Global Transport Atlas

GTA-304: A List of Road Classifications

Series 3- Discussion Papers

There are many documents available from the Internet which discuss road hierarchy and classification- where classification refers to functional classification, for example whether the purpose of the road is to serve as an access road or as a long-distance primary road. However roads can be classed in many other ways as well. This discussion paper presents a list of such other ways to classify roads. The list is a work in progress. It does not claim to include all the ways in which roads are classified. Indeed, there are so many classifications in the list that it is worth quoting Ray Brindle: Road classification is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Successfully allocating agreed labels to each element in the road system involves so much effort and controversy that it is pointless and best avoided unless the labels are going to have some application.

(ref. 334, quoting Brindle, 1989, Road Hierarchy and Functional Classification)

List of road classifications

No. 1 2 3 4 5 Classifier "diverse" vehicular classification "towncentredness" access control access function administrative administrative administrative 6 7 8 9 10 18 19 20 airport passenger numbers average running speed built frontage bus routes circulation vs access destination size destination status dimensions of heavy vehicles Country Europe Europe Europe Australia Australia Portugal Europe New Zealand Australia Europe Australia Europe Europe Europe Australia Year 2004 2004 2004 1995 2011 2012 2004 2011 2006 2004 2011 2004 2004 2004 2007 Ref. No. 388 388 388 358.7 248 516 388 267 334 388 248 388 388 388 335 appendix 1 page 52 appendix 1 page 52 e.g. streets linking cities or neighbourhoods appendix 1 page 52 see table page 4 quoting Canada TAC appendix 1 page 52 "assesses roads according to the function they perform" Notes appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 eg access controlled or uncontrolled

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No. 21 22 23 24

Classifier district role environment form form and function of adjoining buildings height of buildings ratio between height of building, width of street height restriction

Country Europe Europe Europe Europe Portugal Portugal Australia New Zealand New Zealand Europe Europe Australia Europe Australia Portugal New Zealand England Australia Europe Europe Australia USA Wikipedia Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe S. Africa England Australia Europe Europe

Year 2004 2004 2004 2004 2012 2012 2006 2011 2011 2004 2004 2011 2006 2006 2012 2011 2002 2006 2004 2004 2006 2013 2013 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2001? 2012 2011 2004 2004

Ref. No. 388 388 388 388 446 446 334 267 267 388 388 248

Notes appendix 2 page 58 sensitivity of environment page 32 see page 13

quoted as example of possible classifier see table page 4 see table page 4 appendix 2 page 58 page 32 Class 1: Those roads that are, or will be, the principal route between capital cities. EuroRoads

25 26 27 28

freight highway volumes freight tonnes and value at ports etc frontage form function functional functional

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

gradient geometric international tourist flows journey distance land access land use or frontage function living space load bearing mobility movement neighbourliness network role non-transport use of street space other urban users pedestrian use of streets planting population - size and type of population centre served primary destinations property access public transport traffic volume

334 516 267 306 334 388 388 334

quoted as example of possible classifier

see table page 4 for example, class "long distance strategic routes"

appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 quoted as example of possible classifier see link see link

388 388 388 388 388 388 148 304 248 388 388

appendix 2 page 58 eg forming strategic network or local network see page 13 presence of/ provision for vehicles, PT, pedestrians, etc. appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58

primary destinations defined e.g. by population

appendix 2 page 58 appendix 1 page 52

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No. 49 50 51 52 53

Classifier ratio between the movement of people and motorized traffic quality of road (road surface) public transport and locale road purpose - class for routes to recreation areas road design road cross-section sight distance road width road width

Country Portugal Nepal Europe USA

Year 2012 2013 2004 1967

Ref. No. 446 Internet 388 92

Notes

classed as sealed, gravelled and unsealed roads; source Nepal Investment Board two-dimensional classification / page 42

USA USA Australia Europe Europe USA Australia Iraq UK Europe Portugal USA Wikipedia Australia Europe Iraq Europe Kenya Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Australia Poland Europe Nepal Europe Wikipedia Australia

1940 1940 2006 2004 2004 2013 2011 2011 2004 2004 2012 1940 2013 2006 2004 2011 2004 2013 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2006 2011 2004 2012 2004 2013 1995

92 92 334 388 388 Internet 248 387 800 388 446 92 see link 334 388 387 388 appendix 2 page 58 see link 388 388 388 388 388 334 379 388 460 388 see page 13 see link 358.7 appendix 1 page 52 appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 quoted as example of possible classifier hard surfaced / unsurfaced appendix 2 page 58 quoting Canada TAC appendix 1 page 52 see page 79, table 19, (taken from Viner et al 2004) appendix 2 page 58 quoted as example of possible classifier appendix 2 page 58 appendix 1 page 52

