2.4.3. Roads classification criteria

This classification is based on whether the roads can be used during different seasons of the year.

All-weather roads: Those roads which are negotiable during all weathers, except at major river crossings where interruption of traffic is permissible up to a certain extent are called all weather roads.

Fair-weather roads: Roads which are negotiable only during fair weather are called fair weather roads.

Roads can be classified based on their usability throughout different weather conditions. All-weather roads are built to withstand various climatic conditions, making them passable year-round. However, these roads might experience temporary closures at major river crossings during heavy rain or flooding. On the other hand, fair-weather roads are suitable only during pleasant weather, often becoming impassable during rain or snow, limiting their accessibility.

Think of all-weather roads as versatile shoes you can wear in any season, like sturdy boots that can handle mud, rain, and snow. Fair-weather roads, however, resemble flip-flops that are great for summer days but not ideal when the weather turns harsh.

This classification is based on the type of the carriageway or the road pavement.

Paved roads with hard surface: If they are provided with a hard pavement course such roads are called paved roads.(e.g., stones, Water bound macadam (WBM), Bituminous macadam (BM), concrete roads).

Unpaved roads: Roads which are not provided with a hard course of at least a WBM layer they is called unpaved roads. Thus earth and gravel roads come under this category.

This classification distinguishes between roads based on their surface materials. Paved roads have a hard surface, often made from materials like bitumen or concrete, contributing to durability and lower maintenance. In contrast, unpaved roads lack this hard surface, typically consisting of natural materials like earth and gravel, which can be more susceptible to damage and are often more challenging to traverse.

Consider a paved road like a well-paved carpet in a living room that makes walking easy and pleasant, while an unpaved road is like a sand path in a garden that can get muddy and hard to walk on after rain.

Based on the type of pavement surfacing provided, they are classified as surfaced and unsurfaced roads.

Surfaced roads (BM, concrete): Roads which are provided with a bituminous or cement concreting surface are called surfaced roads.

Unsurfaced roads (soil/gravel): Roads which are not provided with a bituminous or cement concreting surface are called unsurfaced roads.

Roads can also be categorized by their surfacing type. Surfaced roads have a cover of bitumen or concrete that protects them from wear and environmental damage, ensuring smoother and safer travel. Unsurfaced roads do not have such a protection, leading to a rougher ride and potentially more wear on vehicles.

Imagine surfing on a polished slide at a water park, which is smooth and easy, compared to trying to slide on a weathered, rough board. The polished slide represents surfaced roads, while the rough board depicts unsurfaced roads.

Roads may also be classified based on the traffic volume in that road, load transported through that road, or location and function of that road.

Traffic volume: Based on the traffic volume, they are classified as heavy, medium, and light traffic roads. These terms are relative and so the limits under each class may be expressed as vehicles per day.

Load transported: Based on the load carried by these roads, they can be classified as Class I, Class II, etc., or Class A, Class B, etc. and the limits may be expressed as tonnes per day.

Location and function: The classification based on location and function should be a more acceptable classification since they may be defined clearly. Classification of roads by the Nagpur Road plan is based on the location and function which we had seen earlier.

Roads can also be classified using various other criteria. By traffic volume, roads are categorized as heavy, medium, or light, which indicates how often they are used by vehicles. Similarly, based on load transported, roads are divided into different classes according to their ability to handle loads. Lastly, location and function give a practical way of categorizing roads based on where they are found and how they are used, which can vary significantly from one area to another.

Think of traffic volume classification like a busy highway versus a quiet street; one sees many cars each day while the other might just see a few. Load capacity is like different routes a delivery truck takes; some routes are built for heavy trucks (like highways) while others are more suitable for lighter vehicles (like residential streets).

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