Evaluation of Safety and Operational Performance of High Tension Median Cable Barrier on Deerfoot Trail, Calgary, Alberta

This study is an examination of the safety and operational performance of the high tension median cable barrier (HTCB) installed between January and May 2007 on a 10.75 km section of Deerfoot Trail, a six-lane divided freeway with a depressed median in Calgary, Alberta, carrying 150,000 vehicles per day. This paper presents the results of a rigorous analysis of nearly three years of detailed collision and operational data. The study of the barrier's performance reported here makes this HTCB installation one of the most robustly studied in North America. The before and after analyses of the safety performance of the HTCB revealed that the rate and severity of median-related severe collisions dropped significantly after the installation of the barrier (severe collisions are defined as collisions resulting in fatalities and major injuries). The analyses also showed that although there was an increase in property damage only collisions the frequency of severe collisions dropped by 25% and the rate of severe collisions dropped by 40% after the installation of the HTCB. The benefit-cost analysis (with a 20-year analysis period, and taking into account the construction and maintenance costs and the monetary benefits of the reduction in severe collisions) indicated a benefit-cost ratio of 11.1 and a payback period of less than one year. This study concludes that the HTCB on Deerfoot Trail has been performing well with respect to safety and operation, and can serve as a model for applicability in other jurisdictions. For the covering abstract of this conference see record control number 201111RT334E.

• Record URL:
  http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/annualconference/tac2011/english/papers_by_title.htm
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)

  401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • CHURCHILL, T
  • BARUA, U
  • HASSAN, M
  • IMRAN, M
  • KENNY, B
• Conference:
  • 2011 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION OF THE TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA. TRANSPORTATION SUCCESSES: LET'S BUILD ON THEM. 2011 Congress et Exhibition de l'Association des Transports du Canada. Les Succes en Transports: Une Tremplin vers l'Avenir
  • Location: Edmonton , Canada
  • Date: 2011-9-11 to 2011-9-14
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: 19 p.
• Monograph Title: 2011 Conference and Exhibition of the Transportation Association of Canada - Transportation Successes: Let's Build on Them

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Benefit cost analysis; Cables; Conferences; Crash rates; Crash severity; Freeways; Guardrails; Medians; Prevention; Safety
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 1661: Accident prevention; 1612: Accident rate; 9148: Before and after study; 4530: Cable; 8018: Canada; 2914: Central reserve; 8525: Conference; 226: Cost benefit analysis; 2752: Motorway; 1686: Safety fence; 1623: Severity (accid, injury)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01360483
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: Jan 9 2012 12:42PM