54 55 56 57 58 59 60

road standard roads of military importance (e.g. the USA's STRAHNET) route capacity scale site classification category for friction space syntax "spatial integration" speed - travel speed (V85) design speed speed design speed traffic speed

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

spatial dimension spatial shape or character special purpose roads strategic role street character street in cross-section street name structural role surface type surface type

70 71 72 73 74

sustainability topography the wider urban / network context through traffic traffic function

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No. 75 76 77

Classifier traffic mobility traffic usage traffic volume traffic volume

Country Australia Australia Australia Europe Europe Australia Europe S. Africa England Portugal Europe Iraq Poland Europe Europe Europe Australia USA

Year 2006 2011 2006 2004 2004 2006 2004 2001? 2002 2012 2004 2011 2011 2004 2004 2004 2006 2013

Ref. No. 334 248 334 388 388 334 388 148 306 516 388 387 379 388 388 388 334 Internet

Notes

AADT appendix 1 page 52 appendix 1 page 52 quoting the USA FHWA appendix 1 page 52

78 79 80

transport mode travel distance trip length trip length

81

type of user type of user (e.g. residents, emergency services)

for example, pedestrian routes, cycle routes

82

urban character urban character

appendix 2 page 58

83 84 85 86 87

urban environment urban morphology urban use and users visual axis weather - wet weather condition weather - snow emergency classifications

urban / non-urban appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 appendix 2 page 58 quoted as example of possible classifier see link

References
92 148 248 267 304 306 334 335 358.7 379 387 388 446 460 516 800 USA, "Using GIS to determine street, road and highway functional classification accuracy" (2008) South Africa, National roads agency, "Geometric design guidelines" W. Australia, "Guidelines for Determining and Assigning Responsibility for roads in Western Australia / Part 2: classification assessment criteria" (2011) NZTA, State highway classification (consultation draft) (2011) DfT, "Guidance on Road Classification and Primary Route Network" (2012) Lancashire CC "Functional road hierarchy strategy" (2002 but still downloadable from county website) ICSM, "Assessing the feasibility of a national road classification" (2006) NTC, "Performance-based standards scheme, network classification guidelines" (2007) Brindle, Ray "Living with traffic: (7) road hierarchy and functional classification" (1989) re-published Australia, ARRB special report 53, 1995 Poland, Central Statistical Office, "CSO - Statistics, road transport 2005-2009" (2011) Iraq, A. J. Al-Akkam, "Urban characteristics, the classification of commercial streets in Baghdad city" (2011) Europe, Stephen Marshall "Artists: a first theoretical approach to classification of urban streets" (2004) Paolo Ribiero, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, "A new perspective on street classification towards sustainability" (WSEAS 2012) Nepal rural road standard 2055 Annex II-2 CCDR-N, "PRINCPIOS BSICOS DE ORGANIZAO DE REDES VIRIAS" (Portugal 2008) Hall, JW et al "NCHRP Guide for pavement friction", TRB, USA 2009

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Cover notes and Disclaimer
This is a research document. The best efforts have been made to make sure the figures are correct. However no liability can be taken for any of the details, information or analysis in this document. The layout, look and feel of this document is copyright. The photos are generally copyright of REB. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/

Global Transport Atlas Series 3 - Discussion Papers

History and Change log

Version 304.01 August 2013 (first version)

GTA documents series Global Transport Atlas is a project with two aims. One is
to encourage people around the world to share examples of how they actually use transport in their daily lives. The other is to compare and improve the design of transport infrastructure. There are the following GTA document series: Series 1 - global transport notes A collection of papers on transport infrastructure and vehicles from various countries, prepared by various authors and contributors. Typical size 2 to 3 pages. Series 3 - discussion papers Papers with arguments and ideas on different aspects of modern transport and transport infrastructure. Series 4 - comparative geometrics Working papers which look at different aspects of highway infrastructure design and compare values from different countries. Series 7 - Dimensions of vehicles Transport infrastructure has to be defined with an idea of the size and types of vehicle which will use it. This series looks into the dimensions of different types of vehicle at different periods of time. Papers include technical discussion notes and example dimensions. Typical size 20 pages and more.

About the contributor

Robert Bartlett, Germany - is an experienced transportation and urban development studies engineer with over 25 years of professional experience. Current engineering work: includes technical research in highway design standards and applications in areas such as urban planning and highway engineering. Interests include applied GIS.

Contact
We welcome comments on this paper, and also on new developments in other countries in this field. Email: global.transport.atlas@gmail.com Web: http://globaltransportatlas.weebly.com/index.html

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