Enhanced Night Visibility Series, Volume XI: Phase II―Cost-Benefit Analysis

This volume of the Enhanced Night Visibility project is a cost-benefit analysis of the vision enhancement system (VES) and roadway marking technologies evaluated in the Phase II experiments of the Enhanced Night Visibility project. The cost-benefit analysis indicates that neither the ultraviolet-A (UV–A) headlamp nor the fluorescent pavement marking technologies are fully developed for implementation. Under the conditions simulated in the Virginia Smart Road tests, most of the combinations of experimental VESs and experimental marking materials show no net improvement in sight distance in comparison to the combination of halogen (i.e., tungsten-halogen) low-beam headlamps and a nonfluorescent pavement marking. The best-performing VES configurations were the halogen low beam (HLB) and five UV–A + HLB. HLB serves as the benchmark, with both its estimated crash reduction benefit and its incremental cost defined to be zero. The slight overall benefit of five UV–A + HLB over HLB would lead to a positive crash savings, but its cost of implementation would result in a cost-benefit ratio of 0.001 and in negative net benefits of less than zero. Among the pavement markings tested, the fluorescent paint generally performed worse than the fluorescent thermoplastic. Neither of the tested fluorescent pavement markings is forecast to generate positive benefits in comparison with the performance of the nonfluorescent pavement marking.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/humanfac/04142/index.cfm
• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/humanfac/04142/04142.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

  Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
  3500 Transportation Research Plaza
  Blacksburg, VA  United States  24061

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Safety Research and Development
  6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101-2296
• Authors:
  • Gillespie, James S
• Publication Date: 2005-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 52p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Fluorescence; Headlamps; Low beamed headlamps; Night visibility; Road markings; Sight distance; Thermoplastic materials; Traffic paint; Ultraviolet light
• Identifier Terms: Virginia Smart Road
• Uncontrolled Terms: Tungsten-halogen lamps; Vision enhancement systems
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I35: Miscellaneous Materials; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01043978
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-HRT-04-142
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-98-C-00049
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 13 2007 1:11PM