SUMMARY OF INTERNATIONAL SCANNING PROGRAM FOR HIGHWAY GEOMETRIC DESIGN

This article reports on a scanning tour of procedures and practices in several European countries to learn more about ways to apply the principals of context sensitive design, as encouraged in recent federal highway authorizations to balance safety and mobility needs with the community's interests. The Highway Geometric Design International Tour was jointly sponsored by the FHWA and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Generally they found that project design processes were similar to those in the U.S., though more clearly defined. More time is spent on the planning phase and entire corridors are typically considered. That allows for longer-range planning. There is also a greater emphasis on incorporating community and environmental concerns. Public involvement is more board-based and starts earlier in the process. Safety audits are used as evaluation tools and there is a greater political role in the project's development. Discussion also included various meanings of "design speeds," design flexibility, rural safety, bicyclists and pedestrians, roundabouts, which are used extensively, and traffic calming, particularly how best to accommodate non-motorized users.

• Record URL:
  http://www3.apwa.net/Resources/Reporter/Articles/2001/7/Summary-of-International-Scanning-Program-for-Highway-Geometric-Design
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1789483
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Works Association

  2345 Grand Boulevard, Suite 500
  Kansas City, MO  United States  64108-2625
• Authors:
  • Okamoto, J
• Publication Date: 2001-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 18-23
• Serial:
  • APWA Reporter
  • Volume: 68
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: American Public Works Association
  • ISSN: 0092-4873

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Context sensitive design; Design speed; Environmental engineering; Geometric design; Long range planning; Roundabouts; Rural highways
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974320
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 2 2004 12:00AM