MTO Roadway Design & Engineering 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a superelevation on a curved roadway?
- To increase road width
- To counteract centrifugal force on vehicles (Correct answer)
- To improve drainage toward the centerline
- To reduce the posted speed limit
Correct answer: To counteract centrifugal force on vehicles
Superelevation tilts the roadway cross-section to counteract the centrifugal force acting on vehicles navigating a horizontal curve.
Question 2: Which pavement marking indicates a no-passing zone on a two-lane road?
- Single dashed yellow line
- Double solid yellow lines (Correct answer)
- Single solid white line
- Dashed white line
Correct answer: Double solid yellow lines
Double solid yellow lines indicate that passing is prohibited for traffic traveling in both directions.
Question 3: What does the term 'clear zone' refer to in roadway design?
- The lane width reserved for emergency vehicles
- The unobstructed area beyond the travel lane for errant vehicles to recover (Correct answer)
- A designated pedestrian crossing zone
- The sight distance requirement at intersections
Correct answer: The unobstructed area beyond the travel lane for errant vehicles to recover
The clear zone is the unobstructed, traversable area beyond the edge of the travel lane that allows errant vehicles to recover or stop safely.
Question 4: A 'sag vertical curve' connects two grades where:
- Both grades are ascending
- The road descends then ascends (Correct answer)
- The road ascends then descends
- Both grades are level
Correct answer: The road descends then ascends
A sag vertical curve occurs at a low point where the roadway profile transitions from a downgrade to an upgrade.
Question 5: What is the design standard purpose of a 'design vehicle'?
- To set maximum weight limits for bridges
- To determine geometric design elements like turn radii for the largest expected vehicle (Correct answer)
- To establish fuel efficiency standards
- To define the minimum engine size allowed on a road
Correct answer: To determine geometric design elements like turn radii for the largest expected vehicle
A design vehicle is a selected vehicle whose dimensions and turning radius determine the geometric design criteria for roadway elements like intersection radii.
Question 6: Which factor is NOT typically used to determine the design speed of a roadway?
- Terrain
- Adjacent land use
- Driver age demographics (Correct answer)
- Functional classification
Correct answer: Driver age demographics
Design speed is determined by terrain, functional classification, and surrounding land use—not by driver demographics.
Question 7: What is the function of a median barrier on a divided highway?
- To guide stormwater runoff to retention ponds
- To prevent cross-median crashes by containing errant vehicles (Correct answer)
- To mark the centerline for lane guidance
- To support overhead lighting structures
Correct answer: To prevent cross-median crashes by containing errant vehicles
Median barriers are designed to contain and redirect vehicles that leave their lane, preventing high-severity cross-median crashes.
MTO Roadway Design & Engineering 2
What is the primary purpose of a superelevation on a curved roadway?