Road Design

Cover of Update to Guide to Road Design: Intersections
Update to Guide to Road Design: Intersections
  • Publication no: AP-R687-23
  • ISBN: 978-1-922700-90-2
  • Published: 31 May 2023

This report summarises the activities undertaken as part of a project to provide contemporary intersection design guidance and achieve timely updates to Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 4, 4A, 4B and 4C based on best practice evidence to improve road safety.

A literature review of 14 Austroads research reports and key relevant jurisdictional supplements formed the basis of the updates with captured learning and experiences from road authorities and industry providing insights into the application of the Guide to Road Design parts 4, 4A, 4B and 4C.

The updates focused on pedestrian crossings over raised platforms, railway crossing design, rural channelised intersection design, acceleration lane lengths for heavy vehicles to accelerate from rest to a specified speed, compact roundabouts, radial design of roundabouts, bicycle lanes at roundabouts and geometry of interchange ramps.

Watch a webinar "Overview of the Changes to the Guide to Road Design Part 4 Series".

  • Summary
  • 1. Introduction
    • 1.1 Purpose
    • 1.2 Scope
      • 1.2.1 Guide to Road Design Parts 4, 4A, 4B and 4C
      • 1.2.2 Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates Guide
      • 1.2.3 Methodology
  • 2. Literature Review
  • 3. Gap Analysis
  • 4. Workshop and Industry Feedback
    • 4.1 Road Design Task Force Workshop 1
    • 4.2 RDTF Workshop 2
    • 4.3 RDTF and Industry Feedback
  • 5. Updates to the Guide to Road Design Part 4: Intersections and Crossings: General
    • 5.1 Design Speed
      • 5.1.1 Item #27
    • 5.2 Pedestrian Crossings
      • 5.2.1 Item #67, 70, 72, 97, 105
      • 5.2.2 Items #17, 74, 104
      • 5.2.3 Items #108, 109, 126
    • 5.3 Railway Crossing Design
      • 5.3.1 Item #58
      • 5.3.2 Item #59
      • 5.3.3 Item #62
      • 5.3.4 Item #64
      • 5.3.5 Item #73
    • 5.4 Appendix
  • 6. Updates to the Guide to Road Design Part 4A: Unsignalised and Signalised Intersections
    • 6.1 Signalised Intersections
      • 6.1.1 Item #2, 5
      • 6.1.2 Items #3, 18, 28
    • 6.2 Sight Distance
      • 6.2.1 Item #23
      • 6.2.2 Item #76
      • 6.2.3 Item #83
      • 6.2.4 Item #127
      • 6.2.5 Item #143
    • 6.3 Horizontal Alignment
      • 6.3.1 Item #75
      • 6.3.2 Item #135
    • 6.4 Right Turn Treatments
      • 6.4.1 Item #77
      • 6.4.2 Item #82
      • 6.4.3 Item #160
    • 6.5 Types of Intersection and Their Selection
      • 6.5.1 Item #107
    • 6.6 Auxiliary Lanes
      • 6.6.1 Item #131
      • 6.6.2 Item #138
      • 6.6.3 Item #15
    • 6.7 Traffic Islands
      • 6.7.1 Item #139
      • 6.7.2 Item #140
  • 7. Updates to the Guide to Road Design Part 4B: Roundabouts
    • 7.1 Signalised Roundabouts
      • 7.1.1 Item #6, 8
    • 7.2 Mini Roundabouts
      • 7.2.1 Items #30, 52
    • 7.3 Cyclist Treatments
      • 7.3.1 Items #7, 31, 35, 43
    • 7.4 Radial Roundabouts
      • 7.4.1 Items #37, 38, 47
  • 8. Updates to the Guide to Road Design Part 4C: Interchanges
    • 8.1 Ramp Cross-section
      • 8.1.1 Items #79, 80, 81
    • 8.2 Entry Ramps near Tunnel Sections
      • 8.2.1 Item #87
    • 8.3 Two Lane Metered Entry Ramp
      • 8.3.1 Item #88
    • 8.4 Entry Ramp with Auxiliary Lane
      • 8.4.1 Item #128
    • 8.5 Exit Ramps
      • 8.5.1 Item #91
    • 8.6 Exit Ramps near Tunnel Sections
      • 8.6.1 Item #92
    • 8.7 Single-lane Exits
      • 8.7.1 Item #157
    • 8.8 Sight Distance
      • 8.8.1 Item #125
    • 8.9 Grade-separated Intersection
      • 8.9.1 Item #158
  • 9. Updates to Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates Guide
    • 9.1 Design Vehicle vs Check Vehicle
    • 9.2 Performance-based Standard Scheme
    • 9.3 Clearances to Swept Paths of Turning Vehicles
    • 9.4 Software Parameters
    • 9.5 New Design Vehicle Template
  • 10. Recommendations for other Guides
    • 10.1 Guide to Road Design
      • 10.1.1 Item #71
      • 10.1.2 Item #91
      • 10.1.3 Item #94, 95 and 96
      • 10.1.4 Item #155
      • 10.1.5 Item #159
    • 10.2 Guide to Traffic Management
      • 10.2.1 Item #4
      • 10.2.2 Item #14
      • 10.2.3 Items #21, 22
      • 10.2.4 Item #45
      • 10.2.5 Item #57
      • 10.2.6 Item #65
      • 10.2.7 Item #90
  • 11. Conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix A Part 4 Series: Literature Review Findings
  • Appendix B Design Vehicles and Turning Templates Guide Gap Analysis
  • Appendix C Workshop and Industry Feedback
    • C.1 Feedback
    • C.2 Workshop 1 Notes
    • C.3 Workshop 2 Notes
  • Appendix D Relocation of Part 4 Appendices
  • Appendix E New Turning Template for Short Vehicle Towing