National Technical Regulation QCVN 117:2024/BGTVT for Expressway

QCVN 117:2024/BGTVT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON EXPRESSWAY

National Technical Regulation on Expressway

Foreword

The QCVN 117:2024/BGTVT “National Technical Regulation on Expressway” is compiled by the Vietnam Expressway Authority, approved by the Science – Technology and Environment Authority, appraise by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and promulgated by the Ministry of Transport under Circular No. 57/2024/TT-BGTVT dated November 15, 2024.

This Technical Regulation replaces QCVN 115:2024/BGTVT – Technical Regulation on Expressway attached to Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BGTVT dated March 31, 2024 of the Minister of Transport).

Table of Contents

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

2. TECNICAL PROVISIONS

3. IMPLEMENTATION

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON EXPRESSWAY

National Technical Regulation on Expressway

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. Scope

This Regulation prescribes technical requirements in construction, management, operation, usage, and maintenance of expressways (excluding urban expressways).

1.2. Regulated entities

This Regulation applies to organizations and individuals related to the investment, construction, management, operation, usage, and maintenance of expressways.

1.3. Definitions

For the purposes of this Circular, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

1.3.1. Breakdown lane

A breakdown lane is a lane that serves as emergency parking space for accident-stricken vehicles, accommodates operation of rescue vehicles and where other vehicles are prohibited from operating on and parking on except for priority vehicles.

1.3.2. Design vehicle flow

Design vehicle flow is a number of cars equivalent derived from the number of other vehicles passing through a cross section over a unit of time in the future year.

1.3.3. Future year

The future year refers to the 20^th year from the year in which expressway construction is expected to finish.

1.4. Design speed of expressway

Design speed of expressway is divided into 3 bands:

The 120 band has design speed of 120 km/h;

The 100 band has design speed of 100 km/h;

The 80 band has design speed of 80 km/h; a design speed of 60 km/h is allowed in areas with harsh terrain conditions or areas under restriction of national defense and security.

An expressway may consist of segments with varying speed bands as long as each segment lasts at least 15 km in length and differences in design speed of two adjacent segments do not exceed 20 km/h. Where an expressway is subject to more than one band (20 km/h), a transition segment of at least 2 km in length with intermediate design speed is required.

1.5. Reference documents

Reference documents used in this document include:

- QCVN 41:2024/BGTVT  “National Technical Regulation on Traffic Signs and Signals’’.

- QCVN 43:2024/BGTVT  “National Technical Regulation on Roadside Station”.

- QCVN 07-4:2023/BXD  “National Technical Regulation on Technical Infrastructure System - Urban Transportation Works”.

- QCVN 116:2024/BGTVT  “National Technical Regulation for Weigh Station on Road’’.

- QCVN 02:2022/BXD  “National Technical Regulation on Natural Physical and Climatic Data for Construction’’.

2. TECNICAL PROVISIONS

2.1. General requirements

2.1.1. Structure of expressway must meet integrity and stability requirements and conform to natural conditions.

2.1.2. Expressway contains at least 4 lanes (2 lanes per direction of travel) and is outfitted with continuous breakdown lanes (except where: the expressway crosses a bridge with at least 150 m in span or 50 m in pier height; the expressway travels in tunnel; deceleration and acceleration lanes are located on the expressway; climbing lanes are located on the expressway).

2.1.3. Structures attached to expressway include: collector road and frontage road; traffic management and coordination center; roadside stations, parking spaces; stop-less electronic tolling system; weigh stations; barriers and other structures of expressways.

2.1.4. Cross-section of expressway may rest on the same road base or two separate road bases if two directions of travel are situated on two separate road bases.

2.2. Cross-section of expressway

2.2.1. Number of lanes is determined on the basis of design vehicle flow and is at least 2 lanes per direction of travel. Width of a lane is at least 3,75 m for band 120, band 100 expressways and at least 3,50 m for band 80 expressways (including band 60 sections).

2.2.2. Width of breakdown lanes is at least 3,00 m for band 120 and band 100 expressways and at least 2,50 m for band 80 expressways (including band 60 sections).

2.2.3. Median strip

2.2.3.1. Median strips (consisting of medians and safety strips on both side of the medians) are required to separate two directions of travel. Width of safety strips is at least 0,75 m for band 120 and band 100 expressways and at least 0,50 m for band 80 expressways (including band 60 sections). Median strips are designed so to meet safety requirements.

2.2.3.2. Where two directions of travel are situated on two separate road bases, safety strips and earthen strips shall be required to the left of the direction of travel. Width of safety strips is at least 1,00 m for band 120 and band 100 expressways and at least 0,75 m for band 80 expressways (including band 60 sections).

2.2.4. Width of earthen strips is at least 0,75 m; grass or other surface covering materials are used to prevent erosion.

2.3. Cross-section of expressway bridge and tunnel

2.3.1. Cross-section of expressway segments on bridges must contain all elements similar to that of the main segment. Where bridge span is at least 150,0 m in length or bridge pier is at least 50,0 m in height and breakdown lanes are not available, a transition segment from expressway cross-section tapered towards the bridge segment is required.

