TOPIC 1 – THE HIGHWAY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

HIGHWAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES

In early 1900s, transportation in the Philippines depended largely on trails, waterways, railroad, earth roads and partially-graveled roads. The US government
initiated the development of roadways in the Philippines connecting towns, cities, and provinces. The popular Macadam road type was introduced. After the World War II, the
new independent Philippine government continued the rehabilitation and construction of roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructures, through the reparations and war
damages paid by the Japanese government. Other financial grants and aids received from the US government were used in the construction and rehabilitation of roads,
bridges, buildings and other infrastructure. Twenty years later, major highways and expressways were constructed with financial assistance and loans from the World Bank
and IMF. The boom in vehicles import which was flooding the roadways needs an impact projects to boost the economy necessitated the loan from foreign banks.

The year 1950 to the early 1980 it was considered as the “automobile age”. It was during the decade that road construction becomes a matter of priority of the
government under the slogan: “This nation is on Wheels”. Modern highways development continued, developments in equipment and management techniques have
revolutionized construction and maintenance methods. Advanced knowledge in the field of soils and various highway materials were adopted for reliability and economic
considerations.

PLANNING DIFFICULTIES

1. Financial – refers to the poor economic condition of our government in generating funds. This results to temporary shelving of plans for the construction of roads and
highways.

2. Political – refers to the politician(s) who twist or alter the said plan for his/her own personal interest. This results to delay of construction or nothing at all.

3. Technical – refers to the efficiency of the technical men and professionals involved in the said project.

HIGHWAY PROGRAMMING

Projects that are most economically viable are selected or prioritized, that is, if they fit in the financial capability and political criteria. And if they don’t pass on
either one of the criteria, such project shall be abandoned or shall be subjected to modification passing through rigorous tests in order to come up with a substitute or an
alternative.

3 INPUTS INVOLVED IN HIGHWAY PROGRAMMING

1. Economic – deals with the question of resources

2. Financial – who pays, who spends, how much and where
3. Political & Administration – involves decision making

HIGHWAY PROGRAMMING APPROACHES

1. Financial resources – may be short or long range depending on the agencies’ function
2. Recognition of the legislative and administrative desire and constraint
3. Tentative priorities based on economic analysis, critical situations, present and future expected levels of traffic and claims based on political subdivisions
4. Providing a continuity of route system and coordination with other transportation mode
5. Selection of projects, availability of labor and materials and the climatic conditions
6. Scheduling the project implementation in coordination with other agencies, acquiring right of way and making final plan and specifications.
7. Budgetary reserve to cover emergencies such as floods and other natural disasters

DIRECT EFFECTS OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND ITS USE

A. Quantifiable Market Value

1. Cost Of Highway. Planning Cost, Right of Way Appropriation, Construction Cost, Maintenance Cost, Operating Cost

2. Cost Benefits To Highway Users. Vehicle Operating Cost (includes congestion cost) net increase or decrease in costs of vehicle operation per year, Travel Time
Savings (commercial) net increase or decrease in travel time multiplied by the peso value of commercial time, Motorist Safety (economic cost accident) net change in expected
number of accidents times average cost per accident per year

B. Non-Quantifiable Non-Market Value

1. Cost Benefits to Highway Users

a. Motorists Safety – accident cost of pain suffering and deprivation

b. Comfort and Conversion – discomfort, inconvenience and strain of driving
c. Aesthetic from Driving Viewpoint – benefit of pleasing views and scenery from road

C. Quantifiable Non-Market Value

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 1. Cost Benefits to Highway Users – traveling time savings (non-commercial);
– minutes save per vehicles trip

LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED HIGHWAY

Early roads started from trails. The development and popular use of motor vehicles prompted road agencies to improve road alignment and minimize sharp curves.

To improve highways, there must be a tentative plan regarding the control and minimum design speed, roadways cross sections and maximum slope with the following
considerations:
1. Reliable estimate of the cost.
2. Character and hourly distribution of traffic.
3. Economic and community benefit factor.
4. Availability of funds.

Activities
1. Reconnaissance survey of the entire area:
a. Stereoscopic examination of all small scale aerial photographs of the area. This is usually supplemented by available maps.
b. Determination of controls of topography and land use.
c. Location of feasible routes based on photographs and maps.
2. Reconnaissance survey of feasible route:
a. Stereoscopic examination of large scale aerial photographs of each route.
b. Determination of the detailed controls of photography and land use.
c. Preparation of route maps by photogrammetric methods.
d. Location and comparison of feasible routes on photographs and maps.
e. Selection of the best routes.
3. Preliminary survey of the best route:
a. Preparation of large scale topographic maps using the route photographs and photogrammetric methods.
b. Design of the preliminary location.
4. Location survey:
a. Staking of the right of way and of the highway and structure for construction.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The public has the right to hear and be heard. They should participate in planning and decision making. It is a common practice to call public hearing after all major decisions
were made and approved. The public should be involved from the start of planning for the chance to participate in the activities such as the following:
1. Solicit the cooperation and support of well-known public officials, non-government organizations, influential persons and conservative group of the
community.
2. Creating special staff to carry this function.
3. Community leadership to participate in the planning stage.
4. Organize and develop skilled person for conducting meeting, workshop, hearing and other related activities.

