Roading Hierarchy

Source: Georgia Sanders Photos, 2009


Road Hierarchy: physical infrastructure
Planning 202 is a paper that looks at social and physical infrastructure. Assignment two of the paper focuses on road hierarchies. Outlined below is an extract from my assignment that explains the road hierarchy system.
Macbeth, (2007) defines a road hierarchy system to mean developing a systematic approach to classifying roads according to their land-use functions. In response to this classification system, roads at the top of the hierarchy are classed as arterial routes which cater to higher volumes of traffic. Similarly, roads at the bottom of the hierarchy are classed as local roads which serve an access function through lower volumes and speeds.
The road hierarchy system is used widely by Territorial Local Authorities (TLA’s) and transport agencies such as Transit NZ and Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ) for managing traffic.
The purpose of this assignment is to understand the following:
Correctly designed road hierarchy systems guarantee that traffic movement runs more efficiently. Meanwhile, enhances the accessibility for other users of the road to properties. Quality Planning Project (2003) outlines that “road hierarchy systems are a robust method used commonly in district plans as a good basis for developing provisions in district plans a means of managing the district roading infrastructure. Road hierarchy can be used as an environmental management tool to assist in controlling affects e.g. noise and amenity protection” (Macbeth, 2007, p.4).
In addition to this, Transit NZ states that by implementing a road hierarchy, this will deem what land- use activities are appropriate given the locality as well as achieving more suitable environmental outcomes.
Outlined below defines the levels within the road hierarchy system in accordance to the Transit NZ road hierarchy definitions (from highest to lowest in the hierarchy system):
Road type Function
1) Motorways/Expressways
• Nationally strategic roading network
• Contains the highest degree of access and control standards
• Provides a high level of user service at all times

2) Primary (regional) arterials
• Major roads forming strategic links between and within regions and districts
• Involve some access controls such as providing standards for permitted activities that are determined by strategic function and traffic volumes

3) Secondary (district) arterials
• Form strategic links within and between districts
• Serve as local roads
• Access standards are determined by:
o Form: physical alignment of the road
o Function: role of road and traffic volumes


4) collector routes
• Local routes between areas of population/commercial activity
• Complement district arterials but giving higher priority to property access

5) local roads
• All other roads
• Standards for these roads are considered appropriate for traffic operation and land-access requirements

Furthermore, in understanding this road hierarchical system, the assignment required us to assess the road hierarchies in our local areas. How I went about studying the road system of my area was by studying the definitions developed by Transit NZ of the alternative road types and applied them to my area. Furthermore, site visits of the study area enabled me to experience and observe the differing levels of roads in the study area from a pedestrian point of view. In doing so I observed the frequency and types of traffic, adjacent land-uses and whether provision had been made for alternative transport such as buses and bicycles in an around the study area.