INTERSECTION SIGHT DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE TRUCKS

An analysis has been conducted to determine the sight distance requirements of large trucks at intersections. AASHTO policy is briefly reviewed and related vehicle characteristics are identified. Truck characteristics are updated based on permitted 1982 Surface Transportation Assistance Act design vehicles and published truck acceleration models. The results of sensitivity analyses are compared with current policy and are summarized for each of the intersection sight distance cases considered by AASHTO. The findings imply that current intersection sight distance criteria may not be adequate for trucks when the current AASHTO models are exercised for the representative truck characteristics. Nevertheless, the findings, particularly for Case III intersection sight distance, result in impractically long sight distance requirements. Therefore, the development of alternative approaches for establishing realistic sight distance values is advocated. In particular, a truck driver gap-acceptance concept is proposed for further study. The gap lengths that truck drivers safely accept would be determined through field studies, and sight distance criteria would then be established to ensure that truck drivers on a side road approach would have sight distance at least equal to acceptable gap length.

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 47-58
  • Monograph Title: Highway sight distance design issues
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00490646
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309048079
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Jan 31 1990 12:00AM