Volume 3

Part 25
Departures from
Standards Process
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25

Disclaimer

The State of Qatar Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) provides access to the Qatar
Highway Design Manual (QHDM) and Qatar Traffic Control Manual (QTCM) on the web and as hard copies
as Version (2.0) of these manuals, without any minimum liability to MOTC.

Under no circumstances does MOTC warrant or certify the information to be free of errors or deficiencies
of any kind.

The use of these manuals for any work does not relieve the user from exercising due diligence and sound
engineering practice, nor does it entitle the user to claim or receive any kind of compensation for damages
or loss that might be attributed to such use.

Any future changes and amendments will be made available on the MOTC web site. Users of these manuals
should check that they have the most current version.

Note: New findings, technologies, and topics related to transportation planning, design, operation, and
maintenance will be used by MOTC to update these manuals. Users are encouraged to provide feedback
through the MOTC website within a year of publishing these manuals, which will be reviewed, assessed,
and possibly included in the next version.

Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.

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Contents Page

Acronyms and Abbreviations..................................................................................................iv

1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Departures from Standards..................................................................................................................... 2
1.1.1. What is a Departure from Standard?................................................................................ 2
1.1.2. Justification for a Departure from Standard.................................................................. 2
1.1.3. Design Criteria Requiring the Departure from Standard Process......................... 3
1.1.4. Other Design Parameters..................................................................................................... 5
1.1.5. Roadside Barriers and Attenuators.................................................................................. 5

2 Departure from Standard Procedures – Determination and Monitoring................. 7

2.1 Departure from Standard – Procedures............................................................................................... 7
2.1.1. Departures from Standards Involving Design Criteria.............................................. 7
2.1.2. Programmatic Departures from Standards.................................................................... 7
2.1.3. Departures from Standards during Concept Development or Preliminary
Engineering................................................................................................................................ 8
2.1.4. Determine Impacts of Meeting Criteria.......................................................................... 8
2.1.5. Perform Transportation Risk Assessment..................................................................... 9
2.1.6. Mitigation Measures............................................................................................................ 10
2.1.7. Risk Assessment and Recommendations................................................................... 11
2.1.8. Review and Approval of Departures from Standard............................................... 12
2.2 Level of Detail Required for Departure from Standard Submission..................................... 12
2.3 Departures from Standards Tracking................................................................................................ 14
2.4 Determination of a Departure from Standard............................................................................... 14
2.5 Retroactive Departures from Standards.......................................................................................... 15
2.6 Monitoring Performance........................................................................................................................ 15

3 Departures from Standards – Mitigation Strategies................................................17

3.1 Design Speed............................................................................................................................................. 17
3.2 Lane Width.................................................................................................................................................. 18
3.3 Shoulder Width.......................................................................................................................................... 18
3.4 Bridge Width............................................................................................................................................... 19
3.5 Horizontal Alignment.............................................................................................................................. 19
3.6 Superelevation.......................................................................................................................................... 19
3.7 Vertical Alignment................................................................................................................................... 19
3.8 Grade............................................................................................................................................................. 20
3.9 Stopping Sight Distance........................................................................................................................ 20
3.10 Cross Slope.................................................................................................................................................. 20

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3.11 Vertical Clearance..................................................................................................................................... 20

3.12 Lateral Offset to Obstructions............................................................................................................ 21
3.13 Length of Acceleration and Deceleration Lanes on Freeways and Expressways.......... 21
3.14 Length of Weaving Section.................................................................................................................. 21
3.15 Structural Capacity.................................................................................................................................. 21
3.16 Cycle path or Shared-use Path............................................................................................................ 22
3.17 References on the Operational and Safety Effects of Roadway Elements...................... 22

References...............................................................................................................................23

Bibliography............................................................................................................................23

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Table

Table ‎1.1 Design Criteria and Controls Requiring Formal Departure from Standard Application......... 4
Table ‎2.1 Minimum Level of Information to be provided by the Applicant.................................................13

Figures

Figure ‎2.1 Procedures for Submitting and Reviewing Departures from Standards..................................11
Figure 3
‎ .1 Procedure for Departures from Standards...........................................................................................17

Appendixes

Appendix A Template for Minimum Information in a Departure Application..................................................25

Appendix B Template for a Departures Tracking Form............................................................................................29
Appendix C Template for a Departure Determination.............................................................................................33
Appendix D Potential Mitigation Strategies.................................................................................................................37

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

DDR Departure Determination Report

QHDM Qatar Highway Design Manual

SSD Stopping sight distance

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1 Introduction
This Part of the Qatar Highway Design Manual (QHDM) addresses Departures from Standards.
The QHDM establishes criteria for various situations to guide designers in developing
highways that provide accessibility and mobility, while improving safety and minimizing
adverse impacts at a reasonable cost.

Designers are often confronted with situations in which the site conditions preclude the
application of design values or dimensions that meet those published as minimums in the
QHDM. In such situations, designers may consider a Departure from the criteria.

The Qatar Highway Design Manual (QHDM) includes the design standards that should
be used for all roads and infrastructure projects in Qatar. The QHDM and design process
recognizes the need to consider Departures from Standards for unusual or special cases
where site conditions preclude the application of design values or dimensions that meet
those published in the QHDM.

If a designer concludes that a road project cannot be designed in complete accordance with
the standards defined for it as per QHDM, then he may propose a Departure from Standard.
The evaluation and justification for a Departure from Standards shall require the designer to
fully evaluate and document the total effects of the proposed design applying the design
standards in the QHDM. This analysis establishes a threshold and baseline of judging and
ultimately justifying the acceptance of the proposed Departure from Standard.

The proposal and acceptance of a Departure should be accompanied by a thorough technical

analysis of the potential operational or safety effects of the Departure, documentation of the
reasons for the Departure, and identification of demonstrably effective mitigation measures
to address any potential adverse effects.

This Part of the QHDM does the following:

• Defines what constitutes a Departure from Standards.

• Establishes procedures to be followed by design organizations when applying to the

Overseeing Organization for consideration of a Departure from Standards from the
QHDM for any road design project in Qatar.

