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1960s Highway and intersection measurements

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  • Member since
    February 2015
  • 6 posts
1960s Highway and intersection measurements
Posted by Pastor Ben on Sunday, April 5, 2015 5:45 PM

Looking for information on highway, street, and intersection measurements for the 1960s.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Monday, April 6, 2015 4:25 AM

 

While not dimensioned the pavement marking sections of the 1948 and 1961 MUTCD may be of assistance  https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/ghawkins/MUTCD-History_files/1948%20MUTCD/1948-Pt2_Markings.pdf

http://www.trafficsign.us/oldmutcd/1961/2-markings.pdf

You can assume 10 or 12 ft lanes and base other dimensions  on that assumption. 

Lanes will be 10-12 feet wide there may or may not be paved shoulders. 

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You can also determine dimensions by looking at Google Earth and Google Maps aerials.  Although the photos are too recent in most areas most of the roads (except possibly for  pavement markings) have not changed.

 Many of the rural roads and city streets  have not changed in  cross section since the 1950's or even earlier.

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This is the at grade intersection chaper  of the California DOT (Caltrans) Highway Design Manual.  It is the 2008 edition but the principles have not changed.  Intesection sizes may vary  depending on the size of vehicle they are designed to handle  (autos, buses, trucks, large trucks).

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/hdm/pdf/chp0400.pdf

This page has links to the Design Manuals of the various States.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/statemanuals.cfm

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • 2,314 posts
Posted by don7 on Monday, April 6, 2015 2:13 PM

Standard road r/w width is 60 feet wide. In this width is the road and any sidewalks.  In the 1960's underground services were rare so you would also find your electricity and telephone lines on poles usually located in the road r/w.                                          

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Monday, April 6, 2015 10:10 PM

don7

Standard road r/w width is 60 feet wide. In this width is the road and any sidewalks.  In the 1960's underground services were rare so you would also find your electricity and telephone lines on poles usually located in the road r/w.                                          

 

They still are usually on poles . In my part of the country undergrounding is generally limited to new roads, major rebuilding of old roads, and often not even then..

Right of way can be Perscriptive (the road is where it is) with no legal documentation.  Easement , or Fee. Normally  Easments and Fee R/W will be 30' , 40', 50', 80', or 100'  depend on the importance of the road when the R/W was acquirerd  and rarely oddball dimensions. Freeway R/W is much wider and often variable. The road may fill the R/W or particulary in the case of a minor road or a wide R/W only occupy part of it.  Except for freeways where longitudinal  utilities are rarely allowed, utilities and road drainage and usually perdestrian facilities (if any) will be in the R/W.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

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