td3693
td3693
td3693
TD 36/93
Summary:
This Standard gives layout and dimensional requirements for the planning and design of subways for the exclusive use of pedestrians and for the combined use of pedestrians and pedal cyclists. Guidance is also included on headroom and width requirements for subways incorporating bridleways, surface finishes, lighting, drainage, handrailing, markings and signs.
Printed and Published by the above Overseeing Departments Crown Copyright 1993
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July 1993
VOLUME 6 SECTION 3
PART 1 TD 36/93 SUBWAYS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND PEDAL CYCLISTS LAYOUT AND DIMENSIONS
Contents Chapter 1. 2. Introduction Factors Affecting Subway Provision and Choice of Cross-section Cross-section of Subways for Pedestrians Only Cross-section of Subways for Combined Use Access Construction Details References Enquiries
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
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Chapter 1 Introduction
1. INTRODUCTION
General 1.1 This Standard updates and supersedes TD 2/78, "Pedestrian Subways: Layout and Dimensions" and TD 3/79, "Combined Pedestrian and Cycle Subways: Layout and Dimensions". Both those Standards are hereby withdrawn. 1.2 Principal changes to those previous Standards and new concepts introduced in this Standard are: a. Alternative cross-sections both wider than normal and narrower than normal are introduced to increase the number of options available. Personal security aspects have been given greater prominence. Features that are helpful to elderly people, disabled people, and visually impaired people, as well as to people with prams and pushchairs have been updated. Helical stairs and ramps built around central voids are included as an alternative to straight stairs and ramps for sites where the space is restricted. Implementation 1.5 This Standard should be used forthwith on all schemes for the construction and improvement of trunk roads, including motorways, currently being prepared provided that, in the opinion of the Overseeing Department, this would not result in significant additional expense or delay progress. Design Organisations should confirm its application to particular schemes with the Overseeing Department.
b.
c.
d.
Scope 1.3 This document gives the requirements for geometric alignments and cross-sections of subways, access ramps and stairs for use by pedestrians and access ramps for use by cyclists. The headroom and width requirements for equestrians are also given. There will be situations where constraints could prevent the desirable subway standards being achieved. In such situations a subway built to the minimum dimensions may be preferable to not providing a grade separated crossing. 1.4 This document does not give specification requirements for the construction of subways, nor for any elements or materials of which they are constructed.
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Personal Security Aspects 2.5 Wide approaches, subway alignments with good through visibility, and good lighting, all within the view of passing pedestrians and passing traffic, will help to minimise pedestrians' fears for their personal safety. Subways and their accesses should be designed to avoid places of concealment in the interests of personal security.
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2.7 Physical barriers may be necessary in some locations to prevent cars and motorcycles being driven into subways or subway approaches.
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TYPE OF SUBWAY
HEIGHT (m)
WIDTH (m)
b.
Wide Normal
c.
< 23 $ 23
-
Narrow
3.2 If circular or other shaped sections are proposed, they should circumscribe the rectangular sections with dimensions not less than the minimum laid down in this Standard. 3.3 The minimum height and width of subways for pedestrians only are given in Table 1. 3.4 Sight distance of 4.0m or more should be provided at corners and changes of direction. For calculation purposes, pedestrians can be assumed to be 0.4m away from an adjacent vertical wall. The visibility envelope should extend from a height of 1.5m representative of an adult to 0.6m for a child. Inside corners rounded off to a radius of 4.6m will meet this criteria.
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Segregated Subways 4.3 The width for pedestrians should be segregated from the width for cyclists, preferably by level difference, as shown in Fig 1. Alternatively, segregation can be achieved by means of guardrailing which would serve as physical barrier to separate the footpath users from cycle track users. Where these measures are not suitable, a raised dividing line and tactile paving should be provided to assist visually impaired people.
2.4m
Margin
Cycle Track
Footpath
0.5m
2.5m
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2.3m
2.0m
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HEIGHT (m)
WIDTH (m)
Cycle track
Footpath
Cycle track
Footpath
< 23 $ 23
2.4
2.7
2.6
# 10
4.0
4.6
4.6
# 25
26.0
68.0
28.5
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4.
6m
Key :
Staggered barriers to slow down cyclists and allow wheelchairs and double prams
Figure 2
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68 m
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4.10 Where bridleways are to be incorporated into subways, the minimum headroom should be 3.7m, except where suitable facilities for the riders to dismount and remount are provided, when the headroom may be reduced to 2.7m. Suitable signs should be erected to indicate that equestrians are required to dismount if the latter option is adopted. The minimum width of a subway for equestrian use should be 3.0m.
