Unit -1

Highway Development & Planning

1.1           History

1. Transportation contributes to the economic, industrial, social and cultural development of any country.
2. Transportation is important for the economic development of any country since every commodity produced whether it is food, clothing, industrial products, medicine etc needs to be transported at every stage from production to distribution.
3. The primary function of transportation is the transfer of messages and information. It is also needed for rapid movement of troops in case of emergency and finally movement of persons and goods.
4. A good transportation network is required by each country as it depicts their infrastructural development of the country.
5. Different modes of transportation are:

• Roadways or Highways
• Railways
• Waterways
• Airways

6.     British government passed a resolution in 1927, in response to which Jayakar Committee was constituted in 1927.

7.     Jayakar Committee proposed an extra tax on diesel and petrol (Rs. 2/ltr) to develop a fund known as ‘Central Road Fund’ in 1929. 0.50 paise was kept by the Central Government for construction and maintenance of National Highways and Rs. 1.50 was distributed among State Governments to develop State Highways, Village Roads, Other District Roads etc.

8.     On the recommendations of the Jayakar Committee, a semi-official technical body by the name of ‘Indian Roads Congress’ (IRC) was formed in 1934 to pool technical know-how from various parts of the country and to act as an advisory body on various aspects of road development.

9.     Furthermore, in 1950, Jayakar Committee initiated the formation of Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a research organization to carry out the research and development work.

10. Few other important landmarks:

• Motor Vehicle Act – 1939
• National Highway Act – 1956
• Highway Research Board – 1973
• National Transport Policy Committee – 1978

11. IRC played an important role in the formation of the three 20-year road development plans in India:

• First 20-years Road Plan: 1943 - 1963
• Second 20-years Road Plan: 1961 - 1981
• Third 20-years Road Plan: 1981 – 2001

1.2           Development Plans

20-years Road Development Plans

1.3           Classification of Roads

1. Primary, secondary & tertiary road system

Primary: Expressways & National Highways (NH)

Secondary: State Highways (SH) & Major District Roads (MDR)

Tertiary: Other District Roads (ODR) & Village Roads (VR)

2.     On the basis of usage during different seasons

All-weather Roads: negotiable during all weathers

Fair-weather Roads: negotiable during all weathers except monsoon season where streams may overflow across the road

3.     On the basis of road pavement

Paved Roads: provided with hard pavement surface which should be at least a Water Bound Macadam

Unpaved Roads: earth roads and gravel roads

4.     On the basis of pavement surfacing

Surface Roads: provided with bituminous or cement concrete surfacing

Un-surfaced Roads: not provided with bituminous or cement concrete surfacing

5.     Classification of rural & urban roads

Rural Roads: classified on the following basis –

a)     Traffic Volume – Heavy, medium or light

b)    Load Transport – Class A, Class B etc

c)     Location & Function

Urban Roads: classified into the following types –

a)     Arterial Roads

b)    Sub-arterial Roads

c)     Collector Streets

d)    Local Streets

1.4           Road Patterns

A road network can be laid in various patterns. These are discussed as follows:

a)     Rectangular or Block Pattern: 

• The whole area is divided into rectangular blocks of plots, with streets intersecting at right angles.
• The main road which passes through the center of the area should be sufficiently wide and other branch roads may be comparatively narrow.
• The main road is provided a direct approach to outside the city.

Advantages:

• The rectangular plots may be further divided into small rectangular blocks for construction of buildings placed back to back, having roads on their front.
• In this pattern has been adopted for the city roads.
• The construction and maintenance of roads of this pattern is comparatively easier.

Limitations:

• This pattern is not very much convenient because at the intersections, the vehicles face each other.

b)    Radial or Star and Block Pattern:

• The entire area is divided into a network of roads radiating from the business outwardly.
• In between radiating main roads, the built-up area may be planned with rectangular block.

Advantages:

• Reduces level of congestion at the primary bottleneck location.
• Prevents traffic from accessing local flow routes in the direction of the event venue that operate in favor of egress traffic flow.
• If one is block then other side traffic can move.
• Vehicles face each other less than block pattern.

Limitations:

• Proves particularly effective if two-lane ramp traffic does not have to merge at downstream end of ramp.
• Safety appurtenances such as guide rail transitions, crash attenuators, and post support bases have not been designed to provide adequate protection at hazardous locations from the opposite direction of travel.

c)     Radial or Star and Circular Pattern:

• Radial network of road radiates from the centre outwardly.
• Main radial streets are connected by concentric rings.

