A STUDY OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AND SAFETY AT EXIT GORE AREAS: FINDINGS AND APPLICATIONS
INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT NO SINGLE TYPE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES ERRATIC MOVEMENTS. DIFFERENT DEVICES ARE GENERALLY MORE EFFECTIVE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND DIFFERENT EFFECTS CAN BE EXPECTED FOR NIGHT AND DAY APPLICATIONS. DRIVER CONFUSION MAY BE PREVENTED THROUGH APPLICATION OF GOOD DESIGN PRACTICES AND PROPER TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES. THE INVESTIGATION UTILIZED STUDIES OF ERRATIC MOVEMENTS AT VARIOUS INTERCHANGE LOCATIONS BOTH AS INDICATIONS OF PROBLEM AREAS AND AS 'BEFORE' AND 'AFTER' EVALUATIONS OF VARIOUS REMEDIAL MEASURES. THE OBSERVATION IS MADE THAT THE "NOVELTY EFFECT" CREATED BY ANY NEW TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE WITHIN THE HIGHWAYS PREVENTS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL IN THE FIELD. THE AMBIGUITY OF CERTAIN OVERHEAD SIGNS MERITS INVESTIGATION AS ALSO DOES THE LOCATION OF LANE DROPS. THE INCLUSION OF NON-PROBLEM LOCATIONS IN A STUDY AND COMPARISON OF TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND ERRATIC MANEUVERS AT EACH LOCATION WILL INCREASE THE VALUE OF SUCH STUDIES. CAUTION IS URGED IN STUDIES OF DRIVER INTERVIEW STATISTICS. GEOMETRIC DESIGN CRITERIA ARE DISCUSSED AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE. COMMENT IS ALSO MADE ON REFLECTORIZED SIGNS, PAVEMENT MARKINGS, POST DELINEATORS AND LEFT-HAND EXIT RAMPS.
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Authors:
- Flener, B R
- Publication Date: 1972-12-1
Media Info
- Pagination: 7 p.
- Serial:
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Drivers; Geometric design; Highway delineators; Highway operations; Interchanges; Intersection elements; Interviewing; Problem drivers; Reaction time; Reckless drivers; Safety; Signs; Traffic; Traffic control devices
- Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
- Old TRIS Terms: Delineators (Traffic); Erratic driving behavior
- Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00226653
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Oct 23 1973 12:00AM