Table 4 Minimum dimensions for an unsegregated subway for pedestrians and cyclists
HEIGHT (m)
WIDTH (m)
< 23
2.4 4.0
$ 23
2.7
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Chapter 5 Access
5. ACCESS
General 5.1 Access to the subway may be via ramps or stairs which may be straight or helical. Consideration should be given to providing both ramps and stairs to suit able-bodied, cyclists, people with prams and pushchairs, those with heavy shopping or luggage, visually impaired people and disabled people including wheelchair users. 5.2 Access ramps or stairs should normally be the same width as the subway; except when multiple ramps and stairs are connected to a single subway, they may be narrower. 5.3 The thresholds of all subway accesses, tops and bottoms of flights of stairs, should be provided with a system of tactile pavings to assist visually impaired people. For details, see Ref 21. Cycle Ramps 5.7 In order to limit cycling effort to reasonable levels and to discourage cyclists from high speeds, the gradient of the access ramps should preferably be shallower than 3%, and should not normally exceed 5%. If space is very restricted a gradient of up to 7% may be adopted. In steep ramps of this type, staggered barriers would be desirable to encourage cyclists to exercise greater care and slow down, particularly on downhill bends, until they clear the steep ramp. See paragraph 6.20 for barrier details. 5.8 An effective way of controlling the speed of cyclists to less than 10km/h at or near the threshold of subway entrances leading to steep approach ramps is to introduce staggered barriers as shown in Fig 2.
Straight Access Stairs Access Ramps General 5.4 Ramps should not be allowed to run into the subway beyond the threshold as there could be a risk of cyclists hitting the soffit of the subway. 5.5 Landings should be provided at changes of direction, and changes of gradient. Landings should be used, even on straight ramps, so that the total rise between landings is not greater than 3.5m. Landings should normally be the same width as the ramp, and 2.0m or more long measured along the centre line of the landing. All landings should be approximately horizontal, and adequately drained. 5.10 The headroom between any ceiling and stair measured vertically should not be less than the height of the subway. 5.11 Stair flights should normally comprise no more than 20 steps between landings. The landings should normally be the same width as the stair, and preferably 1.8m deep, or a minimum of 1.2m depth in restricted sites. There should not be more than 3 successive flights without a change of direction of 30 degrees or more at a landing. All landings should be approximately horizontal, and adequately drained. 5.12 Stair flights limited to 9 steps are preferred where significant numbers of disabled persons are expected to use the stairs. 5.13 Stair pitch should be uniform for a subway system, with steps of equal rise. 5.14 Nosings on the stairs should be rounded to a 6mm radius without overhang, and should be colour contrasted from the rest of the step. 5.15 The stair elements; rise, going, nosing and pitch are illustrated in Fig. 3. 5.9 The dimensions for access stairs are given in Table 7.
Pedestrian Ramps 5.6 Gradients of 5% or shallower are preferred for access ramps where significant numbers of disabled persons or heavily laden shoppers are expected to use the subway. In other situations gradients shallower than 8% are preferred, but gradients up to 10% are permitted for short lengths in exceptionally difficult sites. Stepped ramps may also be considered at exceptionally difficult sites although wheelchair users find stepped ramps difficult to negotiate.
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Chapter 5 Access
Table 7 Dimensions for straight stairs
RISE r (mm) Min 100 Max 150 Optimum 130 Min 280
Nosing
Going g
Rise r
Pitch
Fig. 3
Stair elements
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Chapter 5 Access
RISE r (mm)
GOING g (mm)
2r+g
Min
Max
150 to 190
150
250
450
480
800
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6. CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Surface Finishes Walls 6.1 The walls are the most conspicuous and vulnerable areas and their finishes will affect the whole character of the subway. Some finishes are difficult to keep clean and have poor quality of light reflection. Important considerations in the selection and specification of finishes are their resistance to vandalism and the ease with which any graffiti can be removed. 6.2 For these reasons, porous open surfaced materials such as facing bricks and exposed aggregate finishes are best avoided. Mosaics and other hard impervious surfaced materials have performed well in the past. They are reasonably graffiti-proof and easy to clean. 6.3 In situ structural concrete and precast concrete are more prone to graffiti; but this can be discouraged by the application of suitable plastic paints to make walls impervious and easier to clean. 6.4 Bold designs with bright multiple colours in irregular or random patterns, and murals with themes suggested by children can help to create an atmosphere that the subway is well-used and therefore safer. This has also been found to deter vandalism. 6.5 Mosaics and tiles on external arrises are vulnerable to damage. They should be inset and stopped at least 0.10m short of these arrises and another material used for the arrises. Hard cement mortar or structural concrete, treated with plastic paint are suitable materials. 6.6 Mosaics or tiles will not, however, be satisfactory for those subways where the risk of structural vandalism is anticipated; consideration should be given to the use of a suitable robust finish such as structural concrete coated with graffiti-proof paint. and access ramps. 6.8 It is recommended that the coefficient of friction between the dry surface and rubber, leather or composition soled shoes should not be less than 0.6, and when wet this coefficient of friction should not reduce to less than 0.4. A guide to the slip resistance of floor finishes is given in BS 5395: Part 1.
