CAPITAL COST IMPLICATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE PAVEMENT WIDTHS

In 1978 a review was made of design options for a 6 km section of the Arthur highway between Sorell and Forcett. The review considered three alternative designs in combination with a number of pavement and shoulder widths. These were analysed to determine their cost and capacity. The cost of construction is not always linearly related to formation width. The comparison of cost to service volume provides a ready means of relating design variables, horizontal and vertical alignment, shoulder and pavement width together with fixed parameters such as traffic volumes, composition, and speed to the cost of construction. This may be achieved by means of an index or graphically. Within a given formation width it is more economical to increase pavement width rather than shoulder width provided that a minimum shoulder width of 1.2 M is provided. The determination of the optimum combination of alignment pavement and shoulder width is derived from a comparison of suitable options with the capacity required. (TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Workshops on the Economics of Road Design Standards, Canberra 18-20 May 1980 Papers.
• Corporate Authors:

  Bureau of Transport Economics, Australia

  Allara Street
  Canberra City, A.C.T. 2601,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • FINCH, C H
• Publication Date: 1980-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 10 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alignment; Benefit cost analysis; Conferences; Construction; Costs; Finance; Highway capacity; Highway design; Level of service; Paved shoulders; Pavement widening; Pavements; Road construction; Road shoulders; Standards; Transportation; Width; Workshops
• Uncontrolled Terms: Construction costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Pavement width
• ITRD Terms: 2894: Alignment; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 2916: Hard shoulder; 653: Level of service; 2955: Pavement; 3665: Road construction; 187: Specification (standard); 6479: Width
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Finance; Pavements; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00329599
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 21 1981 12:00AM