Design of Road Junctions | Types of Road Junctions

Road Junctions

Road Junctions are designed at places where vehicular traffic can move in different directions in a systematic way. Road Junctions decrease the probability of accidents. The traffic at Road junctions is controlled and resumed in a systematic way to proceed further in their respective directions with the help of traffic signals.

Design of Road Junctions is a crucial subject. Understanding the nature of traffic, the kind of area, density of population etc is very important so as to propose a suitable road Junction design.

Earlier we discussed;

1. Means of Access and Design factors to be considered for the design of roads
2. Important elements to be considered in Road Design

In this article, we will study all the major types of road Junctions in detail.

On the basis of the shape of the Road Junctions, they are named as:

1. T-Junction
2. Y-Junction
3. Acute Angle Junction
4. Staggered Junction
5. Multiple Junction

T-junction

A T-junction has three arms of which one arm is a main road whereas the other one is usually a minor road connecting the main road. The roads of a T-junction meet at right angles and is preferably used for convenience.

Y-Junction

A Y-junction has three arms of which all the three roads are of equal sizes. It is generally seen at places of heavy traffic. It is pretty useful in the distribution of traffic.

Acute Angle Junction

Generally Acute Angle Junctions are not preferably used. They create lot of chaos in heavy traffic. The turning for heavy and bigger vehicles becomes a problem. This creates chaos and traffic.

Acute Angle Junctions can be used at places with very low density and very less space for a Junction.

Staggered Junction

A staggered junction is a place where several roads meet a main road at a slight distance apart thus they do not all come together at the same point.

Major single-point traffic-light controlled junctions of more than two roads are often reconfigured into staggered junctions in order to increase traffic flow through them.

Multiple Junction

When multiple roads meet at a same point, the junction is termed as “Multiple Junction”.

Grade Separator

When two roads cross each other at separate grades, they can be separated by allowing one passover by means of a bridge or flyover.

In next article, we will discuss “Different types of Parking Methods“.