SIGNS OF THE TIMES: MORE MONEY, MANPOWER IS PUMPED INTO HIGHWAYS

A NUMBER OF AREAS IN WHICH FHWA IS PARTICULARLY ACTIVE IS SURVEYED. ALTHOUGH THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM HAS BEEN THE CHIEF INGREDIENT IN REDUCING THE RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE NUMBERS OF HIGHWAY FATALITIES---2.9 PER 100 MILLION MILES, AS AGAINST 5.6 ON OTHER ROADS---IT ALSO HAS SAFETY PROBLEMS. INCREASED EMPHASIS HAS RECENTLY BEEN PLACED ON BRINGING ALL SECTIONS OF THE SYSTEM UP TO CURRENT SAFETY DESIGN STANDARDS. CONSIDERABLE WORK IS ALSO BEING DONE ON BREAKAWAY SUPPORTS AND IMPACT ABSORBERS PLACED IN FRONT OF FIXED OBJECTS. ASIDE FROM THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM, WORK HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED OR COMPLETED ON 1800 PRIMARY, 2900 SECONDARY, AND 380 "SPOT IMPROVEMENT" ROAD PROJECTS. THE TOPICS PROGRAM, INITIATED IN 1967, NOW HAS 800 ACTIVE PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND FHWA RECENTLY EARMARKED $245 MILLION TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR THESE PROJECTS. PERHAPS THE GREATEST CHANGE IS IN THE DESIGN OF TRAFFIC SIGNS. THE UNITED STATES IS GRADUALLY CHANGING OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF SYMBOLIC RATHER THAN VERBAL CODES. A NEW SYSTEM OF LONGITUDINAL PAVEMENT MARKINGS HAS ALSO BEEN STANDARIDIZED IN WHICH YELLOW IS IMPLOYED TO A MUCH GREATER EXTENT THAN IN THE PAST. FINALLY, FHWA EXPECTS TO COMPLETE REVISED STANDARDS FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS BY THE END OF 1976.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 8, No 3, PP 31-34, PHOTS
• Corporate Authors:

  Ward's Autoworld

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Dietsch, R W
• Publication Date: 1972-3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coding systems; Computer programming languages; Design; Design standards; Highway safety; Reviews; Symbols; Traffic safety; Traffic signals; Traffic signs
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic sign design
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221643
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 10 1972 12:00AM