demand

3) Mobility and Accessibility

4) Roadway Classifications

5) Types of Areas
 1) Transportation vs. Traffic

Transportation Engineering:
Application of technology and scientific principles to the
planning, functional design, operation and
management of facilities for any mode of
transportation in order to provide for the safe,
efficient, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical,
and environmentally compatible movement of people
and goods.
It is a sub-discipline of civil engineering.
 1) Transportation vs. Traffic

Traffic Engineering:
is the phase of transportation engineering that deals with the:
planning,

geometric design and traffic operations of roads,

streets and highways, and their networks,

terminals, abutting (adjacent, bordering) lands, and

relationships with other modes of transportation
 2) Nature of Transportation
Demand

Transportation demand is a derived demand.

That is, one demands to be transported not because
one just wants to move but because one wants to
achieve some other purpose like reaching school, or
office or a movie theater (except for those rare cases
when one goes out for a joy ride!)
In other words, the need for achieving some goal (like
reaching office or a shop) creates the need to travel.
Hence, travel demand is primarily affected by the
population's need to work, entertain (themselves),
socialize, study, etc.
 2) Nature of Transportation
Demand

Hence, it is not surprising that two of the major aspects

in travel demand analysis are land use and trip
purpose.
Land use affects transportation demand through
generation and distribution of trips.
The effect of land use on transportation demand is not
necessarily a one-way effect but is rather a part of cycle
in which land use changes transportation needs which
in turn change land use, Figure (1).
2) Nature of Transportation
Demand
 3) Mobility and Accessibility

Mobility:
the ability to readily (easily) move people or goods from
place to another.
Mode: How do you get there?
Speed: How fast do you get there?

Accessibility:
the ease to enter, reach, and use.
Where can you go?
What can you get to?
What is the cost?
3) Mobility and Accessibility
4) Roadway Classifications
 4) Roadway Classifications

i) Freeway (Highway, superhighway, expressway)

Description:
Usually divided with two lanes in each direction
No at-grade intersections, railroad crossings, traffic
signals or signs are allowed.
Access to and from the freeway to the neighboring
properties is limited to the use of interchanges.
Characteristics:
Designed for safer high-speed operation
A high capacity road with high level of service
4) Roadway Classifications

Freeways
 4) Roadway Classifications

ii) Arterial:
Description:
link up to freeways with interchanges
Lack of residential entrances directly onto the road
Arterials have intersections with collector and local streets.
Commercial areas such as shopping centers, gas stations
and other businesses can be located on them.
Characteristics:
A moderate or high-capacity road, immediately below a
freeway level of service.
Carries large volumes of traffic between areas in urban
centers and neighborhoods.
4) Roadway Classifications

Arterials
 4) Roadway Classifications

iii) Collector:
Description:
Leads traffic from local roads to arterial roads or directly
to freeways
Urban collectors can be:
wide boulevards entering communities
residential streets, which are typically wider than local
roads
Small-scale commercial areas and key community
functions (such as schools, mosques, churches and
recreational facilities) can be found on residential collector
roads
 4) Roadway Classifications

iii) Collector:
Characteristics:
A low or moderate-capacity road, below an arterial level of
service.
4) Roadway Classifications

Collectors
 4) Roadway Classifications

iv) Local:
Description:
A street that is primarily used to reach the properties
bordering it
 5) Types of Areas

i. Metropolitan Area:

A large population center consisting of a large

metropolis and its zone of influence, or of more than
one central city and their zone of influence.
One or more large cities may serve as its hub or
hubs, and the metropolitan area is normally named
after either the largest or most important central city
within it.
 5) Types of Areas

i. Metropolitan Area:
 5) Types of Areas

ii. Urban Area:

An area with an increased density of human-created

structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it.
Created and further developed by the process of
urbanization.
They may be cities or towns, but the term is not
commonly extended to rural settlements such as
villages and hamlets.
 5) Types of Areas

ii. Urban Area:

Measuring the extent of an urbanized area helps in

analyzing population density and urban sprawl
(spread), and in determining urban and rural
populations
Population: > 5,000.
 5) Types of Areas

ii. Urban Area:

 5) Types of Areas

iii. Suburban Area:

A residential area on the outskirts (suburb) of a city

or large town.
Most modern suburbs are commuter towns (a town
whose residents normally work elsewhere) with
many single-family homes. With lower population
density than inner city neighborhoods.
Mechanical transport, including automobiles and
high speed trains, enabled the 20th century growth
of suburbs.
 5) Types of Areas

iii. Suburban Area:

 5) Types of Areas

iv. Rural Area:

Can be large and isolated

Can be settled place outside towns and cities.
Referred to as the country, and/or the
countryside.
Is distinct from more intensively settled urban and
suburban areas, and also from unsettled lands.
 5) Types of Areas

iv. Rural Area:

In modern usage, rural areas can have an

agricultural character, though many rural areas are
characterized by an economy based on logging
(cutting trees for lumber), mining, petroleum, natural
gas exploration, and wind or solar power or tourism
 5) Types of Areas

iv. Rural Area: