Projects and Grants per year
Grants and Contracts Details
Description
OBJECTIVES: The objective ofthis project is to evaluate the influence that various median
design variables have on safety. Horizontal and vertical alignment, interchange presence, median
width, traffic volumes, and median side slopes will be evaluated. After an evaluation of median
design-safety parameters is completed, tools to assist the designer in determining cost effectiveness
and placement by barrier type will be developed. The product will be a comprehensive guide on
design components and their relative safety implications.
BACKGROUND: The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets also
contains general median width and median side-slope design guidance that has remained unchanged
for many years. Since the vehicle fleet, travel speeds, and traffic volumes have changed
dramatically, there is a need to better understand the vehicle dynamics associated with median
crossover crashes on high-speed highways in rural and urban areas. In addition to the design
guidelines cited, there is a need to better understand median barrier type and placement decisions.
State transportation agencies are being pressed to consider revised median designs or installation of
median barriers on divided highways to prevent severe, high-speed median-related crashes. At the
same time, right of way costs require the use of narrower than typically used designs. Therefore,
there is a need for more specific guidelines that designers can use to evaluate median design.
FY 2007 PROPOSED WORK: The various median design variables will be evaluated to
determine their influence on safety during the first year of the project.
PROGRAMMED COST FY 2007:
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST:
$ 75,000
$150,000
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 7/1/06 → 6/30/07 |
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Projects
- 1 Finished
-
Kentucky Cooperative Transportation Research Program Part II KCTRP 07-27
Toussaint, P. (PI), Allen, D. (CoI), Chen, M. (CoI), Crabtree, J. (CoI), Graves, R. (CoI), Grossardt, T. (CoI), Hancher, D. (CoI), Harik, I. (CoI), Hopkins, T. (CoI), Hopwood, T. (CoI), Kreis, S. (CoI) & Pigman, J. (CoI)
7/1/06 → 6/30/07
Project: Research project