• Establishes the preferred format for design organizations to use when applying for a
Departure from Standards.

• Specifies the appropriate type and depth of information and data to be submitted by the
design organizations when applying for a Departure from Standards.

• Defines the roles of Overseeing Organization in relation to reviewing and approving or

rejecting an application for a Departure from Standards.

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1.1 Departures from Standards

1.1.1 What is a Departure from Standard?
A Departure from Standard (or Design Exception) is a documented decision to design a
highway element or segment to design criteria that do not meet the minimum values or
ranges established for the given project.

A Departure is thus both a technical decision or action, and the administrative review
and approval of that action. If the design organization, which may be a private contractor,
professional staff of the Overseeing Organization, or any other body carrying out a design
function, concludes that a road project cannot be designed in complete accordance with the
standards defined for it per the QHDM, then it may propose a Departure from Standard.

The Departure from Standards process enables the reasoned acceptance of a deviation
from the prescribed standard, such acceptance conditioned by sufficient technical analysis
and complete documentation of the reason for the deviation for future reference. Should
the Overseeing Organization conclude in review of the evaluation that the Departure from
Standard is acceptable and includes appropriate mitigation measures, the road project may
proceed, incorporating the Departure from Standard.

1.1.2 Justification for a Departure from Standard

Factors that could cause Departures from Standards include adverse impacts on historic or
cultural resources, the environment, features or elements highly valued by the community,
and right-of-way acquisitions or land takes that are considered overly burdensome.
The acquisition and relocation of residences and businesses may be considered overly
burdensome regardless of the direct costs of such acquisitions.

Excessive construction costs may be cited as a consideration, but the justification for a
Departure from Standard shall require one or more factors noted above, and not merely the
reduction or savings in construction cost.

The evaluation and justification for a Departure from Standard shall require the designer to
fully evaluate and document the total effects of the proposed design applying the minimum
design standards in the QHDM. This analysis establishes a threshold and baseline of judging
and ultimately justifying the acceptance of the proposed Departure from Standard.

Any Departure from Standard may affect the operational quality or safety performance of the
road. Operational quality may involve reduced capacity, increased delay, or a restriction on
the accessibility or mobility for certain road users. Any and all such estimated adverse effects
shall be evaluated and documented to the best abilities of the Designer. The evaluation shall
include proposed mitigation measures that can be shown as being effective in addressing

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the specific identified adverse impact. The proposed mitigation measures and their cited
effectiveness shall be taken from reference to professional literature, research and technical
references cited in the QHDM.

Road projects will have a service life of 20 years or more. The impact of the Departure from
Standard on the location should be carefully analyzed and understood for both existing
conditions and expected or anticipated conditions 20 years hence.

The analysis, evaluation, and approval of each Departure from Standard must be documented
and kept for 25 years or for the design life of the project. The evaluation, justification, and
approval of the Departure from Standard is solely the responsibility of the Overseeing
Organization.

1.1.3 Design Criteria Requiring the Departure from Standard Process

The QHDM is the basic source of design criteria for designing roads and highways in Qatar.
The QHDM covers a wide range of geometric elements and dimensions. The establishing of
standard dimensions and elements facilitates quality control in both design and construction.
Many design standards are also established to aid in producing an acceptable level of
operational quality or safety performance.

The Departure from Standard process is focused on geometric design elements that are
expected to significantly influence operational or safety performance of the constructed
road. The relative importance or criticality of meeting the minimum published value for any
geometric element varies based the element itself and the dimension in question. Not every
geometric feature for which there are published minimum values is of equal importance.

The Departure from Standard process is intended to be rigorously conducted. To facilitate

the completion of design projects and the administration of the Departure from Standard
process, the process shall be administered only for geometric elements understood to be of
sufficiently critical concern that their proper design controls the basic performance of the
highway.

The technical knowledge base on highway geometric design suggests the following as being
geometric design criteria and design controls to be subject to the Departure from Standard
process for all roads designed and constructed in Qatar. Accordingly, the following criteria
and controls presented in Table ‎1.1 shall require formal Departure from Standard analysis
and approval by the Overseeing Organization.

Qatar Rail shall be notified about departures from Design Standards in cases where Qatar Rail
assets may be or are affected. Furthermore, it may be necessary to communicate with MoI if
change in shoulder widths/ lane widths cause issues for Emergency Vehicle movements; or
if speed camera is part of Mitigation Measures.

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Table ‎1.1 Design Criteria and Controls Requiring Formal Departure from Standard Application

