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Field Test of the Grade Severity Rating System (GSRS)

File Language:
English


Details

  • Creators:
    Hanscom, Fred R.
  • Corporate Creators:
    Transportation Research Corporation
  • Contributors:
    Pilkington, George B. II.
  • Corporate Contributors:
    United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Safety and Traffic Operations
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Publication/ Report Number:
  • Resource Type:
    Tech Report
  • Right Statement:
    Public Domain
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States
  • Edition:
    Final Report
  • Contracting Officer:
    Pilkington II, George B.
  • Corporate Publisher:
    United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Safety and Traffic Operations
  • Abstract:
    The objective of this study was to test the field effectiveness of the GSRS, via application of weight-specific signs to control truck speeds on downgrades. Before-after sign effects were evaluated in terms of speed differences and incidences of smoking brakes for trucks in specific weight categories. A five-State nationwide sample of study sites included grades of varying severity. The study design included a determination of novelty effect as well as concurrent before-observations at selected control sites (i.e., no weight-specific sign present). In addition, this study examined the feasibility of state highway agencies conducting an accident study to assess GSRS safety impact. Weight-Specific Signing (WSS) was determined to elicit a favorable before-after effect at high severity sites. Three truck behavioral measures which provided the basis for this result were mean truck speed, percentage of trucks exceeding posted WSS speeds, and incidences of smoking brakes. Before-after reductions in mean speed were observed at two out of three high grade-severity locations following installation of the WSS. Substantiating evidence that the WSS was responsible for the speed reduction evolved from (1) corresponding speed increases at one matched control site and (2) the absence of speed changes for trucks weighing less than 70,000 pounds (31.8 Mg) at the other site. Percentages of trucks exceeding WSS-posted speed were reduced for 70,000-80,000 pound (31.8-36.3 Mg) trucks at one site and for 60,000-70,000 pound (27.2-31.8 Mg) trucks at the other. The proportion of trucks characterized by smoking brakes was reduced by one-half at the single high-severity site where this measure was observed. Application of the GSRS was viewed to improve States' liability positions as it represents the state of the art. Weight-specific signing was recommended for use at high severity grade locations.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Funding:
    DTFH61-82-C-00093
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:57096d177fbf8ff9e79cccf05b62d167b6d1c079ea3236c03e3c519b7bb4dfa8d47701b33ee415deec657d4028b37f8e1d94f25bdc5c885193687104a54bfba7
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 1.92 MB ]
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