Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

SECTION 10
TALE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 10: SPEED MANAGEMENT................................................................10.1
10.1 Introduction................................................................................................10.1
10.2 Speed Management Principles...................................................................10.1
10.3 Speed Control Measures............................................................................10.2
10.3.1 Gates...........................................................................................10.2
10.3.2 Speed control zone......................................................................10.3

Table 10-1:
Table 10-2:
Table 10-3:

LIST OF TABLES
Detailed design of circular humps..............................................10.4
Detailed design of plateau humps...............................................10.5
Road width for different speeds and meeting situations..........10.8

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 10-1: Speed management principles on 50km/h through road..........10.1
Figure 10-2: The design of gates.............................................................................
10.3
Figure 10-3: Alternative design of humps........................................................10.4
Figure 10-4: Detailed design of hump transition.............................................10.5
Figure 10-5: Example of hump drainage design at kerbed footway..............10.5
Figure 10-6: Markings and signing of humps..................................................10.6
Figure 10-7: Design of rumble strips................................................................10.7
Figure 10-8: Design of road narrowings..........................................................10.7
Figure 10-9: Example of road narrowing with central island.........................10.8

Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications

Geometric Design Manual

SECTION 10:

Section 10

SPEED MANAGEMENT

10.1 INTRODUCTION
Major traffic safety problems arise when main roads pass through trading centres and
towns. This is because of the mix of long-distance high-speed motor vehicles with local
access traffic, parking and vulnerable road users. The safest solution and by far the
most expensive is to build a by-pass. If this is not possible, a number of traffic safety
measures must be implemented, such as:

Speed limit and speed control measures;

Separate vulnerable road users from the motor traffic by providing footways
and cycleways; and,
Separate the local traffic from the through traffic by providing service roads.

Through roads with heavy traffic can also be provided with a median to improve
traffic safety. U-turns should then preferably be achieved by use of roundabouts,
which maybe false, i.e. no connecting roads.
This section focuses on speed limits and speed control measures in built-up areas.
However some of the measures described may have uses in other situations, such as
in advance of hazardous bends or bridges. Advice on footways, cycleways and service
roads is given in other sections.

10.2 SPEED MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

Through roads in trading centres and towns speed shall be limited to 50 km/h or less.
On the busier sections these speed limits must be reinforced by speed control
measures. The speed management principles for main roads through built-up areas are
summarised in Figure 1.-1.

R u m b le s t r ip s

g a te

R u m b le s t r ip s

S p e e d lim it 5 0

C e n tra l s p e e d
c o n tr o lle d a r e a

f o o t - a n d c y c le
w a y s e c tio n

g a te

Figure 10-1: Speed management principles on 50km/h through road

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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

The standard sequence is:

rumble strips;
gateway sign and gate;
start of footways; and,
speed controlled area normally speed humps.
The gateway sign is double-sided and combines the speed limit sign with a panel
showing the place name. The gateway sign should be preceded by rumble strips to
alert drivers. Warning signs are not normally necessary. The rural speed limit should be
taken down to 50 km/h by an intermediate speed limit.
The entrance to the built up area should be marked with a gate (see below). The crosssection within part of and sometimes all the 50 km/h area should normally have
separate footways. Major trading centres and towns should also have service roads.
Details of the individual speed control measures are given below.

10.3 SPEED CONTROL MEASURES

10.3.1 Gates
It is necessary to emphasise the speed limit change at the entrance to the built-up area
with a gate to signal very clearly to motor vehicle drivers that driving conditions are to
change. The gate should preferably be designed according to speed control principles,
i.e., the toughest vehicle path for a passenger car, through the gate or portal should
have an entry radius R1 below 100 m for 50 km/h speed control and 50 m for 30 km/h
speed control. Curves that follow (R2, R3) should have a radius greater than or equal to
the entry radius. The gate could be one-sided with speed control only in the entry
direction or two-sided with speed control also in the exit direction. The design can be
tapered or smoothed with curves.

The narrowing of the carriageway through the gate can put pedestrians and cyclists at
risk of being squeezed by motor vehicles. It is recommended that short footway / cycle
by-passes be built around the gates.