2.3.2. Cross-section of expressway segments in tunnels

2.3.2.1. Cross-section of expressway segments in tunnels must have sufficient width to accommodate all elements similar to those in main expressway segments including footpaths (for maintenance and evacuation purposes). Where expressway segments in tunnels do not accommodate breakdown lanes, safety strips whose width conforms to design speed of the expressways are required.

2.3.2.2. Where expressway segments in tunnels are at least 1000,0 m in length and do not accommodate breakdown lanes, an emergency refuge area of a minimum length of 30,0 m and minimum width conforming to design speed of expressways is required every 500,0 m in expressway length or less.

2.4. Collector road and frontage road are required to accommodate travel demands of inhabitants living in areas affected by and separated by expressways.

2.5. Geometric elements of expressway

2.5.1. Geometric elements of expressway

Table 1 - Limit design parameters of contour maps and longitudinal sections

2.5.2. Visibility for vehicles operating on expressways must be guaranteed.

2.5.3. Regulations on longitudinal slope.

2.5.3.1. Maximum longitudinal gradient is specified under Table 1 and depends on design speed band.

2.5.3.2. Minimum longitudinal gradient of cut and fill road base segments must be 0,50 %.

2.5.3.3. Minimum longitudinal gradient of transition segments where lateral gradient is less than 1,00 % must be 0,50 %.

2.5.3.4. Minimum longitudinal gradient of expressway segments in tunnels is 0,30 %.

2.5.4. Circular or parabolic vertical curve is required where reverse curves occur.

2.6. Grade-separated junction, expressway exits and entries

2.6.1. Grade-separated junctions are required where expressways intersect other types of road.

2.6.2. Where expressway is above other roads, clear height corresponding to technical grade of the roads below must be guaranteed.

2.6.3. Minimum distance between connected grade-separated junctions and expressway entries, exits is 4,0 km. Minimum distance between connected grade-separated junctions is 10,0 km or 5,0 km where these junctions are close to major cities, major urban areas, and important functioning areas. In cases where there is a need for serving national purposes or special purposes to develop local socio-economy, minimum distance between connected grade-separated junctions is allowed to be reduced but required to be higher than 3,0 km.

2.6.4. Circular or parabolic vertical curve is required where reverse curves occur.

2.6.4.1. Design speed of branching roads within range of connected grade-separated junctions is specified under Table 2 below.

Table 2 - Design speed of branching roads within range of connected grade-separated junctions

2.6.4.2. Geometric elements of branching roads including radius of curve, transition curve, superelevation, extension degree, longitudinal gradient, vertical curve, sight distance must meet requirements corresponding to design speed.

2.6.5. Deceleration and acceleration lanes are situated where appropriate on expressway entries and exits.

2.7. Surface and base of expressway

2.7.1. Road base

2.7.1.1. Road base must be stable, capable of retaining geometric dimensions, sufficiently strong to withstand vehicular load and natural factors throughout its useful life.

2.7.1.2. Road base must be calculated, designed, and built on the basis of topographic, geological, and hydrographic surveying data.

2.7.2. Road surface must be designed and built in a way that meets strength, integrity, grip, evenness, and drainage requirements.

2.8. Safety and protection on expressway

2.8.1. Traffic safety protection

2.8.1.1. Traffic safety system must be arranged in a synchronous manner on expressways.

2.8.1.2. Guardrails are required to prevent people, livestocks, and wild animals from crossing expressways.

2.8.2. Warning systems must be installed on expressways in a manner that adheres to national technical regulation on road warning.

2.8.3. Directional road markings and guardrails or traffic cones are required to maintain safety in operation.

2.8.4. Glare protection

2.8.4.1. Anti-glare measures are required to negate light emitted by headlamps of opposing vehicles at night.

2.8.4.2. Visibility in curves must be inspected where anti-glare measures have been installed.

2.8.4.3. Where median strip of expressway is at least 12,0 m in width, anti-glare measures are not required.

2.8.5. Illumination is required in the following areas on expressway:

2.8.5.1. Tollbooths.

2.8.5.2. Tunnels.

2.8.5.3. Within range of connected junctions on expressways.

2.8.6. Noise barriers are required in areas adjacent to residential areas.

2.9. Maximum speed limit on expressways shall not exceed 120 km/h. Maximum speed limit and design speed must not be more than 20 km/h apart; maximum speed limit of 2 consecutive segments must not be more than 20 km/h apart.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

3.1. The Vietnam Expressway Authority is responsible for the implementation of this Technical Regulation.

3.2. If reference legislative documents in this Technical Regulation is amended or replaced, the newer documents shall prevail./.

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This translation is made by THƯ VIỆN PHÁP LUẬT, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and for reference purposes only. Its copyright is owned by THƯ VIỆN PHÁP LUẬT and protected under Clause 2, Article 14 of the Law on Intellectual Property.Your comments are always welcomed