Optimization of Safety on Pavement Preservation Projects

The objective of this project is to propose a safety-incorporated resurfacing program that will enable Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to effectively and systematically incorporate safety improvements into its existing fast-paced resurfacing program. Several tasks were undertaken to accomplish the objective, including the following: review state practices for incorporating safety improvements into resurfacing, rehabilitation, and reconstruction activities; review GDOT’s existing pavement resurfacing program and safety improvement program; propose a safety-incorporated resurfacing program that effectively incorporates safety improvements into GDOT’s existing fast-paced pavement resurfacing program; and design the functions, database, and refined process to support the implementation of the proposed program. An enhanced, safety-incorporated program consisting of the following three components is proposed for GDOT to seamlessly integrate safety improvements into its existing fast-paced resurfacing program: 1) First, a safety improvement categorization is proposed to make the integration of safety improvements into the resurfacing program practically feasible by dividing safety improvements into three categories in terms of duration, funding, and office coordination. The three categories are: resurfacing; safety improvements that require no environmental studies; and safety improvements that require environmental studies. 2) Second, a two-stage approach to identify the projects with potential pavement-deficiency-induced safety concerns and roadway upgrade needs to meet enhanced safety standards is proposed. The two stages are: a computerized search based on integrated data, including pavement condition (e.g., distress type, severity), roadway characteristics (e.g., shoulder width), and crash history (e.g., type, frequency, and severity of crashes); and a field evaluation to confirm the safety concerns and roadway upgrade needs. A safety index is also proposed to quantify the safety concerns/risks identified through the two-stage approach. 3) Third, a project reprioritization method that takes pavement conditions and safety concerns into account is proposed to minimize potential safety risks. To align the reprioritization method with GDOT’s current resurfacing prioritization, the safety index is incorporated into the Pavement Condition Evaluation System (PACES) rating computation.

• Record URL:
  http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/research/Documents/092011.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  790 Atlantic Drive
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30332

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  Office of Materials and Research, 15 Kennedy Drive
  Forest Park, GA  United States  30297-2534
• Authors:
  • Tsai, James
  • Wu, Yiching
  • Wang, Chieh (Ross)
• Publication Date: 2011-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 98p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Highway safety; Improvements; Pavement maintenance; Pavement performance; Reconstruction; Rehabilitation; Resurfacing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pavement preservation; Safety improvement
• Geographic Terms: Georgia
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01376169
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Research Project 09-11
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 23 2012 9:13AM