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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

entry speed controlled gate

entry and exit speed controlled gate

smooth design

smooth design

taper design

2 m passenger
c a r tr a c k
E x it r a d iu s
R3

E x it r a d iu s
R 3

2 m passenger
c a r tra c k

2 m passenger
c a r tr a c k

E x it r a d iu s
R3

2 m passenger
c a r tra c k

S e p a ra te d fo o t
a n d c y c le w a y

S e p a ra te d fo o t
a n d c y c le w a y

S e p a ra te d fo o t
a n d c y c le w a y

S e p a ra te d fo o t
a n d c y c le w a y

E x it r a d iu s
R 3

taper design

R 2

R 2

R2

R2
E n tr y r a d iu s
R1

E n tr y r a d iu s
R1

E n t r y r a d iu s
R1

E n t r y r a d iu s
R 1

Figure 10-2: The design of gates

10.3.2 Speed control zone
Principles
The next step is to use speed controlling measures within the busier part of the 50 km/h
speed limit section.
The maximum intervals between speed control devices to achieve speeds in the range
of:

30 km/h is preferably 50 m and not more than 125 m.; and,

50 km/h is preferably 125 m and not more than 175 m.

Speed control is most effectively achieved by humps. Speed control should preferably
be located where judged reasonable for drivers. Sometimes formal pedestrian
crossings could be implemented combined with humps, see Section 11.1.2. Welldesigned roundabouts are also very effective speed control measures and are highly
recommended. False roundabouts (i.e. where there is no intersection) are worth
considering.
Humps
The most effective device to use for speed control is the speed hump. Two alternative
designs have proved to be most effective. These are the circular hump and the plateau
hump. The geometric designs are shown Figure 10-3 for length profile.

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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

Length profile
circular

plateau

Figure 10-3: Alternative design of humps

The circular hump is normally recommended. The plateau hump can be used in
pedestrian and cycle crossings flush with connecting foot and cycle ways.
The height of the circular hump should be 100 mm. Various hump radii and chord
lengths are given in Table 10.1. These are based on empirical studies into hump
dimensions, speed, and driver / passenger discomfort. The 4 m long design giving car
speeds in the range 30 km/h is recommended in residential areas. Main through roads
with large ratios of trucks and buses should normally have the 6.0 m long design to
ease discomfort for bus passengers the chord is longer than the normal axle width.

Table 10-1: Detailed design of circular humps

H e ig h t = 0 .1 0 m

R
le n g th

car (truck)
speed level
20 (5)
25 (10)
30 (15)
35 (20)
40 (25)
45 (30)
50 (35)
(40)

Radius
(m)
11
15
20
31
53
80
113
180

Length
(m)
3.0
3.5
4.0
5.0
6.5
8.0
9.5
12.0

(adapted from Danish guidelines)

The traffic level-of-service, especially for buses and trucks, can be improved if the hump
entry and exit is smoothed with a fillet as shown below.

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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

H u m p s u rfa c e
S m o o th e d tr a n s itio n

L e n g th (m )

-0 .7 5

H e ig h t ( m m ) f r o m
0
h u m p a n d r o a d s u r fa c e

-0 .5 0
2

-0 .2 5
5

R o a d s u r fa c e

0 .2 5

0 .5 0

10

0 .7 5
0

(adapted from Danish guidelines)

Figure 10-4: Detailed design of hump transition

The height of the plateau hump should also be 0.10 m. Table 10.2 gives recommended
ramp grades and lengths based on empirical studies. The design with 1.0 m ramp
length and 10% grade giving car speed levels around 30 km/h is recommended for
residential roads. Main through roads with large ratios of trucks and buses should
normally have the 6.0 m long design to ease discomfort for bus passengers.

