COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNTERMEASURES FOR UTILITY POLE ACCIDENTS

The purpose of this study was to develop a cost-effectiveness analysis procedure for the optimal selection of countermeasures for utility pole accidents. It involved the collection and analysis of accident roadway data for over 2,500 miles of urban and rural roads from four states. The results of the data analysis showed that lateral pole offset, traffic volume, and pole density were the factors most highly related to utility pole accidents; and a utility pole predictive model was developed. Based on the cost-effectiveness analysis, undergrounding and pole relocation were found to be cost-effective for telephone and electric distribution lines under various traffic and roadway conditions. Reducing pole density through multiple use was also cost-effective in some instances, but increasing pole spacing was generally not cost-effective. No countermeasures involving large transmission poles and lines were cost-effective within the limits of the analysis. General guidelines were developed for selecting cost-effective countermeasures, and a manual and computer procedure were developed to allow for selecting optimal countermeasures for specific roadway sections.

• Corporate Authors:

  Goodell-Grivas Incorporated

  17320 West Eight Mile Road
  Southfield, MI  United States  48075

  Federal Highway Administration

  Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Zegeer, C V
  • Parker Jr, M R
• Publication Date: 1985-12

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 158 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Breakaway supports; Cost effectiveness; Countermeasures; Crashes; Data analysis; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Utility poles
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391830
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/RD-83/063 8009-8209, HS-037 308
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-00178
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 30 1987 12:00AM