VISUAL QUALITY AND THE MOTORIST

A FRAMEWORK THAT CAN BE USED EITHER BY A SPECIALIST OR NON-SPECIALIST TO ACHIEVE BETTER VISUAL QUALITY DECISIONS, IS PRESENTED. THE FRAMEWORK BRINGS TOGETHER MAJOR ELEMENTS VISUAL QUALITY AND THEIR RELATION TO THE HIGHWAY PROGRAM. THE ELEMENTS INCLUDE THE MOTORIST WHO PERCEIVES AND EVALUATES VISUAL QUALITY, THE OBJECT WHICH IMPARTS THE VISUAL QUALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT WHICH CONDITIONS BOTH. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE SAFE DRIVER BEHAVIOR AND THE SECONDARY GOAL IS TO PROVIDE VISUAL EMPLOYMENT. A RATIONAL VISUAL QUALITY PROCEDURE CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURE. DURING EACH ACTIVITY PHASE, INCLUDING PLANNING, LOCATION, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, THE APPROPRIATE CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH ELEMENT SHOULD BE INVENTORIED AND EVALUATED. ALL ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN ANTICIPATION OF THEIR ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION. BOTH A HUMAN AND MECHANICAL SYSTEM ARE NEEDED IN THE EVALUATION OF VISUAL QUALITY. IN THE SELECTION OF SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL, BOTH GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS SHOULD BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION. A CLEAR, IMPLEMENTABLE PROCESS MUST BE ESTABLISHED BY EACH HIGHWAY AGENCY TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF VISUAL QUALITY FOR THE MOTORIST.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr138/138-020.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309021529
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20418
• Authors:
  • Isaacson, Larry
• Conference:
  • 5th Summer Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Madison Wisconsin, United States
  • Date: 1972-7-31 to 1972-8-2
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 106-109
• Monograph Title: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS IN PLANNING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 138
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Drivers; Highway planning; Highways; Inventory; Methodology; Personnel; Planning; Programming (Planning); Safety; Visual perception
• Old TRIS Terms: Highway programming
• Subject Areas: Design; Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00203822
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309021529
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 27 1974 12:00AM