Design Criteria and Control

1 Design speed Roads for which the selected design speed is outside the range specified for that road based
on its functional classification shall require a Departure from Standard for design speed.
2 Lane width Roads designed with lane widths less than the minimum width values specified for the
road classification and type shall require a Departure from Standard for lane width. Through,
mainline, and auxiliary lanes are included for all road types.
3 Shoulder width Roads designed with shoulder widths less than the minimum width values specified for the
road classification and type shall require a Departure from Standard for shoulder width.
4 Bridge width Bridges designed with less than the minimum width specified in the QHDM for the road’s
functional classification shall require a Departure from Standard for bridge width. The minimum
width includes width of lanes and shoulders between barriers, rails, curbs, or other vertical
elements.
5 Horizontal Roadways designed with horizontal curves that do not meet the minimum radius specified
curvature for the design speed for the road classification shall require a Departure from Standard for
horizontal curvature.
6 Superelevation Roadways designed with horizontal curves that do not meet the minimum specified
maximum superelevation, or rate of rotation of pavement on the approach to and through a
horizontal curve specified for a given curve radius shall require a Departure from Standard for
superelevation
7 Vertical Roadways designed with vertical curves that do not meet the minimum curve length for crest
alignment or sag vertical curves for the design speed shall require a Departure from Standard.
8 Grade Roadways designed with tangent grades that do not meet the minimum grade or maximum
grade specified for the road classification shall require a Departure from Standard.
9 Stopping sight Roadways designed with horizontal and vertical alignment, and with cross section values and
distance elements that do not meet the minimum specified stopping sight distance specified for the
road for the design speed shall require a Departure from Standard.
10 Cross slope Roadways designed with cross slope for lanes or shoulders that do not meet the minimum or
maximum rate of cross slope specified for the road shall require a Departure from Standard.
11 Vertical Roadways designed with less than the minimum vertical clear height of structures, measured
clearance from top of pavement to bottom of structure, specified for the road classifications over the
entire road below the structure, including travel lanes and shoulders, shall require a Departure
from Standard.
12 Lateral offset Roadways designed with less than the minimum distance from the edge of travel way or
to obstructions shoulder to vertical obstructions, curbs, barriers, bridge piers, utility poles, and trees shall
require a Departure from Standard.
13 Length of Interchange ramps on freeways or expressways designed with less than the minimum length
Acceleration of acceleration lane for entrance ramps and deceleration for exit ramps based on the design
and speed of the freeway and design speed of the ramp shall require a Departure from Standard.
Deceleration
Lanes
14 Length of Freeways, expressways and Arterials designed with weaving sections too short based on the
Weaving operational criteria established for the project for design year traffic shall require a Departure
Section from Standard.
15 Cycle path or By policy, pedestrians and cyclists are to be afforded a level of accessibility and mobility
shared-use consistent with that provided to motor vehicle users. New roads and reconstructed roads and
path bridges in Qatar shall provide infrastructure for the safe travel of pedestrians and cyclists,
such infrastructure to be designed in accordance with the standards published in the QHDM.
Any new road project or reconstruction project that does not include at least one cycle path or
shared-use path shall require a Departure from Standard. A cycle path or shared-use path with
design features not meeting the standards shall require a Departure from Standard.
16 Structural Bridges and other structures with less load-carrying capacity than required for the road
capacity classification require a Departure from Standard. This includes existing or proposed bridges and
the barriers and railings associated with them.

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1.1.4 Other Design Parameters

Designers shall use the QHDM to produce geometric design solutions for all elements of the
road, including those elements not listed above. The Overseeing Organization has review
and approval authority over all design elements of the project regardless of whether they
are included in the Departure from Standard requirements. Designer shall fully document the
use of the QHDM in project development and shall reveal to the Overseeing Organization the
use of design dimensions or values for elements not covered by the Departure from Standard
process.

1.1.5 Roadside Barriers and Attenuators

Volume 3, Part 23, Design and Operations of Road Safety, of this Manual, describes the
placement, design, and types of roadside barriers and attenuation devices installed to
protect motorists in the event of an impact. The requirements in Part 23 are not subject to a
Departure from Standard. That is, devices not meeting the requirements in Part 23 shall be
neither approved nor installed on roads in Qatar.

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2 Departure from Standard

Procedures – Determination and
Monitoring

2.1 Departure from Standard – Procedures

Geometric or structural elements that may need a Departure from Standard must be
fully examined and understood. The cost and impacts of meeting criteria and the safety
implications, risks, and mitigation measures for not meeting the criteria should be clearly
defined, analyzed, evaluated, and documented. Section2 of this Part outlines the procedures.

The need for a Departure from Standard may become evident at any time during the design of
the project. Designers are strongly encouraged to reveal, request approval and complete the
necessary evaluations as soon as the need for a Departure from Standard becomes evident.

2.1.1 Departures from Standards Involving Design Criteria

At the beginning of the project, the design criteria should be set and agreed to by the
designer and Overseeing Organization. At this stage, there may be a decision to select a
design speed for one or more roadways that is outside of the published values. Should this
be the case, a Departure from Standard evaluation should be performed and approved before
design work advances.

There may also be proposed a design criterion for one or more roadway features that are
outside the published values. This may occur with a reconstruction project, for example.
A Departure from Standard evaluation should be performed and approved for any such
proposed design criteria prior to advancing design work. In such cases, the Departure from
Standard may be sought for the geometric element for the entire project length, or only for
certain aspects of it. The request for the Departure from Standard should clearly state the
limits and extent of the request for the approval of the Overseeing Organization.

2.1.2 Programmatic Departures from Standards

For some major projects or even programs there may be design issues that are recognized early
in the project as being prevalent or common across the entire project. An example of this may
be the treatment of horizontal stopping sight distance through overcrossing ramps on high-
speed interchanges. Discussions between the designer and the Overseeing Organization can
result in an agreement to evaluate and assess a programmatic Departure from Standard that
would be applied to all such locations (within specified limits or conditions). This process is
intended to facilitate a reasoned and consistent approach to a recognized issue, and to do so
early in the project, thus facilitating design development in later stages.

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The acceptability of programmatic Departures from Standards is entirely at the discretion of

the Overseeing Organization. Applying this process on a project or a program does not mean
it will be agreed to or applied on subsequent projects or programs.

2.1.3 Departures from Standards during Concept Development or Preliminary Engineering

Most Departures from Standards will become evident during initial design development,
either in concept planning or preliminary engineering. These may become evident while the
design team is investigating multiple alternatives, with a Departure from Standard being
potentially necessary for one alternative but not for others.

Early identification, evaluation, and approval of Departures is strongly encouraged to

facilitate project development and decision-making, keep the project on schedule, and
minimize the chances of redesign. If a Departure from Standard is identified during the
alternatives development stage, the designer should perform the necessary evaluation for
the review and approval of the Overseeing Organization before the alternatives screening
and selection process. Approval at this stage would be contingent on the alternative being
selected; the presence of a Departure from Standard may be one of the evaluation criteria
for selection. Should the Overseeing Organization not approve the request for such a
“contingent” Departure from Standard, that action would constitute the screening out of the
alternative and its elimination from further consideration.

When a design has advanced to the stage at which the basic alignment and cross sections
have been fully developed, the need for Departures from Standards not previously identified
should become apparent. The sooner they are revealed, evaluated, and approved, the less
risk to the overall project.

