Road Design

Edition 3.4 of the Guide contains minor editorial and technical changes throughout to reflect new Austroads research and provide further clarification and examples for designers.

• Section 1.51: Examples of mid-block treatments that are consistent with the Safe System objectives
• Section 2.2.3 , 4.1, 4.12.2: Citing new Austroads research
• Section 2.2.7: Guidance to designers about the design and check vehicle and being appropiate for classification and function of the road.
• Section 3.1: Advice to consider vehicle speeds on approaches to intersections
• Section 3.2.5: Additional speed parameters
• Section 4.2.5: Additional information regarding narrow lanes
• Section 4.6.4: Further guidance on appropriate type and placement of kerb and channel
• Section 4.7.2: Advice on using WCLT and WRSB treatments
• Section 4.8: New section on footpaths
• Section 4.11.2 and 4.11.3: Guidance on parallel and angel parking
• Section 4.13.3: Further information on bus stop waiting areas
• Section 6.1: Information about reviewing alignments and modifying designs of uncoordinated horizontal and vertical geometry
• Section 6.2: Further safety considerations which includes steep or prolonged downhill gradient
• Section 7.1: Advice to designers about horizontal alignment
• Section 7.5.1: Clarification on compound curves
• Section 7.9: Further research reference on information on the benefits of widening on horizontal curves
• Section 8.5.2: An additional aspect to the design of grades that can be adopted in difficult terrain:
• Section 8.5.5: Further considerations for steep grade
• Section 9.6.2: Further information regarding the effects of slow vehicle turnouts
• Appendix B: New Appendix on mid-block treatments for Safe System speeds
• Commentary 7: Further research referenced on shoulder width vs safety

Edition 3.3 of the Guide contains minor changes to Section 7.9 to clarify pavement widening requirements.

Edition 3.2 of the Guide provides corrections to:

• Section 3.4.2 Intermediate Speed Rural Roads
• Section 4.8.7 (Table 4.18: Exclusive bicycle lane dimensions in urban areas)
• Section 7.8, (Table 7.12: Minimum radii with adverse crossfall)
• Reference list
• Appendix H (Figure H3: Variation of friction factor with speed)

Edition 3.1 of the Guide corrects Table 8.11: Minimum length vertical curves for reconstruction.

Edition 3.0 of the Guide contains minor editorial and technical changes throughout. Key new information and updates are:

• Section 1.4: Additional information and expansion on the design objectives.
• Section 2.2: Additional information on vulnerable road users, particularly motorcyclists (Section 2.2.4) and new information on emergency aircraft runway strips (Section 2.2.8).
• Section 3.5: Guidance for determining desired speed for rural roads and on steep grades (Section 3.5.1 – 3.5.4).
• Section 4.2: Additional guidance on crown line (Section 4.2.3) and rural road lane and shoulder widths (Section 4.2.6).
• Section 4.3: Additional guidance on shoulder widths and sealing (Section 4.3.3 – 4.3.4).
• Section 4.4: Additional guidance on verge slopes (Section 4.4.2) and rounding (Section 4.4.3).
• Section 4.8: Additional information on providing bicycle lanes (Section 4.8.4 – 4.8.12).
• Section 7.7: New guidance on a procedure for designing superelevation (Section 7.7.1) and development of superelevation on shoulders (Section 7.7.12).
• Section 8.2: New information outlining a procedure for checking critical vertical clearance points (Section 8.2.2).
• Section 9.9: Additional guidance on selecting a starting and terminating point of an auxiliary lane Section 9.9.1.
• New Appendices:
  • Appendix B: Emergency aircraft runway strips
  • Appendix E: Narrow median treatments with wire rope safety barrier
  • Appendix F: Guidance for wide centreline treatments
  • Appendix G: Flowcharts and table for determining stopping sight distance requirements for curves with barriers.