Assessing the Risk in the Design of Passing Sight Distances

Mostly, design methods in transportation engineering do not address the level of risk associated with the design and use of various highway elements. Passing sight distance (PSD) is an example of a highway operational element analyzed with no risk measures. The aim of this paper is to attach risk indexes to various PSD lengths. The writers devised a unique microscopic simulation using the ARENA software for replicating passing maneuvers on two-lane two-way roads. The simulation monitors the movement of three vehicles: the passing, the impeding, and the opposing vehicles. Two thousand passing attempts are simulated for each PSD length, and a weighed risk index is obtained. The risk index is mainly based on the value of the clearance time between the passing and the opposing vehicles at the end of the passing maneuver. Six levels of risk are identified. Using the simulation results, the writers are able to assess the risk of various PSD lengths for a specific design speed. In addition, the risks associated with the current PSD standards are identified. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials “Green Book” values are shown to be conservative relative to the other design values. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices values fall within the acceptable risk levels. With risk measures attached to the PSD lengths, a trade-off analysis between the level of service and risk is feasible to accomplish.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/8674831
• Authors:
  • El Khoury, John
  • Hobeika, Antoine G
• Publication Date: 2007-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 370-377
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transportation Engineering
  • Volume: 133
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-947X
  • Serial URL: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jtepbs

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash risk forecasting; Highway design; Highway safety; Length; Microscopic traffic flow; Passing; Passing sight distance; Risk assessment; Traffic simulation; Two lane highways
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01051764
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 19 2007 8:28AM