2.1.4 Determine Impacts of Meeting Criteria

The designer should conduct sufficient design work to fairly and completely characterize
the impacts of the geometric criterion or element requiring the Departure from Standard.
This is best accomplished by producing a functional design (plan view, profile, and cross
sections) that illustrates the plan should the full standard be applied. This forms the basis
for comparison with the design that incorporates the Departure from Standard. Impacts
may be physical conflicts with valued resources, or in the added costs or difficulties of
implementation.

• Physical impacts may consist of direct conflicts with residences or other properties,
parks or green space, community resources, cultural sites, or parking lots, or proximity
conflicts that place the road so close to the property as to devalue it or degrade its
functionality.

• Environmental impacts may be associated with noise generation, stormwater, visual

impacts, or encroachment on sensitive lands or resources.

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• Implementation impacts may include difficulties or added complexities of construction,

detours or extended construction time.

The level of effort and detail in conducting the evaluation will be tailored to the specifics of
the project, as discussed in Section 2.2 of this Part. Approval of a Departure from Standard
typically will require quantitative estimates of impact (e.g., number of buildings taken,
hectares of land, and changes in proximity to resources, and cost of right-of-way). The
Overseeing Organization shall determine the level of detail needed and communicate that to
the designer and requestor of the Departure from Standard.

2.1.5 Perform Transportation Risk Assessment

The acceptability of a Departure from Standard typically will be based on an assessment of
the transportation performance risk. Potential transportation performance impacts include
reduction in motor vehicle capacity, degradation or loss of mobility or access for pedestrians
or cyclists, loss of on-street parking, and increased risk of severe crashes.

Traffic operational quality should be assessed using accepted methods and practices such
as the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual (Transportation Research
Board, 2010). Loss of access or mobility can be described in terms of changes in trip lengths.

The most important aspect of Departure from Standard analysis is the assessment of
safety or crash risk. The following approach provides a quantitative means of describing the
safety risk. It is derived from Mitigation Strategies for Design Exceptions (Federal Highway
Administration, 2007). (The term Departure is substituted here for design exception, the
terminology used by Federal Highway Administration):

• What is the traffic volume, traffic composition, and speed? Exposure to traffic is one of
the most critical factors in measuring the safety risk of any highway element or feature.
The more traffic to which the location is exposed, the greater the risk of crashes and
measurable traffic operational problems. A designer may reasonably accept a Departure
from Standard for curvature on a two-lane rural highway with low traffic, but be less
inclined to do so in a geometrically or physically comparable context with significantly
higher volumes. Composition of traffic is also important. Speed or anticipated speed is
another factor that influences risk, as the probability of severe crashes will increase as
speeds increase.

• What is the degree or severity of the Departure from Standard? How much a proposed
Departure from Standard deviates from the design criteria is one measure for evaluating
risk. The probability of safety or operational problems developing may increase as the
deviation from the design criteria increases. For example, the ability to provide 150 m of
stopping sight distance when 170 m is specified may be acceptable but providing only
80 m may not be.

• Are there multiple Departures from Standards at the same location? Another factor
that influences risk is the presence of two or more Departures from Standards that

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interact with each other at a particular location. There is research to support the view
that the presence of multiple geometric problems represents particular risk to drivers.

• What is the length of the Departure from Standard? The length of highway affected
by the Departure from Standard influences the degree of risk. Length is another
fundamental measure of exposure. The extent of this influence depends on many
factors, including the magnitude of variance of the Departure from Standard.

• Where is the location of the Departure from Standard relative to other risk factors?
Another important consideration is other highway elements (not necessarily Departures
from Standards) that may interact with the design element being evaluated. A good
example of this is a crest vertical curve where there are intersections within the curve
or beyond the crest. The safety risk of nonstandard stopping sight distance is greater at
such a location than at a curve where there are no intersections present.

The overriding objective of safety in Qatar is to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries. Crash
risk analyses should focus on crash types and conditions that create fatalities and serious
injuries. A Departure from Standard that may be perceived as increasing crashes that are by
their nature of low severity may be acceptable given this focus.

Internationally peer-reviewed research has established the relationships of roadway design

features to crash and injury risk. Designers should access and apply such knowledge to
enhance their quantitative assessment of crash risk.

2.1.6 Mitigation Measures

A design solution that includes one or more elements that do not meet standards may
potentially have adverse operational or safety implications. The Departure from Standard
process requires an evaluation of mitigation measures that are implementable at the location,
and that address the expected or potential adverse effect.

Some effective mitigation measures address driver comprehension and expectancy. As

discussed in Volume 1, Part 2, Planning, of this Manual, providing advance notice or warning
to drivers can improve their ability to navigate or react to an unusual situation. Other measures
may address basic human needs associated with visibility (e.g., lighting and delineation).

Designers should have a clear understanding of the interactive effects of the driver-vehicle-
road system and how it relates to the nature of the Departure from Standard. References
listed at the close of this Part provide useful information on effective mitigation measures.

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2.1.7 Risk Assessment and Recommendations

The designer should assemble all analyses and documentation into the format specified
in the following Section. The designer shall summarize the results and complete the
documentation with a recommendation.

A submitted request for a Departure from Standard by the designer is assumed to represent
the recommendation of the designer.

The designer or the design supervisor responsible for the designer shall seal and sign the
request for a Departure from Standard. Departure from Standard requests lacking the seal
and signature of a recognized and responsible professional engineer shall not be reviewed.

Figure ‎2.1 Procedures for Submitting and Reviewing Departures from Standards

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2.1.8 Review and Approval of Departures from Standard

The Overseeing Organization shall review the request for a Departure from Standard and
assess all risks and aspects.

Every location and decision is unique, and so Departures from Standards are approved
on a case-by-case basis. Approval of a Departure from Standard for one project with a
given design dimension in question does not guarantee approval in a subsequent request
involving different traffic and context features. The Overseeing Organization bears complete
responsibility for the final decision on the approval or denial of a Departure from Standard.

The Overseeing Organization and its consultants should make sure that the application for
Departures from Standards follows the process established in the QHDM, includes appropriate
supporting documents, and goes through the proper channels within the Overseeing
Organization for review, oversight, and approval.

