PE

PE Civil: Transportation

Geometric design, traffic capacity and safety, signals, pavement, and drainage.

Exam topics: 12
Study concepts: 63
Difficulty levels: 3
Mock exams: Unlimited

Practice questions Take a mock exam Study concepts Flashcards

What's inside

12 exam topics, weighted to the NCEES blueprint — tap any topic to drill it.

Quantity take-off and cost estimating, CPM schedules with activity sequencing and float, and engineering-economic comparison of alternatives (present worth, EUAC, lifecycle, benefit-cost).Traffic Capacity & LOS

9%

Uninterrupted and interrupted flow: peak-hour factor, flow rate, density and speed relationships, freeway/segment level of service, and signalized-intersection and roundabout capacity.Traffic Analysis & Safety

6%

Volume and speed studies, trip generation and modal split, traffic forecasting, crash rates and severity, collision analysis, and Highway Safety Manual crash modification factors and predicted crashes.

Roadside & Cross-Section Design

10%

Forgiving-roadside clear zone and recoverable slopes, barrier length-of-need and crash cushions, cross-section elements (lanes, shoulders, side slopes), and nonmotorized/ADA design.

Horizontal Design

11%

Circular-curve elements (T, L, M, E, LC, degree of curve) and PC/PT stationing, superelevation rate and side friction, superelevation runoff, minimum radius, sight-distance offset, and compound/reverse curves.

Vertical Design

11%

Equal-tangent parabolic curves: elevations and offsets, high/low points, PVI/PVC/PVT stationing, and crest/sag curve lengths from stopping and passing sight distance and the rate of vertical curvature K.

Intersection Geometry

10%

Intersection sight distance and sight triangles, at-grade and roundabout layout geometry, and interchange/ramp design including acceleration and deceleration lane lengths and gap acceptance.

Traffic Signals

7%

Signal timing kinematics: yellow change and all-red clearance intervals, pedestrian crossing time, cycle length and green splits, lost time and capacity, left-turn phasing, and signal warrants.

Traffic Control Design

6%

Permanent signs and pavement markings, sign placement and legibility, and temporary traffic control: work-zone taper lengths, buffer space, and channelizing-device spacing.

Geotechnical

5%

Soil classification, CBR/R-value and resilient-modulus correlations, phase relationships and soil properties, compaction and relative compaction, and earthwork cut/fill mass balance with shrinkage and swell.

Pavement

5%

Traffic characterization and ESALs, flexible-pavement AASHTO structural number, rigid-pavement slab design parameters, and pavement evaluation and rehabilitation procedures.

Drainage

11%

Highway hydrology (rational method, time of concentration, runoff) and hydraulics: gutter and inlet capacity, storm-drain pipe flow, open-channel flow, culvert headwater, energy dissipation, and detention.

See a real question

Straight from the PE Civil: Transportation bank — every question has a full worked solution.

medium

A. Clear zone, slopes & barrier length-of-need

On the outside of a 1,500-ft-radius curve (design speed 60 mph), the tangent clear-zone value from the RSDG table is

CZ_{base}=30

ft. The RSDG curve-adjustment factor for this radius and speed is

K_{cz}=1.3

. The adjusted clear-zone distance on the outside of the curve is most nearly:

39 ft (correct answer)
23.1 ft
30 ft
69 ft

Worked solution

CZ = CZ_{base}\cdot K_{cz} = 30\times1.3 = 39

Difficulty mix

Balanced like the real exam — from quick wins to multi-step problems.

Easy27%
Medium50%
Hard23%

Study handbook

63 concepts — worked theory, key equations, and common pitfalls for every topic.

Sample concept

Engineering Economics & Benefit-Cost

Move cash flows to one date with the interest-factor family, compare alternatives by present worth and EUAC, and justify a project with the benefit-cost ratio.

Almost every transportation decision is a money-over-time decision: a roundabout that costs more to build but slashes crash costs, a longer-lasting pavement, an ITS upgrade that buys back travel-time delay year after year. Engineering economics is the language that puts those alternatives on equal f…

F = P(1+i)^n, \qquad P = F(1+i)^{-n}

Open the study handbook

On exam day

80

scored + pretest questions

8h

of exam time, in a 9h appointment

PE

closed-book, computer-based test

Reference

PE Civil Reference Handbook + AASHTO (Green Book, HCM, MUTCD, HSM)

Questions, answered

What do I get with PE Civil: Transportation?

Everything for PE Civil: Transportation in one place: the full question bank with step-by-step worked solutions, unlimited full-length timed mock exams built to the NCEES blueprint, a searchable study handbook, quick-review flashcards, progress tracking, and an AI tutor for anything you get stuck on.

How is the real exam structured?

80 questions in 8h of exam time, inside a 9h appointment that also covers the nondisclosure agreement, the tutorial and a scheduled break. It is a closed-book computer-based test, with the PE Civil Reference Handbook + AASHTO (Green Book, HCM, MUTCD, HSM) supplied on screen. Our mock exams mirror that format so test day feels familiar.

What are the flashcards for?

Quick-review cards for the formulas, definitions, and concepts you need to recall fast — ideal for short sessions and last-week review alongside the full question bank.

How does a pass work?

A pass is a one-time payment — no subscription, no auto-renew. Pick the access window you need (1, 3, 6, or 12 months); passes stack if you want more time.

Can I get a refund?

If a pass isn't the right fit, email [email protected] within 7 days (with little or no content used) and we'll make it right — see our Refund Policy for the details.

Can you help with the PE experience requirement?

Yes — a built-in PE Experience Tracker helps you record and organize the qualifying engineering experience and references your state board needs for licensure, right alongside your exam prep.

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Practice questions

ft. Distractors: applied the factor then ADDED the full base again,

CZ_{base}+CZ_{base}\cdot K_{cz}=69

ft (over-applies the adjustment, exceeding the key); DIVIDED by

K_{cz}

(the wrong direction — that would narrow the zone, as on the inside of the curve), 23.1 ft; and FORGOT the curve adjustment, using the tangent value

30

ft.