Evaluation of Geometric and Operational Characteristics Affecting the Safety of Six-Lane Divided Roadways

The overall objective of this project was to evaluate roadway and operational factors influencing the high injury and fatality rates on six-lane divided roadways in Florida. To accomplish this objective, data from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) crash database, the Roadway Characteristics Inventory, FDOT videologs, and field studies were analyzed. Although four-lane roadways had more crashes than six-lane roadways in terms of percentages, six-lane roadways had higher crash, fatality, and injury rates based on many environmental and geometric factors. The Spearman and chi-square tests showed that, based on a number of geometric and traffic variables, the distribution of crashes on four-lane and six-lane highways were not significantly different. Zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to model crash rates according to three levels of severity: (1) fatal and severe injury, (2) non-incapacitating and possible injury, and (3) property damage only. Increases in the number of signals per miles and the number of driveways per mile increased the crash rate. Increases in inside shoulder width, horizontal degree of curvature, outside shoulder width, median width, and surface width all reduced the crash rate. Based on the results of this research, the researchers strongly endorse FDOT’s efforts to enforce its standards, especially with regard to median width, shoulder width, and access management.

• Record URL:
  http://ftp.fdot.gov/file/d/FTP/FDOT%20LTS/CO/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SF/FDOT_BD543_05_rpt.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://ftp.fdot.gov/file/d/FTP/FDOT%20LTS/CO/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SF/FDOT_BD543_05.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Sprinkle Consulting, Incorporated

  18115 U.S. Highway 41 North, Suite 600
  Lutz, FL  United States  33549

  Florida Department of Transportation

  605 Suwannee Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32399-0450

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Petritsch, Theodore Anton
  • Challa, Srikalyan
  • Huang, Herman
  • Mussa, Renatus
• Publication Date: 2007-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 160p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chi square test; Crash rates; Crashes; Databases; Divided highways; Fatalities; Field studies; Four lane highways; Geometric design; Highway safety; Injury rates; Mathematical models; Medians; Road shoulders; Width
• Identifier Terms: Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial
• Uncontrolled Terms: Curvature (Road); Geometric analysis; Operational characteristics; Property damage; Six lane highways; Videolog
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I81: Accident Statistics; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01046436
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Project No. BD 543 RPWO 5
• Contract Numbers: BD-543
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 31 2007 9:13AM