Advantages: 

• Safer as vehicles travel in the same direction.
• Reduces possibility of crashes.
• Roundabouts improve flow efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.

Limitations: 

• Providing a good curve is difficult.
• Traffic signs, pavement markings, and lighting should be adequate so that drivers are aware that they should reduce their travel speed while approaching the roundabout.
• Islands separating the approach and exit lanes, known as splitter islands, should extend far enough.

d)    Radial or Star and Grid Pattern:

• Radial network of road radiates from the centre outwardly.
• Main radial streets are connected by providing a grid pattern.

Advantages: 

• Improves traffic flow.
• Reduce cut-through traffic.
• Improve land use efficiency and unit density.

Limitations: 

• Islands separating the approach and exit lanes, known as splitter islands, should extend far enough.
• Traffic signs, pavement markings, and lighting should be adequate so that drivers are aware that they should reduce their travel speed.

e)     Hexagonal Pattern:

• In this pattern, the entire area is provided with a network of roads formatting hexagonal figures.
• At each corner of the hexagon, three roads meet the built-up area boundary by the sides of the hexagons is further divided in suitable sizes.

Advantages:

• Three roads meet the built-up area boundary by the sides of the hexagons.

Limitations:

• Traffic signs, pavement markings, and lighting should be adequate so that drivers are aware that they should reduce their travel speed.

f)       Minimum Travel Pattern:

• In this road pattern, city is connected to suburban center and neighborhood center by the short, straight roads.

Advantages:

• These types of potentially serious crashes essentially are eliminated.

Limitations:

• Traffic signs, pavement markings, and lighting should be adequate so that drivers are aware that they should reduce their travel speed.
• Intersections can be especially challenging for older drivers.

1.5           Road Development in India - Vision 2021 & Rural Road Development Vision 2025

Vision 2021

• IRC has prepared a Vision 2021 for Road Development in India, the road network target for which can be tabulated as follows:

• Half of the National Highway length should be four to six lanes while the remaining half should be two lane carriageways with hard shoulders.
• 10000 km of State Highways should have four lanes and remaining should have two lanes.
• 40% of MDR should have two lane carriageways.
• Maintenance of existing assets should be given priority.
• Research & Development must be carried out in the transportation sector.
• Alterative funding sources including tolls, dedicated road funds, fuel taxes etc should be levied.
• The construction technology should be upgraded and new measures for road safety need to be adopted.
• Public Private Partnership should be encouraged, keeping in mind the environmental concerns.
• Engineers should be given special training.

Vision 2025

The salient features of the Road Development Vision 2025, as developed by IRC for the development of rural roads in the country are stated as follows:

• Master plans should be prepared including the rural road network focusing on the roads making each village accessible.
• Areas with population > 100 need to be connected by all weather roads.
• It is estimated that a rural road length of 290000 km will grant full connectivity. Out of this, 40000 km will be black topped and remaining 250000 will be gravel road.
• Up-gradation of existing rural roads shall be taken up at a cost of Rs 164000 crore and their maintenance will require around Rs. 7500 crores annually.
• New & improvised technologies must be adopted for the construction of these roads.

1.6           Current Road Projects in India

Indian road network is the third largest road network in the world, after United States and European Union. A road network consists of urban roads and rural roads including expressways, highways, bridges, local roads, arterial roads etc.

As we have seen and heard lately, these expressways are the highest class of road in India. These are well-equipped with latest technologies like CCTVs, temperature and speed measurement equipments, SOS booths, restaurants, washrooms etc. Currently, the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi to Agra is the longest 6-lane controlled-access expressway highway in India. 

Some of the current & upcoming important road projects in India are discussed as follows:

1. Bharatmala Project

• NHDP-funded with a focus on optimizing the efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country
• Includes development of National Corridors, Economic Corridors, Feeder Routes, Border Roads, International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads, expressways etc all across the country, with a total road length of 34,800 km.
• It is one of the important road projects in India and was announced by the Transport Minister himself, Shri Nitin Gadkari.

2.     International North South Transport Corridor

• The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is the water, rail, and road route between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia.
• The current INSTC project was initiated by Russia, India and Iran in September 2000 in St. Petersburg.
• It is a multi-modal transportation route that links Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and then moves onward to northern Europe via St. Petersburg in Russia.
• The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road. 
• The objective of the corridor is to increase trade connectivity between Mumbai, Tehran, Moscow, Baku, Astrakhan etc.

