Details:

Creators:
Meyer, Eric
Corporate Creators:
Kansas. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Materials & Research ; University of Kansas
Kansas. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Materials & Research ; University of Kansas Less -
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Speed Bars Traffic Safety Traffic Speed Work Zones Work Zone Safety Work Zone Traffic Control
Publication/ Report Number:
KU-00-04
Resource Type:
Research Paper
Geographical Coverage:
Kansas
OCLC Number:
45184617
Edition:
Final Report; May 1999-February 2002
Corporate Publisher:
K-TRAN (Research program)
NTL Classification:
NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway Safety;NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITY;NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Human Factors;NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Speed Limits;
Abstract:
The proximity of traffic and workers in highway work zones demand that safety be a high priority. The issue of traffic speeds in highway work zones has long been an issue receiving much attention. Over thepast three decades, many different measures have been developed to address the issue of speed in work zones. One that has garnered interest recently in the United States is the use of optical speed bars, transverse bars set out at gradually decreasing spacing in order to provide drivers with a heightened perception of speed. Studies have shown this technique to be effective at roundabout approaches and freeway exit ramps. This report discusses a test application of optical speed bars to a highway work zone. Accommodations had to be made for the unique characteristics of highway work zones. Simulations were developed to aid in visualizing the effects of various design parameters. The tested pattern comprised three components, a leading pattern of uniformly spaced bars, a primary pattern of bars with graduated spacings, and a work zone pattern consisting of intermittent groups of six uniformly spaced bars with large gaps between groups.

The pattern was found cause reductions in mean and 85th percentile speeds, as well as in standard deviations. Changes in speeds were small, and resulted from both warning effects and perceptual effects. The warning effects persisted downstream of the pattern while the perceptual effects did not, as drivers increased their speed once out of the area with graduating spacings. Reductions in speed variations also persisted downstream of the pattern. The work zone pattern did not appear to have any effect on speeds or speed variations.


Format:
PDF
Funding:
C1187
Collection(s):
US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:73c2819bf8ad28b3fddff96a3131adca1a3999695330bc5dd6b69f199c5352fe
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/5512/dot_5512_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• No Additional Files

More +