FLEXIBLE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS: AN URBAN CONSORTIUM INFORMATION BULLETIN

Urban highway designers and engineers are currently facing a dilemma. Often street and highway agencies are not allowed to vary from accepted design standards. However, some of these standards are considered inappropriate by local officials. This is especially true in densely developed urban areas when existing rights-of-way are narrow and hemmed in by existing building and also in rural or suburban areas where roads carry a low volume of traffic. While most cities cannot afford to construct or reconstruct their highways without some financial assistance, many local officials are concerned about the increased cost of providing the high level of design and operational features included in national standards. In 1981 when the Transportation Task Force of the Urban Consortium selected Flexible Design Standards as a priority issue, several of its members were aware of the plans to revise the nationally accepted American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) highway design standards. The revised publication, scheduled for release in 1984 is expected to provide greater flexibility for local highway design engineers. To meet the current need of the Transportation Task Force, this Information Bulletin discusses the local concerns about design standards, provides general information on current Federal regulations and AASHTO standards, and identifies contacts, programs, and references. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This is One of Ten Bulletins in the Fifth Series of An Urban Consortium Information Bulletins.
• Corporate Authors:

  Public Technology, Incorporated

  1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20004

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1982-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 24 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design standards; Flexibility; Highways; Improvements; Urban highways
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395918
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-I-82-58
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 31 2003 12:00AM