Evaluation of innovative traffic safety devices at short-term work zones.

Details

• Creators:
  Wang, Ming-Heng ; Schrock, Steven D. ; Bai, Yong ; Rescot, Robert A.
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Kansas. Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Work zone traffic control
  • Rumble strips
  • Temporary barriers
  • Variable message signs
  • Literature reviews
  • Surveys
  • Field tests
  • Traffic control devices
• Publication/ Report Number:
  K-TRAN: KU-09-5R
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Kansas
• Corporate Publisher:
  Kansas. Dept. of Transportation
• NTL Classification:
  NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION ; NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway Safety
• Abstract:
  The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the usage and effectiveness of innovative traffic control ; devices that can be used in short-term work zones. Any device to be used in short-term work zones should command ; the respect of drivers, be durable, have an easily understood meaning, be low cost, be quick and easy to install and ; remove, and be reusable. ; This study was conducted in three sections: a literature review of previously published research, a nationwide ; usage survey, and a field test for a selected device, portable plastic rumble strip (PPRS). ; PPRSs, which have been tested on a closed course, were found to be a device potentially suitable for use at shortterm ; work zones. This field study was to investigate the effects of the PPRSs and drivers’ response to them at three ; short-term maintenance work zones in Kansas. The results showed that the effect of PPRSs in speed reductions was ; more significant on cars than on trucks. The PPRSs reduced car speeds by 4.6 to 11.4 miles per hour. They also created ; 5.0 to 11.7 miles per hour mean speed reduction for trucks, but the reductions were only at two test sites. It was ; observed that 30 to 80 percent of truck drivers activated their brakes (indicated by brake light illumination) when they ; approached the PPRSs. In addition, about five percent of car and truck drivers swerved around the PPRSs. This ; indicates that additional signage or other supplemental traffic devices would be needed when the PPRSs are ; implemented.
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  C1786
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/26339/dot_26339_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.55 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:b3afa4a06db08700c73f6ed096767cac87d67267bd36c8e554833e995db55886