United States Department of Transportation
i
Clear zone : a synthesis of practice and an evaluation of the benefits of meeting the 10-ft clear zone goal on urban streets.
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2008-11-01
[PDF-3.20 MB]
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Alternative Title:Clear zone : a synthesis of practice and an evaluation of the benefits of meeting the ten foot clear zone goal on urban streets
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Edition:Final report.
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Abstract:In urban communities, there are often limited amounts of right-of-way available for establishing a large setback distance from the curb
for fixed objects. Urban communities must constantly weigh the cost of purchasing additional right-of-way for clear zones against the
risk of fixed object crashes. From 2004 to 2006, this type of crash on curbed roads represented 15% of all fatal crashes and 3% of all
crashes in the state of Iowa. Many states have kept the current minimum AASHTO recommendations as their minimum clear zone
standards; however, other states have decided that these recommendations are insufficient and have increased the required minimum
clear zone distance to better suit the judgment of local designers.
This report presents research on the effects of the clear zone on urban curbed streets. The research was conducted in two phases. The
first phase involved a synthesis of practice that included a literature review and a survey of practices in jurisdictions that have
developmental and historical patterns similar to those of Iowa. The second phase involved investigating the benefits of a 10 ft clear
zone, which included examining urban corridors in Iowa that meet or do not meet the 10 ft clear zone goal. The results of this study
indicate that a consistent fixed object offset results in a reduction in the number of fixed object crashes, a 5 ft clear zone is most
effective when the goal is to minimize the number of fixed object crashes, and a 3 ft clear zone is most effective when the goal is to
minimize the cost of fixed object crashes.
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