APPROACH TOWARD PROVISION OF LOW-VOLUME RURAL ROADS IN EMERGING COUNTRIES: SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE

In developing countries, roads are one of the essential elements for socioeconomic development. However, the provision of roads that compare favorably with First-World standards is prohibitive. A better matching of road provision standards to the nature and volumes of anticipated traffic to maximize return on investment is needed. South Africa has a tertiary road network of 240,000 km, and the demand for upgrading these roads to paved standards far exceeds the available funding. Research undertaken by the South African Department of Transportation has led to a much improved insight of the need for and function of low-volume roads. The criteria for road design and construction in more-developed countries cannot be transferred unmodified to South Africa. Changes in the approach to road design and construction over the last 50 years are considered, and it is concluded that technological advances have led to a "recipe" approach to design. Road design has become more of an art than a science, and a return to sympathetic and innovative design is needed. To assist engineers in making this paradigm shift, the Department of Transportation appointed a multidisciplinary team to produce guidelines for the surfacing of low-volume roads. The holistic approach adopted toward determining appropriate standards is discussed, with special reference to geometric and safety aspects. Rather than concentrating on what must be done to provide a paved road that will support travel at 100 km/hr, consideration should be given to what speed can reasonably be provided for with limited upgrading. The need for technology transfer to familiarize highway professionals with the concepts developed and ways in which future user expectations could be met are also considered.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/conf/1995/cp6/v1/cp6v1-043.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309060745
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Jordaan, P W
  • Mitchell, M F
• Conference:
  • Sixth International Conference on Low-Volume Roads
  • Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Date: 1995-6-25 to 1995-6-29
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 330-339
• Monograph Title: SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW-VOLUME ROADS, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, JUNE 25-29, 1995. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 2 VOLUMES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Design standards; Developing countries; Geometric design; Highway design; Low volume roads; Rural highways; Safety; Socioeconomic development; Technology transfer
• Geographic Terms: South Africa
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00680758
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309060745
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 6 1995 12:00AM