Visibility Splays and Sight Lines

 

Visibility Splays and Sight Lines

Visibility Splays and sight lines are an essential feature of an access or junction as it allows traffic on the minor road to see cyclists, vehicles and pedestrians on the main road.  An unobstructed visibility splay or sight line allows a motorist to see and be seen and with appropriate visibility splays or sight lines road users have time to see and react to any potential incident.

Although they have the same function Visibility Splays tend to be areas of land which are dedicated to the Highway Authority as part of the public highway forming part of a new road junction. Sight lines tend to be protected areas of land within the junction design but which will not normally form part of the public highway.

What is a Visibility Splay or Sight Line?

The diagram below indicates the correct interpretation of sight lines at a simple priority road junction, but equally applies to a private access point or individual driveway.

Visibility Splays and Sight Lines
Measuring a Visibility Splay

There are two key dimensions known as the X and Y distances.

Firstly the X distance is measured from the nearside edge of the carriageway back to the position of the driver’s eye line, which for an average car, is 2.4m back and at a height of 1.05 metres above the carriageway of the minor road, access or drive.

Secondly, the Y distance - this is the distance over which vision should be provided to enable the emerging driver to see approaching main road traffic and for that traffic to see the emerging vehicle.

The Y distance is measured from the centre line of the access to the location on the main road of the approaching vehicle based on the calculated findings of the radar speed survey. The faster the approaching vehicles, the longer the distance required to see and be seen.

Visibility splays/sight lines are measured in both a horizontal and vertical plane. The resultant visibility envelope is the area within which the driver of a vehicle emerging from the minor road is able to see to the left and right along the main carriageway at an object height of 600mm. This vertical requirement is to ensure that drivers’ vision is not obstructed by crests in the main road where a “blind summit” may occur or by other features.

Within the visibility splay or sight line envelope there should be no obstructions to vision such as walls or vegetation etc. within the vertical profile.

Require Assistance with a Speed Survey?

Sanderson Associates have enjoyed over 37 years in business, we have extensive experience in assisting our Clients with Speed Surveys in relation to a host of highway planning matters for a variety of developments throughout the UK, Isle of Man and Ireland.

We would be pleased to provide you with our competitive fee proposal to assist you with a Speed Survey, please call us on 01924 844080 or click here to complete our secure online form.

Visibility Splays, Sight Lines
Junction, Unobstructed Visibility Splay
Measuring a Visibility Splay, Visibility Splays and Sight Lines
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