What is the turning radius of a 4-meter-wide fire lane?
2 Answers
Some special vehicles have a turning radius of 16-20m. Below are relevant details about fire lanes: Fire lanes should meet the following requirements: The clear width and height of a fire lane should not be less than 4.0 meters. The slope of open spaces for fire trucks to park should not exceed 8%. A circular fire lane should have at least two connections with other lanes. Dead-end fire lanes should have turnaround lanes or turning areas, with the turning area not smaller than 12m x 12m. For high-rise buildings, it should not be smaller than 15m x 15m; for large fire trucks, the turning area should not be smaller than 18m x 18m. Pipelines and culverts on fire lanes should be able to withstand the pressure of large fire trucks. When a fire lane passes through a building's doorway, the clear height and width should not be less than 4 meters; the clear width between door piers should not be less than 3.5 meters. High-rise buildings should have circular fire lanes around them. If it's difficult to set up a circular fire lane, fire lanes can be set along the two longer sides of the building. Fire lane setup: Roads within blocks should allow fire truck passage, with the distance between road centerlines not exceeding 160m. In factory warehouse areas, open storage areas for combustible materials, liquefied petroleum gas storage areas, Class A, B, and C liquid storage areas, and combustible gas storage areas, fire lanes should be established. Other buildings meeting the conditions should also have fire lanes.
This is a common issue I encounter when designing fire lanes in residential areas. The turning radius of a fire lane isn't directly related to its width, but rather depends on the type of fire truck passing through. According to national standards, ordinary fire trucks require a minimum turning radius of over 9 meters, while larger foam trucks need at least 12 meters. A 4-meter width is the basic requirement, but at turns, you must also consider the rear overhang of the fire truck and the inner wheel difference. When I draw blueprints, even if the width meets the standard, I always leave an extra 1-meter safety margin at turns to prevent the fire truck from scraping against walls. Remember, there should be no green belts obstructing the inside of intersections—a few years ago, a residential area was fined by the fire department because trees blocked the turning space.