3.     Char Dham Expressway

• Char Dham Expressway National Highway is a proposed two-lane (each direction) National Highway with a minimum width of 10 meters in the state of Uttarakhand.
• It will connect the four major holy places in India: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
• The project includes 900 km of national highway that will connect the entire Uttarakhand state.

4.     Ganga Expressway

• The Ganga Expressway is an eight-lane access, controlled project with express highway of length 1,047 km along the Ganga River.
• The Project aims to connect Greater Noida to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh state via Varanasi, Allahabad, RaeBareli, Kanpur, Farrukhabad and Bulandshahr.
• The expressway will be equipped with all the possible facilities.

5.     Delhi-Jaipur Expressway

• The Delhi-Jaipur Expressway is proposed six-lane expressway that connects Delhi to Jaipur via a 235 km long road length.
• It will run through the Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.

6.     Outer Ring Road Expressway

• The Outer Ring Road Expressway of Hyderabad is an eight-lane controlled-access expressway that aims to connect NH 9, NH-7, and NH-4 with other state highways.
• The 158 km expressway is road encircling the Hyderabad City of Andhra Pradesh.

7.     Mumbai Nashik Expressway

• The Mumbai Nashik Expressway is a 150 km long expressway that connects the financial capital of Mumbai to the holy city of Nashik.
• It is a major gateway that aims to connect Mumbai to the rest of the Indian cities.

1.7           Highway Alignment and Highway Project Report Preparation (Planning surveys & Master Plans based on saturation system)

a)     Planning Surveys and Preparation of Master Plan based on Saturation System

The following steps are involved in finalizing the Highway alignment & preparing the project:

1. Map Study:

• It is the very first step of highway survey.
• In this, we use a topographic map of the area under consideration, which can be availed from the Survey of India. Using the map, we can propose different alternatives of the road alignment. 
• The topographic map usually has contour intervals of around 30 m to 40 m. 
• We can get the details of the natural as well as man-made land features of the area using this map, and based on this we can then suggest a number of options for the road alignment.
• These alternative route options are further studied in detail in the later steps.

2.     Reconnaissance Survey:

• This is done to examine the general character of the area for deciding the most feasible routes for detailed studies.
• Basic surveying instruments are used in the reconnaissance survey.
• Following data is obtained from Reconnaissance Survey:

• Valley, pond, lakes and other features that may not be present on the topographical map.
• A number of cross drainage structures, High Flood Level (HFL), Natural Ground Level etc.
• Values of the gradient, the length of gradients and radius of the circular curve.
• Soil type along the routes from field identification tests and observation of the geological features.
• Sources of construction materials.

3.     Preliminary Survey:

This is carried out to collect all the physical information which is necessary in connection with the proposed highway alignment. This work consists of:

• Primary traverse survey
• Study of topographical features
• Leveling work
• Drainage studies & hydrological data
• Soil survey
• Material survey
• Determination of final centre line

This may be done using:

1. Conventional Approach: This includes using conventional survey instruments.
2. Modern Rapid Approach: This is done by aerial photography.

4.     Final Location & Detailed Survey:

• Final Location: The centre line of the road which is finalized in the preliminary survey is located in the field by establishing the centre line. Major and minor control points are set on the ground and the central pegs are driven.
• Detailed Survey: Temporary Bench Marks (TBMs) are fixed and leveling work is done for vertical alignment, earthwork calculation and drainage details.

b)    Determination of Road Length by 3rd Road Development Plan

1. Length of NH = Area (km2)/50
2. Length of SH = maximum of

Area (km2)/25

OR

(62.5 x number of towns) – length of NH

3.     Length of MDR = maximum of

Area (km2)/12.5

OR

90 x number of towns

4.     Total Road Length = 4.74 x number of towns x number of villages

5.     Length of (ODR + VR) = Total Road Length – Length of (NH + SH + MDR)

6.     If number of towns/ villages are not given,

Total Road Length = Road Density x Area where,

Road Density = 82 km/ 100 km2 and Area is in km2

Reference Books:

1. S.K. Khanna and C.E.G. Justo - Highway Engineering - 10th Edition, Nem Chand and Bros. Roorkee
2. L.R. Kadiyali - Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning - Khanna Publishers