THE EFFECTS OF THE ENERGY CRISIS ON RURAL ROADS IN MAINE

During the energy crisis of the 1973-74 winter, a traffic experiment was conducted on U.S. Route 2, through the village of Palmyra, Maine, to determine the effects of fuel shortage on a 2-lane rural road. Vehicle velocity data was obtained by means of nodes embedded in the road, 2 to 6 hours a day, during the week and daytime only. Traffic volume data was also gathered from a site on Route 1 in Waldboro. This data was analyzed to give an indication of driver behavior and reaction to the new 50 mph speed limit. Graphs and tables show the relationships analyzed. Overall conclusions indicate that the greatest speed reduction occurred after the imposition of the 50 mph speed limit, the driver population traveling at speeds greater than 55 mph was reduced, but that the percentage of automobiles not complying with the speed limit increased. It is believed that these effects of the energy crisis were manifested statewide, since this particular 2-lane road is typical.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Basham, W M
  • Mengert, P H
• Publication Date: 1974-12

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 100-106
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Energy; Energy resources; Fuel consumption; Motor vehicles; Network nodes; Reaction time; Rural highways; Speed; Speed limits; Traffic speed; Traffic volume; Two lane highways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Energy crisis
• Old TRIS Terms: Nodes
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080996
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 26 1975 12:00AM