Ceilings 6.9 Concrete soffits should be treated to maximise the amount of light reflection. Finishes known to have been successful include plastic paint with a matt white finish, Tyrolean and cement sprays. 6.10 Suspended ceilings should not be used.
Lighting 6.11 Daylight penetration into the subway entrances should be utilised wherever possible, with surface finishes chosen to enhance daylight illumination. 6.12 Artificial lighting should always be provided for use in the hours of darkness both inside the subway and on the subway approaches. Continuous use of lighting, in the daytime also, will encourage subway use in many cases. 6.13 The levels of illumination given in BS 5489: Part 9 are recommended for subways, stairs and ramps in rural and urban areas. Further information is contained in Ref 20. 6.14 Vandal-proof lighting systems should generally be used. Luminaires recessed into the ceiling or into the tops of walls have been successful in the past although surface mounted corner light fittings should be satisfactory in most situations provided they do not unduly encroach into the minimum cross-section required by this standard.
Floors Ramps and Stairs 6.7 Finishes may be subjected to all weather conditions and to salting and gritting in winter. They should have an adequate and durable slip resistance both when wet and when dry. The same advice should be followed for footpaths, cycle tracks, access stairs
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Markings and Signs Handrailing 6.17 Handrails should be provided on both sides of stairs and ramps. Central handrails may be advisable where the width of stairs or ramps exceeds 3.0m. 6.21 Advice on the signing, including marking, for subways is contained in the references in Chapter 7 of this Standard.
45 PREFERRED DIAMETER 35 FOR SUPPORT RAILS 45/50 FOR STAIR HANDRAILS 50 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE HANDRAILS POSITIVE END-STOP RETURN-TO-WALL
850
1000
300 (MIN)
Figure 4
Handrailing details
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Chapter 7 References
7. REFERENCES
The following documents provide useful background information relevant to subway layout and dimensions: 1. Revised guidelines for reducing mobility handicaps - towards a barrier-free environment, (The Institution of Highways and Transport, 1991). S Pheasant, Ergonomics-standards and guidelines for designers. (British Standards Institution, 1987). P Tutt and D Adler, New Metric Handbook, (The Architectural Press, 1979). 16. 4. S T Atkins, Critical Paths - Designing for Secure Travel (The Design Council, 1989). 17. 5. Roads and Traffic in Urban Areas, Produced by The Institution of Highways and Transportation with the Department of Transport (HMSO, 1987). Local Transport Note 1/86: Cyclists at Road Crossings and Junctions (HMSO, 1986). Local Transport Note 2/86: Shared Use by Cyclists and Pedestrians (HMSO, Aug 1986). Local Transport Note 2/87: Signs for Cycle Facilities (HMSO, Nov 1987). 21. 9. Local Transport Note 1/89: Making Way for Cyclists -Planning, Design and Legal Aspects of Providing for Cyclists (HMSO, June 1989) Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/92 : Cycling Bibliography. (Traffic Advisory Unit, Cycling Advisory Branch, TP Division, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3EB). Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/91: Traffic Signs, Signals and Road Markings, Bibliography. (Traffic Advisory Unit). 12. Traffic Advisory Leaflet 4/90: Tactile Markings for Segregated Shared Use by Cyclists and Pedestrians. (Traffic Advisory Unit). Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1981 and all amendments. Traffic Signs Manual - Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5 and 14. BS 5395: Part 1: Code of practice for the design of straight stairs. BS 5395: Part 2: Code of practice for the design of helical and spiral stairs. BS 5810: Code of practice for access for the disabled to buildings. BS 6180: Code of practice for protective barriers in and about buildings. BS 5489: Part 9: Code of practice for lighting for urban centres and public amenity areas. Technical Report, TR13: Lighting of Pedestrian Subways (1990) Institution of Lighting Engineers, Lennox House, 9, Lawford Road, Rugby CV21 2DZ. M Williams, Tactile markings for the guidance of visually handicapped pedestrians (TRL).
13.
2.
14.
15. 3.
18.
6.
19.
7.
20.
8.
10.
11.
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Chapter 8 Enquiries
8. ENQUIRIES
All technical enquiries or comments on this Standard should be sent in writing as appropriate to:-
Chief Highway Engineer The Department of Transport St Christopher House Southwark Street London SE1 OTE
The Deputy Chief Engineer The Scottish Office Industry Department Roads Directorate New St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3TG
The Director of Highways Welsh Office Y Swyddfa Gymreig Government Buildings Ty Glas Road Llanishen Cardiff CF4 5PL
Chief Engineer - Roads Service Dept. of the Environment for Northern Ireland Commonwealth House Castle Street Belfast BT1 1GU Orders for further copies should be addressed to:-
DOE/DOT Publications Sales Unit Government Building Block 3, Spur 2 Lime Grove Eastcote HA4 8SE
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