Stop-Controlled Intersection Sight Distance: Minor Road on Tangent of Horizontal Curve
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 9
Abstract
Sight distance at the intersection of a minor road (controlled by a stop sign) and a major road is an important element of road safety. Several models have been recently developed for the analysis of sight distance at intersections involving horizontal curves on the major road. All these models assume that the intersection lies within the horizontal curve. There are situations, however, when the intersection lies within one of the tangents of the horizontal curve. This case would adversely affect sight distance, especially when the horizontal curve is sharp and the minor road is close to the horizontal curve. This paper develops a new mathematical model for sight distance analysis that explicitly addresses the case where the intersection lies within the tangents of the horizontal curve. The obstruction may be located within the tangent or within the horizontal curve, or located inside or outside of the horizontal curve. Using the model, graphical aids for the required obstruction distances from the major and minor roads, to satisfy sight distance requirements, are developed. The developed model can be used to evaluate sight distance for existing or new intersections.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.NSERC
References
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). (1984). “A policy on geometric design of highways and streets.” Washington, D.C.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). (2004). “A policy on geometric design of highways and streets.” Washington, D.C.
Anderson, J. M., and Mikhail, E. M. (1998). Surveying: Theory and practice, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Easa, S. M. (1998). “Model for sight distance analysis of uncontrolled intersections.” J. Transp. Eng., 124(2), 156–162.
Easa, S. M., and Ali, Z. A. (2006). “Three-dimensional intersection sight distance: General model.” Transportation Research Record. 1961, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 94–103.
Easa, S. M., Dabbour, E., and Ali, M. Z. A. (2004). “Three-dimensional model for stop-control intersection sight distance.” J. Transp. Eng., 130(2), 261–270.
Fitzpatrick, K., Lienau, T., and Fambro, D. (1998). “Driver eye and vehicle heights for use in geometric design.” Transportation Research Record. 1612, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1–9.
Fitzpatrick, K., Mason, J., and Harwood, D. (1990). “Comparisons of sight distance procedures for turning vehicles from a stop-controlled approach.” Transportation Research Record. 1385, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1–11.
Fitzpatrick, K., and Wooldridge, M. (2001). “Recent geometric design research for improved safety and operations.” NCHRP Synthesis Rep. No. 299, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Gattis, J. L. (1992). “Sight-distance design for curved roadways with tangential intersections.” Transportation Research Record. 1356, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 20–27.
Gattis, J. L., and Low, S. (1998). “Intersection angle geometry and the driver’s field of view.” Transportation Research Record. 1612, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 10–16.
Harwood, D. W., Mason, J., Brydia, R. E., Pietrucha, M. T., and Grittings, G. L. (1996). “Intersection sight distance.” NCHRP Rep. 383, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 9 • September 2009
Pages: 650 - 657
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 12, 2006
Accepted: Feb 5, 2009
Published online: Aug 14, 2009
Published in print: Sep 2009
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.