EFFECT OF RESURFACING ON HIGHWAY SAFETY

Critical reviews of the available literature and some original analyses dealing with the safety effects of road resurfacing projects were conducted and are summarized in this paper. It is essential that the pavement surface retain its shape and structural integrity under its design loads and traffic if effective, safe, and economic highway transportation is to result. Considering the importance and expense of road resurfacing in maintaining high levels of service on the U.S. highway system, there have been few studies that directly address the issue of how accident frequency and severity change following resurfacing. These few studies indicate a response pattern that needs to be strengthened with additional studies using state-of-the-art experimental and analytic methodologies. In the meantime, there is substantial safety information available on two aspects of pavement condition directly linked to resurfacing: pavement roughness and skid resistance. This analysis is concerned with resurfacing entire road sections rather than short lengths usually installed for improved skid resistance at curves or intersections.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper appears in Transportation Research Board State-of-the-Art Report No. 6, Relationship Between Safety and Key Highway Features: A Synthesis of Prior Research.Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
  • Corporate Authors:

    Transportation Research Board

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  • Authors:
    • Cleveland, D E
  • Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

  • Features: References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 78-95
  • Serial:

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00490520
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0-309-04502-9
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Jan 31 1990 12:00AM