HIGHWAY ECONOMY
Most highways of progressive countries were financed by a financing institution such as the IMF and World Bank. A country who will not avail of loans and grants from foreign
institutions could not feel great impact in their infrastructure projects if domestic income through taxes alone will be depended on. However, financing institution such as the
world bank insists that projects to which they make grants or loans be justified primarily on an economic basis. According to W. Gillespe, a professor of Civil Engineering at
Union College, “A minimum of expenses is of course, highly desirable; but the road which is truly the cheapest is not the one which has cost the least money, but the one which
makes the most profitable returns in proportion to the amount expended upon it”.

The intent of expenditures for highways and public transportations are:

1. To augment the country’s level of economy.
2. To provide easy access to working places.
3. To facilitate public services such as police, fire protection.
4. To facilitate medical care, schooling and delivery of related basic services.
5. To give landowner benefits to transportation and increase on property assessment.
6. Benefit to motor vehicle users through lower cost of operation and maintenance.
7. Benefit in time saving.
8. Less road accident.
9. To give maximum comfort and ease of travel.

Most of the country’s expenditures for highways and public transport facilities are based on the principle of “Pay as you go”. Meaning road appropriations and
expenditures depends upon tax collections. Legally, the appropriations and expenditures of taxes being the people’s contribution to the government must be pro-rated
proportionally to the different provinces in terms of infrastructure projects and not just be concentrated in a specific place.

1-16 HIGHWAY PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

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 These are set of documents of instructions and conditions under which highways and bridges are built. Classified as legal documents, they are integral parts of the
contract between the contractor and the highway agency.

PLANS – contain the engineering drawings of the projects. SPECIFICATIONS – written instruction and conditions. The complete and detailed scheme for the road
which are incorporated in the geometric designs are traffic, drainage, erosion control, roadside development, structure, soils, and pavement.

USUAL PRESENTATION OF A ROAD PLAN

1. Upper sheet is allocated for the plan. Top view showing the horizontal alignment, right of way takings, drainage arrangement and other features.
2. Lower half is allotted for the profile. Original elevation of the ground surface is plotted. Indicated also are the road way center line and the vertical alignment (grade
line) for the road.
3. For precise detail, the vertical scale of the profile is usually exaggeratedly enlarged from 5 to 10 times.
4. Profile and other details of the drainage, channels or connecting roads (including ramps) are also presented.
5. At the bottom of each sheet, the estimated earthwork quantities (for every 50 meters station) along with the estimated overhead are indicated.
6. Roadway cross-sections for every situation in the whole project stretch are indicated on another sheet of plan.
7. Another sheet of drawings showing all structures and roadway appurtenances is included.
8. Standard size of drawing sheet – 55 cm X 90 cm.

Partial list of subjects covered by the standard drawing includes:

1. Pipe culverts
2. Concrete box culverts
3. Guard rail and parapet
4. Curbs
5. Gutters
6. Curb structures
7. Sidewalks
8. Drainage inlet and outlet structures of numerous types
9. Manholes rip-rap and other devices used for bank protection
10. Fences and right of way
11. Other survey markers

THE SPECIFICATIONS

In writing specifications, it must be observed that the one doing it should have knowledge about the law of contracts as well as highway practices and experiences. It also must
be delicately written or done, because carelessly writing it may result to use of substandard materials, poor workmanship, extra cost to the owner or the contractor and
worse, result in court litigations. On the other hand, too restrictive specifications are very costly.

DIVISION OF HIGHWAY SPECIFICATIONS

1. Standard specifications – apply to a project implemented by administration which treat the subject that are repeatedly occur in the agency work
2. Special provisions – covers peculiar item of the project in question that include additional modification to standard specifications. This includes copies of all
documents required in securing competitive bids and contracts.

Specifications are also subdivided into two:

a. The general clause that deals with the bidding procedures and award execution and control of work and other legal matters.
b. Specifying detail regarding the materials, manner of work excavation and how to pay quantities are to be measured.

ASSIGNMENT:

Define the following terms:

 Pipe culverts
 Concrete box culverts
 Guard rail
 Curbs
 Gutters
 Sidewalks
 Drainage inlet and outlet.

Discuss the highway development in the Philippines from the early part of 1900 to the present era.

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