Advantages And Disadvantages Of Flyovers

What are flyovers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of flyovers? If this are question you have been asking without any given answers, then you have come to the end of your worries because this article will provide you with all the information you need.

Flyovers in the construction of highways, railroads and other large construction projects have their advantages and disadvantages.

One advantage of flyovers is that they allow for a reduction in travel time by eliminating the need to stop at an intersection. This can be done by eliminating conflicts between traffic at an intersection or by adding additional lanes so that traffic doesn’t have to stop.

Another advantage is that they allow a better use of the right of way.

Some disadvantages can include changes necessary in construction schedules due to the need for flyovers and making the necessary changes to traffic signals, lighting and signs along with adding new lanes, etc. The safety of all drivers will also be effected.

Flyovers are currently being used on highways, rapid transit systems and construction projects in many countries around the world including Canada, UK, U.S., Australia, France and Japan.

This article will be discussing all about what you need to know on flyovers and the advantages and disadvantages of flyovers.

What Is A Flyover?

A flyover is a bridge constructed over an active roadway or railway to carry a road, highway or railway over the road below. This can be used to eliminate traffic signals and intersections, which can increase traffic flow.

Flyovers are also used to remove conflicts with surface level crossings, such as between a rail line and a road or between two roads.

Flyovers are also used to pass over surface level railway crossings without high level platforms or subway stations.

It is typically in the form of a bridge and is often an extension of the road overpass or railway overpass. Alternatively, the flyover can be a box girder bridge.

A flyover may sometimes be constructed where there is not enough space to build an interchange so that traffic transitions smoothly between two freeways. Interchanges are often built instead of flyovers if there is land only on one side of traffic flow, as with some urban freeways.

A flyover may also be used to connect two roads with one another without the need for traffic signals or stop signs. This can be useful in situations where two highways cross each other at different levels, allowing traffic on one highway to continue without interruption.

The term ‘flyover’ originally referred to a technique of performing movement (such as lift-up) over an obstacle. It is now used to refer to any construction project or area that bridges or crosses an obstacle.

One situation where a flyover can be used on railways is where there is a level crossing in the rail corridor and the line dips down at both ends, but not at their midpoint. In such cases, there is no space to widen the line, so the alternative solution is a flyover.

Another example is where two lanes are required on either side of four tracks and there are only two lanes in each direction with no space between them so again the alternative solution is a flyover.

A flyover may sometimes be used within a highway tunnel which connects the exits at either end of a tunnel. In this case the exit is split into two with the two lanes for each direction of travel. As such, there is no space to widen the line and hence flyover construction is required.

How Are They Constructed?

The ways flyovers are constructed vary depending on their place and purpose.

In urban areas, they may be constructed as independent structures or cantilevering off of another structure. They may be supported by separate pylons or straddle the space as a beam bridge.

In rural areas, more substantial bridges are usually required, as the structures must carry heavier loads. Such bridges also often use steel trusses instead of box girder. Alternatively, they may rest on large concrete piers that eliminate the need to pile-drive deep foundations into the ground.

In such cases, it is common for boiler-space to be left in between the bridge and the support piers to allow natural settling of supporting structures during initial construction, then to fill-in with concrete later.

In rural areas, a bridge may be built over the road in question. The bridge may be supported by concrete pillars or steel girders. In other cases, the road may be raised onto an embankment which is supported by pillars or girders. This arrangement is common in urban areas where land is scarce and there are rights of way to be negotiated.

Some flyovers are built using reinforced concrete. This is particularly true where high structural integrity and a wide road width are desired simultaneously.

All of these arrangements allow for traffic on the flyover to have a clear line of sight.

Construction projects require planning and preparation before actual construction can begin. One such project is the construction of flyovers or overpasses on a highway or other large construction project.

Construction projects offer different benefits than normal roads but also have their own disadvantages depending on what type of project they are and how they are constructed.

Moving on to the next topic, let’s discuss on the advantages and disadvantages of flyovers.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Flyovers

Here, we will be discussing on the advantages and disadvantages of flyovers but firstly, we will be looking at the advantages of flyovers and later it’s disadvantages.

Advantages Of Flyovers

Some of the advantages of flyovers are as follows:

1. Problem Of Gridlocks Is Solved With Flyovers

When there are too many vehicles on one particular section of road, gridlocks occur where traffic jams block up all paths and there is no way to move forward or backward.

This causes a lot of problems such as slow-moving traffic and sometimes even getting stuck in the moving traffic. The flyovers help to avoid these problems as it takes the slow moving traffic from the populated area and moves it to an empty stretch of road.

2. It Improves Safety For Pedestrians

When traffic is congested and there are a lot of people, there may be accidents. The flyovers help to prevent this as they allow the flow of traffic to be more smooth and it helps to avoid having accidents because there are no blind spots.

In cities where the traffic is very fast, the pedestrians have to cross over many roads which are not always safe. The flyovers help in reducing this problem as it provides a separate path for the pedestrians so that they can safely cross over without getting hit by any vehicles.

3. Helps Save Time In Traveling

When there is a heavy flow of traffic, it can be very time-consuming for vehicles to enter and exit because there are many exits in the metro region. The flyovers help to avoid this as it helps to reduce the traffic in the metro area.

This allows cars traveling at different speeds to travel side by side without any obstruction. This makes traveling faster and smoother while reducing the amount of time spent at a standstill.

Disadvantages Of Flyovers

Some of the disadvantages of flyovers are as follows:

1. Issues Surrounding Construction

Currently, there are many flyovers and overpasses that have been constructed on highways and they are all funded by taxpayers in the United States government. This has resulted in issues surrounding the flyovers that have to be solved.

There have been two cases where the flyovers have caused damage to the road underneath. This has resulted in concrete cracking and corrosion in the road that has to be solved.

2. Issues With Structural Integrity And Slopes

The planes and the structures that are needed to hold up the flyovers are sometimes not built to be in proper condition. This is a result of poor planning or by accidents including construction accidents.

This causes issues with structural integrity in that it is not able to handle any additional weight on top of it. The slopes also have problems as they tend to slope from the main road into the adjacent parking lot, which makes it difficult for cars to park and for pedestrians to cross over without having problems.

3. High Cost In Building And Maintaining

The structure of the flyovers itself is very expensive to construct as it requires a lot of money to build them correctly. They are also expensive to maintain as there are road crews and a lot of equipment that needs to be kept up-to-date. This makes it cost effective.

Conclusion

In this article, we have looked at the advantages and disadvantages of flyovers in detail. However, with our knowledge comes responsibility to be careful with how we use them and to take precautions against any accidents as they can cause damage to property or injuries to people if they are not taken into consideration while constructing them.

They help to reduce traffic in the particular area but seem to create even more traffic problems.

Flyovers may be designed as grade separated structures, as do viaducts and bridges, preserving a clear height above ground level while crossing obstacles such as roads, railways or rivers.

Such clearances may be necessary in order to satisfy design standards and legal clearances, or because of the height of nearby obstacles. These structures are more costly, both to build and to maintain.

In some places where rail traffic is light and roads are often blocked by other vehicles, such as at busy junctions, flyovers are built at ground level even if this means they cannot be used by some other vehicles.