The documentation from these processes serves as a historic record to refer to in the future.
This information should be kept in the Overseeing Organization’s archive for 25 years or the
design life of the project.

2.2 Level of Detail Required for Departure from Standard

Submission
Departure from Standard submission documents must contain at least the following
information:

• Basic Information: A general description of the existing road, including location, length,
beginning and end stations, posted speed, current traffic volumes, maps, plans, and
drawings. The design organization should also note and describe interaction of other
Departures at same location or in vicinity.

• Design Elements: A description of the road characteristics, including classification,

number of lanes, current traffic data for volume and composition, posted speed,
pavement width, shoulder width, bridge width, horizontal curvature and superelevation,
vertical profile in plans, profiles, cross sections, detail drawings, and any other pertinent
information.

• Explanation: A fully documented description and detailed, quantitative analysis and

discussion of the controlling criteria that require a Departure from Standard including:

- Description of the Departure and speed for the Departure, if applicable

- Historic crash data as appropriate and how it is related to the Departure
- Potential impact of the Departure on safety
- Environmental, right-of-way, and economic impacts to meet design criteria
- Mitigation measures
- Supporting documents

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A Departure from Standard application should provide the level of information outlined in
Table ‎2.1 and Appendix A of this Part.

The following shall be noted with respect to approved Departures from Standards:

• The approval of a Departure in no way precludes the Overseeing Organization from

requesting that certain additional measures be carried out at a future date in relation to
the approvals given.

• The approval of a Departure, with or without comments, does not imply that the
Overseeing Organization relieves the design organization of responsibility for the
design.

• Departures are approved on a location-specific basis and relate to the particular

circumstances identified in each submission. A similar Departure approval may be
quoted to support a new application, but each case will be considered on its own merits.

• When the same nonstandard method or material is proposed for use at more than one
location, the Overseeing Organization may allow group Departures in certain, clearly
defined circumstances.

Table 2
‎ .1 Minimum Level of Information to be provided by the Applicant

Submission Requirements
Project Details • General description of the project
• Statement of the route strategy and a description of the road’s context,
including contiguous affected adjacent sections of roads
• Road type and category
• Existing and proposed roadway cross section
• Proposed design speed of the road under review
• Current and design-year traffic data, including traffic composition, turning
movements, and assumptions made with respect to traffic growth factors

Description of • Plan’s location map showing the extent of the project, the location of proposed
Departure from and existing Departures from Standards, and other related features
Standard • Appropriate drawings of each proposed Departure and its approaches, including
plan, profile, and cross sections; drawings at a minimum of 1:500 and 1:2000
scale on A4 or A3 and Project Map at 1:10,000 scale.
• Record of sight distance on plans against station, where appropriate
• Relationship of the proposed Departure to the desirable minimum standard,
with reference to the appropriate sections of the QHDM
• Relationship of related design elements and other proposed or existing
Departures from Standards that may affect the proposed Departure

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Submission Requirements
Justification • Detailed justification for the proposed Departure for economic, environmental,
or other savings
• Details of alternative solutions investigated that were dismissed in favor of the
proposed Departure, including a compliant design
• State the cost differentials between the adopted solution and any alternatives
considered, such as difference in capital costs, maintenance costs, vehicle
operating costs, crash costs, and other user advantages or disadvantages
• Effects that the proposed Departure may have on the environment in regard
to humans, flora, fauna, soil, water, air, climate, landscape, or cultural heritage,
compared to any alternatives considered

Safety • Description and quantities of the likely effects of the proposed Departure on
Implications the safety of the road user and undertake as appropriate:
— A risk assessment of any significant safety hazard that might occur,
including the effects on all user categories
— A review of the crash records for last 3-year period for which they are
available

Structural • Where appropriate, details of any possible impact the proposed Departure may
Integrity have on the structural integrity or stability of earthworks, structures, road
pavement, or other elements pertaining to structural integrity.

Essential • Mitigation measures considered necessary or advisable to provide mitigation for

Mitigation the adverse effects of the proposed Departure, such as:
Measures — Adjustments to alignment geometry
— Use of upgraded materials, such as high friction surfacing
— Improved/additional traffic signs and road markings
— Enforcement measures, such as speed cameras
— Statutory measures, such as speed restrictions

2.3 Departures from Standards Tracking

It is the responsibility of the design organization to identify and track Departures from
Standards for the road project and to submit these to the Overseeing Organization for review
and approval as soon as they are identified. The design organization should also note and
describe interaction of Departures, if there are more than one Departure. Early submission
is advised because applications must be approved before incorporating the Departure into
the works.

Project Departures from Standards should be recorded on a Departures Tracking Form to

monitor their approval or rejection progress. Appendix B of this Part provides a template.

2.4 Determination of a Departure from Standard

The Departure from Standard determination represents the Overseeing Organization’s formal
acceptance for inclusion or rejection of the design organization’s application for a Departure
from Standard. The Departure determination includes any essential mitigation measures to
mitigate the effects of the proposed Departure.

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A Departure Determination Report (DDR) presents an analysis of the proposed Departure

from Standard together with the recommendation as to whether or not the Departure should
be approved. The DDR also advises on the mitigation measures considered essential to
mitigating the effects of the proposed Departure.

The Overseeing Organization has a duty of care in considering an application for a Departure
from Standard. The Overseeing Organization needs to be able to demonstrate that its
actions were fair and reasonable, and that due diligence was applied in the determination
of the Departure. For this reason, Departure determinations and DDRs are retained by the
Overseeing Organization for at least 25 years following implementation of the Departure
from Standard. Appendix C of this Part contains a template of Departure determination.

2.5 Retroactive Departures from Standards

A Departure from Standard should not be determined after it has been incorporated into the
works. Expensive remedial measures may be required so either the works are modified to
conform to the required standard or the appropriate arrangements are made for any loss of
benefits or future liabilities, including enhanced maintenance practices.