Table 10-2: Detailed design of plateau humps

r 4 - 6 m
i
car (truck)
speed level
25 (5)
30 (10)
35 (15)
40 (20)
45 (25)
50 (30)
(35)
(40)

0 .1 0 m

ramp length r
(m)
0.7
0.8
1.0
1.3
1.7
2.0
2.5
3.3
4.0

Grade i (%)
14
12.5
10
7.5
6
5
4
3
2.5

(adapted from Danish guidelines)

Note:

On a road with hard shoulders the hump must extend over the shoulder for a
1 m or so.
Consider whether the hump will interfere with drainage. On roads with kerbed
footways you may have to stop the hump 100 150 mm before the kerb to
create a drain. This solution cannot be used at a flush pedestrian crossing.
100 - 150 m m

F o o tw a y

H um p

Figure 10-5: Example of hump drainage design at kerbed footway

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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

Humps are only allowed on roads with speed limit 50 km/h or lower. They should
always be clearly marked, as illustrated in Figure 10-6, with chequerboard markers
(sign no. M35) and hump information signs (sign no. I02) in each direction of the road.
Hump warning signs (sign no. W24) might also be needed.

C h e q u e rb o a rd m a rk e rs

1 .5 m

H u m p le n g th

Figure 10-6: Markings and signing of humps

Rumble Strips
Rumble strips are transverse strips across the road used to alert and warn drivers with
a vibratory and audible effect before a hazard such as a sharp bend, an intersection or
a lower speed limit at the entry to a trading centre. Warning signs are not normally
needed when the strips are built to the specifications given below.
Research in other countries indicates that speed reduction effects tend to be minor and
also erode over time. Reliance should therefore not be placed on using rumble strips
alone to reduce speeds.
Rumble strips can be used for example in the following situations:

before a local speed limit

at an approach to a dangerous intersection
before a sharp bend
before a hump.

The following principles should be observed when using rumble strips:

rumble strips should normally be in groups of 4 strips

the height of the strips shall be no more than 10 15 mm

the strip width should be 0.5 m

one set of rumble strips is usually enough within 50km/h sections

the last or only strip should be located 30 to 50 m before the hazard

pre-warning sets can, if used, be located 20 to 80 m before the hazard depending

on speeds

rumble strips should preferably have yellow thermoplastic lines across the top for
better visibility
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Geometric Design Manual

Section 10

strips should continue across the full width of the carriageway, including the
shoulders but be terminated so that they do not interfere with drainage.

T o a llo w
d r a in a g e
and
c y c le
passage

Speed
50
70

D
20
80

In te rv a l 0 .5 - 1 m
H a z a r d i. e .
G a te
n a r ro w in g
s p e e d li m it

3 0 to 5 0

s h o u ld e r

0 .5 m
s tr ip d e t a il

0 .0 1 0 to 0 .0 1 5 m

Figure 10-7: Design of rumble strips

Rumble strips create disturbing noises and can cause vibration problems on soft
ground. Avoid installing them near houses, schools, hospitals, etc.
Narrowings and Chicanes
Road narrowings and chicanes can help control speeds, but they tend to be less
effective than speed humps. The basic principles of one-sided and double-sided road
narrowings are illustrated in Figure 10-8 below. Narrowings can put cyclists at risk of
being squeezed by larger vehicles, so it is best to provide a short by-pass for them.

One sided
S h o u ld e r o r fo o tw a y

narrowing

Double sided
S h o u ld e r o r fo o t w a y

narrowing

Figure 10-8: Design of road narrowings

Table 10-3: can be used to judge the relationship between speeds and meeting
situations. The conclusion is that a narrowing must be very tough to have some speed
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impact - 3.5 m is the recommended width between kerbs for one-way traffic. The
narrowing should be designed with tapers at least 1:5.

Table 10-3: Road width for different speeds and meeting situations
Speed

Meeting situation

km/h

Truck and bicycle

Two cars

Truck and car

Two trucks

30

4.0 m

4.15 m

4.95 m

5.9 m

50

4.5 m

4.5 m

5.5 m

Another alternative is to build a kerbed island (min. width 1.2 m and length 5 m) in the
centre of the road, with 3.0 m 3.5 m wide traffic lanes either side. This could also
function as a pedestrian refuge, perhaps combined with a raised pedestrian crossing.
The island must be well-signed to avoid it becoming a hazard. As with all narrowings,
consider whether cyclists may be put at risk.

5 m

3 -3 .5

3 -3 .5

Figure 10-9: Example of road narrowing with central island

10.8
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