RAMP DESIGN-A SURVEY OF STATE PRACTICES
AS PART OF A CONTINUING DESIGN REVIEW, THE HIGHWAY DESIGN DIVISION OF FHWA HAS MADE A SUMMARY REVIEW OF CURRENT DESIGN PRACTICES ON RAMP WIDTHS FOR FEDERAL AID HIGHWAY PROJECTS. DATA ON SINGLE-LANE RAMP DESIGN FOR 48 STATES WERE COMPILED FROM FINAL PROJECT PLANS AND WERE SUPPLEMENTED BY DETAILS FROM STATE STANDARD PLAN DESIGN DRAWINGS. EFFORT WAS MADE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS TYPICAL FOR EACH STATE, INCLUDING VARIATION IN THE SHAPE OF THE RAMP. THE DATA GENERALLY COVER THE GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF SPEED CHANGE LANES, RAMP THROATS, RAMPS PROPER, AND CROSSROAD INTERSECTIONS. THE DATA ALSO INCLUDE RAMP PAVEMENT STRUCTURAL DESIGN. SUCH A REVIEW HAS SOME LIMITATIONS, IN THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE READILY WHETHER THE DETAILS ARE TRULY TYPICAL OF A STATE'S DESIGN. HOWEVER, THE SUMMARY MATERIAL DOES INDICATE NATIONAL PRACTICE IN ENOUGH DETAIL TO REVIEW UNIFORMITY OF ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS. PRESENT RAMP DESIGN PRACTICES AMONG THE STATES ARE QUITE VARIED, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO BASIS FOR THIS VARIATION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS NEED FOR EACH DESIGN GROUP TO ANALYZE ITS CURRENT PRACTICE CRITICALLY AND CONSIDER WHETHER ADJUSTMENTS ARE POSSIBLE THAT WILL PROVIDE THE NEEDED TRAFFIC SERVICE AT THE LOWEST OVERALL COST.
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Authors:
- Loutzenheiser, D W
- Holahan, E P
- Publication Date: 1970-11
Media Info
- Features: Figures;
- Pagination: p. 91-8
- Serial:
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Acceleration lanes; Deceleration lanes; Geometric design; Interchange ramps; Length; Ramps; Speed change lanes; States; Width
- Old TRIS Terms: Freeway ramps
- Subject Areas: Design; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00203687
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 2 1973 12:00AM