2.6 Monitoring Performance

The final step in the Departure from Standard process is monitoring the road after construction
to document the safety and operational performance of the Departure. Monitoring data
collected for a road with a Departure and mitigation measures employed to justify the
Departure could be analyzed and used to both address problems at the current location and
to serve as a lesson learned in future projects.

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3 Departures from Standards –

Mitigation Strategies
This section is provided to assist designers in developing potentially effective mitigation
measures for Departures from Standards.

Mitigation strategies presented in this section provide both commonly applied and innovative
ideas and measures to lessen the potentially adverse effects of Departures from Standards
on operational and safety aspects of the road. This section presents several possible
strategies for Departures from Standard. The ideas presented herein are neither exhaustive
nor inclusive of all possible mitigation strategies for each Departure. Nor are these strategies
necessarily the best solution for a particular location. Designers should use the information
as a guide to develop customized strategies for the particular project and the Departure from
Standard for the specific location in which they are working. Figure 3.1 shows the Departure
from Standard procedure.

Figure ‎3.1 Procedure for Departures from Standards

3.1 Design Speed

Design speed is not a roadway element but rather a controlling factor with a range of
design values for a particular road classification that offers a great deal of flexibility to
avoid Departure from Standard. If design speed is reduced below the range for a given
classification, a Departure is needed. One strategy to mitigate a Departure for design speed
would be to consider changing the roadway cross-sectional elements and dimensions with
advance signage.

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3.2 Lane Width

Lanes and shoulders are perhaps the most important elements of every road. Standard lane
width ranges from 3.30 m to 3.65 m (apart from service roads and one-way single lane
residential local roads) based on road classification. Standard lane widths sometimes cannot
be provided because of right-of-way constraints, and so a Departure is necessary. Some of
the most common mitigation strategies to justify reduced lane width are listed below. The
object is to maintain or improve safety and operational capacity of the road while avoiding
costly right-of-way impacts.

• Distribute cross-sectional width between lane and shoulder. Determine the most
effective use of the available width for lane and shoulder. Shoulder width could be
reduced to accommodate a wider lane, or road width could be reduced to accommodate
a wider shoulder. This determination should be made based on specific characteristics
of the site, including functional classification of the road, traffic volume and type, crash
history and type, and road geometry.

• Provide advance warning. Erect traffic signs, including dynamic message signs or both,
to warn motorists of the reduced width of lane or shoulder ahead. The warning could be
once or repeated, based on the specific conditions of the site. Signage spacing should
be in accordance with the requirements of the Qatar Traffic Control Manual.

• Reduce posted speed. Depending on the reduction in lane width, reduced speed could
be a strategy to improve safety and maintain acceptable level of operational capacity.
However, design speed should not be reduced below the minimum because that would
affect road classification and other criteria and thus trigger additional Departures from
Standards. If reducing design speed below the minimum is the only effective measure,
Departures from Standards for other roadway elements, including cross section,
curvature, superelevation, and vertical curve, may also be needed. Nevertheless, traffic
signs must be erected well in advance of the location where lane width and speed are
reduced.

• Provide recessed, raised, or wide pavement markings.

• Provide raised profile edge markings along centerline or shoulders or both.

• Improve visibility with lighting and delineators.

• Provide paved and gently sloped shoulders and gently sloped fills.

• Segregate or relocate fixed objects, cycle lanes, and steep slopes.

• Provide pull-off areas for disabled vehicles and law enforcement.

3.3 Shoulder Width

See Section 3.2, Lane Width, of this Part, for mitigation strategies.

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3.4 Bridge Width

Improving the ability of drivers to see a narrow bridge before entering it keeps drivers alert and
comfortable to maintain normal speeds, or at least not reduce speed suddenly, which helps
to avoid rear-end crashes and traffic delays. The following list contains common mitigation
measures to avoid potential head-on crashes or side swipes with approach guardrails, bridge
rails, bridge barriers, and oncoming vehicles and to improve safety of motorists:

• Provide advance signage, reflectors, post-mounted delineators, and object markers to

inform drivers of the narrow bridge ahead.

• Improve visibility, including bridge lighting, visible pavement markings, and bridge
railings, so that drivers can see these objects.

• Provide high-friction pavement to prevent vehicles from skidding.

• Provide surveillance and pull-off areas for emergencies and quick-response teams.

3.5 Horizontal Alignment

Strategies to mitigate sharp curves include the following. Designers may refer to these but
also develop additional strategies specific for the location:

• Advance signage and pavement markings to get drivers’ attention

• Delineators, reflectors, lighting, and chevrons to help drivers stay in lane

• Wider road (carriageway/ shoulders), skid-resistant pavement to help drivers stay in lane

• Raised profile edge markings along shoulder and centerline to alert drivers crossing
their lanes

• Paved shoulder and gentle slopes to help drivers recover and traverse

• Removal, relocation, or shielding of fixed objects to reduce crash severity

3.6 Superelevation
See Section 3.5, Horizontal Alignment, of this Part, for mitigation strategies.

3.7 Vertical Alignment

Departures from Standards for vertical alignments for the most part are related to grade
and sight distance. Strategies should be focused on providing drivers with advance warning
regarding steep grades, improving sight distance, and providing positive drainage on flat
slopes. Strategies to mitigate substandard vertical curves grade and sight distance could
include the following:

• Advance warning signage, including dynamic signage to increase awareness

• Lighting, pavement markings, delineators, and raised profile edge markings to help
drivers see lane lines and stay within lanes

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• Paved shoulders and gentle slopes to improve recovery

• Wide-paved shoulders and clear recovery areas (clear zones) to avoid crashes

• Provision for positive drainage to improve drainage on flat vertical curves

• Removal, relocation, or shielding of fixed objects to reduce crash severity

• Placing warnings signs for hidden obstructions, as well as lighting and adjusting lane
locations to improve sight distance

3.8 Grade
See Section 3.7, Vertical Alignment, of this Part, for mitigation strategies.

3.9 Stopping Sight Distance

See Section 3.7, Vertical Alignment, of this Part, for mitigations strategies.

3.10 Cross Slope

The cross slope on roads provides positive drainage and eliminates the possibility of ponding,
which potentially creates slippery driving conditions. Mitigation strategies could include the
following:

• Place advance signage to inform motorists of potential ponding on the road ahead.

• Provide open-graded friction courses on hot-mix asphalt pavement to improve drainage.

• Provide continuous-edge drains to prevent flooding of travel lanes.

• Provide pavement texture or grooving to increase surface friction.

3.11 Vertical Clearance

Substandard vertical clearance without proper mitigation could cause major damage to
people and property, including bridges. Mitigation strategies could include these:

• Signing, a common mitigation strategy for informing drivers of the low vertical clearance
ahead. Signs should be erected well in advance of the structure to allow drivers to turn
around or use alternate routes.

• Alternate routes and detours for trucks and large vehicles to help avoid impact to
structures with low clearance.

• Erecting warning sign with chimes and overhead protection systems across the traveled
lanes.

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3.12 Lateral Offset to Obstructions

When sufficient distance between fixed objects along the road and the roadway cannot be
provided, some of the following measures could be deployed:

• The best mitigation is to enhance the visibility of the object by using reflectors and
delineators.

• Lighting improves visibility of the object at night and illuminates the road and sidewalk
for pedestrians.

• Clear delineation of the lane lines and raised profile edge markings can help motorists
stay in lanes.

• Re-allocation of roadway width to provide a full outside lane can help drivers stay within
lanes.

3.13 Length of Acceleration and Deceleration Lanes on Freeways

and Expressways
Acceleration and deceleration lanes serve to enable the entrance merging and exit diverging
maneuvers onto high-speed freeways and expressways. Where such lanes are shorter than
those specified for the design speed conditions, the following mitigation measures may be
used:

• Convert the freeway mainline shoulder for some distance to an auxiliary lane. (This
would require a Departure from Standard for shoulder width.)

• Convert the shoulder between an entrance ramp and exit ramp to an auxiliary lane. (This
would require a Departure from Standard for shoulder width.)

• Reconstruct the diverge or merge gore, shortening the length of ramp proper.

• Flatten the controlling curve in proximity to the entrance gore or exit gore, thus
increasing the entry speed and enabling deceleration for exits through a milder curve.

3.14 Length of Weaving Section

• See Section 3.13 of this Part for mitigation strategies.

3.15 Structural Capacity

The most common strategy for bridges without sufficient load-carrying capacity is the use
of warning and advisory signs installed well in advance of the bridge, to allow heavy vehicles
to turn around or use alternative routes. Signs should be large, visible, and placed at proper
intervals prior to bridges with deficient structural capacity. Appendix D of this Part contains
a list of potential mitigation strategies.

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3.16 Cycle path or Shared-use Path

Provision of a cycle path or shared-use path is a requirement on new and reconstructed
roads. There is a greater likelihood of providing cycle lanes on new roads where the right-of-
way has not been fixed, or a cycle path has been included in the cross section of the road.
However, there might be occasions when the presence of sensitive environmental sites,
cultural and community resources, national and historic landmarks adjacent to the project
may restrict provision of cycle lanes or shared-use paths along a segment of a road. Those
cases may require Departures from Standards.

Mitigation strategies could include re-allocation of the available width between lanes,
medians, shoulders, curbs, barriers, sidewalks, utility and landscaping strips, and cycle lanes
or shared-use paths. Lane and shoulder widths could be reduced, utilities could be rerouted
or stacked vertically to reduce width of utility strip, and the width of the landscaping strip
could be reduced or eliminated to accommodate the cycle lane. If cycle lanes are adjacent to
the travel lane, safety measures, including tall railings or guardrails or barriers or walls, must
separate the cycle path from the travel lane to protect cyclists from being thrown on to the
path of vehicles in the event of crashes.

Cycle lanes or shared-use paths could be rerouted through other streets where cycle lanes
or shared-use paths already exist or can be accommodated. Sufficient signage should be
provided.

3.17 References on the Operational and Safety Effects of

Roadway Elements
The bibliography provides a listing of key research and other documents for background on
roadway design related to operations and safety. These should be referenced by designers in
developing and evaluating the risks of Departures from Standards and in selecting mitigation
strategies.

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References

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Mitigation Strategies for Design Exceptions. U.S. Department of
Transportation: Washington, DC, United States. 2007.

Transportation Research Board (TRB). Highway Capacity Manual, 5th edition. Washington DC, United
States. 2010.

Bibliography

AASHTO. Highway Safety Manual. 1st edition. American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials. Washington, DC, United States. 2010.

Austroads. An Introductory Guide for Evaluating Effectiveness of Road Safety Treatments. Sydney,
Australia. 2012.

Austroads. Effectiveness of Road Safety Engineering Treatments. Sydney, Australia. 2012.

Elvik, Rune, et al. The Handbook of Road Safety Measures, 2nd edition. Institute of Transport Economics,
Oslo, Norway. 2009.

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Guidance for the Implementation of the
AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Report 500 series, Volumes 1–20. Transportation Research
Board: Washington, DC, United States. Various dates.

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Evaluation of Safety Strategies at

Signalized Intersections. Report 705. Transportation Research Board: Washington, DC, United States.
2011.

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems.
2nd edition. Report 600. Transportation Research Board: Washington, DC, United States. 2012.

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Recent Roadway Geometric Design
Research for Improved Safety and Operations. A Synthesis of Highway Practice. Issue 432.
Transportation Research Board: Washington, DC, United States. 2012.

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Appendix A
Template for Minimum
Information in a
Departure Application

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Appendix B
Template for a Departures
Tracking Form

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Template for a Departures Tracking Form

POxx - Group xx - Project name

Document Control Number Reviewer/Approver Name

Revision No 0 -/-/YEAR

1 -/-/YEAR

2 -/-/YEAR

Departure Reference Number POxx-yy

Project Phase/ Section POx-Cl

Design Stage Preliminary design

Short Description Stopping sight distance (SSD) substandard

Minimum Standard Required SSD=215m @ 100 kph Design speed (QHDM, Tab 2.1)

Minimum Standard Achieved SSD=190m

Justification Land acquisition constraint to implement a larger horizontal radius to improve the
SSD.

Mitigation Proposed Reduce speed in advance of the horizontal curve by implementing a posted speed
zone of 80 kph. Warning signs (W107, W200 & W301) for bend head will be
implemented.

Notes/Remarks Design speed of 90 kph and SSD = 187 m can be achieved

Note: Table contains example information.

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Appendix C
Template for a Departure
Determination

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This appendix includes the standard template for a draft Departure Determination.

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Appendix D
Potential Mitigation Strategies

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Potential Mitigation Strategies

Design Elements Objective Potential Mitigation Strategies
1. Design Speed Reduce operating speeds to the Cross-sectional elements to manage speed.
design speed.
2. Lane Width and Optimize safety and operations by Select optimal combination of lane and shoulder width
Shoulder Width distributing available cross-sectional based on site characteristics.
width.
Provide advance warning of lane Signing.
width reduction.
Improve ability to stay within the Wide pavement markings.
lane. Recessed pavement markings.
Raised pavement markings
Delineators.
Lighting.
Centerline raised profile edge markings.
Shoulder raised profile edge markings.
Improve ability to recover if driver Paved or partially-paved shoulders.
leaves the lane. Safety edge.
Reduce crash severity if driver Remove or relocate fixed objects.
leaves the roadway. Traversable slopes.
Breakaway safety hardware.
Shield fixed objects and steep slopes.
Provide space for enforcement and Pull-off areas.
disabled vehicles.
3. Bridge Width Provide advance warning and Signing.
delineation of narrow bridge. Reflectors on approach guardrailand bridge rail.
Improve visibility of narrow bridge,
bridge rail, and lane lines. Post-mounted delineators.
Object markers.
High-visibility bridge rail.
Enhanced pavement markings.
Maintain pavement on bridge that Skid-resistant pavement.
will provide safe driving conditions. Anti-icing systems.
Reduce crash severity if driver Crashworthy bridge railand approach guardrail.
leaves the roadway.
Provide space for disabled vehicles Pull-off areas
or emergencies on long bridges.
Provide quick response to disabled Surveillance.
vehicles or emergencies on long
bridges.

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Design Elements Objective Potential Mitigation Strategies

4. Horizontal Provide advance warning. Signing.
Alignment and Pavement marking messages.
Superelevation
Dynamic curve warning systems.
Provide delineation. Chevrons.
Post-mounted delineators.
Reflectors on barrier.
Improve ability to stay within the Widen the roadway.
lane. Skid-resistant pavement.
Enhanced pavement markings.
Lighting.
Centerline raised profile edge markings.
Shoulder raised profile edge markings.
Painted edgeline raised profile edge markings
Improve ability to recover if driver Paved or partially paved shoulders.
leaves the lane. Safety edge.
Reduce crash severity if driver Remove or relocate fixed objects.
leaves the roadway. Traversabl e slopes.
Breakaway safety hardware.
Shield fixed objects and steep slopes.
5. Vertical See (6) Grade and (7) Stopping Sight Distance.
Alignment
6. Grade Provide advance warning. Signing.
Improve safety and operations for Climbing lanes.
vehicles ascending or descending Downgrade lanes.
steep grades.
Capture out-of-control vehicles Escape ramps.
descending steep grades.
Improve ability to stay within the Enhanced pavement markings.
lane. Delineators.
Centerline raised profile edge markings.
Shoulder raised profile edge markings.
Painted edgeline raised profile edge markings.
Improve ability to recover if driver Paved or partially-paved shoulders.
leaves the lane. Safety edge.
Reduce crash severity if driver Remove or relocate fixed objects.
leaves the roadway. Traversabl e slopes.
Breakaway safety hardware.
Shield fixed objects and steep slopes.
Address drainage on flat grades. Adjusting gutter profile on curbed cross sections.
Continuous drains.

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Design Elements Objective Potential Mitigation Strategies

7. Stopping Sight Mitigate sight distance restrictions. Signing and speed advisory plaques (crest vertical curves).
Distance Lighting (sag vertical curves).
Adjust placement of lane within the roadway cross section
(horizontal).
Cross-sectional elements to manage speed.
Improve ability to avoid crashes. Wide shoulders.
Wider clear recovery area.
Improve driver awareness on Advanced warning signs.
approach to intersections. Dynamic warning signs.
Larger or additional STOP/YIELD signs.
Intersection lighting.
8. Cross Slope Provide warning of slick pavement. Signing.
Improve surface friction. Pavement grooving (PCC pavement).
Open-graded friction courses (HMA pavement).
Improve drainage. Transverse pavement grooving (PCC pavement).
Open-graded friction courses (HMA pavement).
Pavement edge drains.
Mitigate cross-slope break on the Modified shoulder cross slope.
high side of superelevated curves.
9. Vertical Advance warning. Signing.
Clearance Preventing impacts with low Alternate routes.
structures. Large vehicle restrictions.
10. Lateral Offset Improve visibility of objects near the Delineate objects.
to Obstruction roadway. Lighting.
Optimize operations by distributing Provide full outside lane width and/or additional offset.
available cross-sectional width.
Improve visibility of the lane lines. Enhanced pavement markings.
11. Length of Advnce warning signs.
Acceleration Dynamic warning signs.
and Use of shoulder as a lane during peak periods.
Deceleration Ramp metering.
Lanes Reconstrutcion of ramp merge or divere areas to lengthen accel or decel lane length.
12. Length of Advnce warning signs.
Weaving Dynamic warning signs.
Section Ramp metering.
Reconstrutcion of ramp merge and divere areas to lenthen weaving length.
Re-routing on-ramp traffic during peak periods.
Re-routing off-ramp traffic
13. Cycle Path or Reduce width of shoulder, hard strip, verge or even lane.
Shared-use path Re-route shared-use or cycle path off of the street.
Re-route shared-use path or cycle path along adjacent streets.
14. Structural Not addressed in this Guide.
Capacity

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