PART IV: Summary of Comments - SCOR/RAC

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PART IV: Summary of Comments17-May-10Reviewer Comments Distribution of Ratings■ This seems more appropriate for a pooled fund of relevant states rather than a NCHRP study.Item #55:G-21Understanding An Emerging Collision Trend: HowDoes Freeway Width, Access & Complexity AffectSafety (and Driver) Performance?(17)(46)NR 0 1 2 3 4 5SCOR 1 1 2 6 4 3RAC 2 4 8 20 8 7Standing Committee on Research■ While this is an interesting project, in Virginia our freeways are our safest facilities. In terms of potential crashreductions, we would be better focused looking at non-limited access roads. I think there is already some work that hasbeen completed in this area.Section III aims to confirm (or refute) a hypothesized trend in increased injury severity,whereas Section V assumes this trend is real and thus seeks to identify mitigating strategies. The statement should berewritten to be consistent with Section III--confirm whether this trend is real or not. Then, address mitigations (SectionV) in a separate research effort.Uncertain about successful results of the project after 600K are spent. Once trends areestablished, not just hypothesized, establishing cause and effect could be highly challenging. In addition to what ismentioned, there are many potential factors, for example, increased interstate speed limits in recent years.■ This would enhance DOTs' ability to design for driver behavior■ [Rating: 4] This research will provide important information to better understand the issues, challenges andcountermeasures dealing with complex Interstate and Interchange environments. There is a concern that whether theproposed research objectives can be fully accomplished within the 24 months.Research Advisory Committee■ Hopefully this research can convince decision makers that we should not compromise the operational integrity and safetyof critical interchanges by introducing too many closely spaced inconsistent decision/merge/weave (even left side) pointsand then trying to "compensate" with "innovative" measures that require additional recurrent investment of resources.This effort should basically be pointing out the obvious (better spacing+more simple configurations+better geometryshould yield better performance) however there is a need for additional formal presentation (value determination /tradeoff analysis) and stronger re-statement of fundamental design principles. If the team needs some "bad" exampleswhere too many interchanges have been allowed and compromised a corridor's performance - we should be able toidentify and provide several underperforming NC freeway corridors.■ The proposal does not appear to be well thought out or concise on what it will actually do. Concern is with the projectfocus and developing a usable product.■ This research represents a current problem and if successful, the application of the results would improve safety andmobility in ways that would far outweigh the expense of the study. WSDOT's in house case studies have found thatalthough the number of accidents didn't significantly decrease, there was a major reduction in serious injury accidents.■ Our freeways truly are becoming more complex. There is a definite need to increase our understanding of how thesecomplexities affect safety and driver performance. This problem statement rates medium in comparison to the othersreviewed.■ The development countermeasures and treatments in complex and/or congested areas is of vital importance.Other■ Topic area might be addressed using data from the SHRP 2 NDS in the future, but there is no duplication in the project.IV-38
PART IV: Summary of Comments17-May-10Reviewer Comments Distribution of RatingsItem #56:G-13Guidelines for Guide Sign Visibility(17)(46)NR 0 1 2 3 4 5SCOR 1 2 1 6 4 3RAC 2 7 3 18 13 6Standing Committee on Research■ This is a priority for TED. Sign conspicuity continues to be an area of high research need. This project has the potentialto provide benefits that far outweigh costs.■ Consider phasing research.■ [Rating: 5] This is a critical item and is appropriate for NCHRP. Agencies are making decisions regarding overhead signlighting installations based on cost and do not always have adequate information on potential impacts on the drivingpublic. A stand-alone document providing guidance to agencies on how to evaluate the visual performance of signsunder varying geometric and traffic conditions will greatly assist in making appropriate decisions regarding installation orremoval of sign lighting systems and selection of appropriate sign sheeting materials.Research Advisory Committee■ WSDOT may benefit from this research■ Guidelines for sign visibility in conjunction with lighting technology developed by companies that supply vehiclemanufacturers should be geared more towards this problem. Since the study would result in guidelines for sign visibility,NCHRP would be the most logical organization for this type of work. The magnitude of the problem may not meritnational attention but it would significantly improve driving conditions. Various studies and research is been conductedto varying degree. Some of the studies may have a different focus but this information can be extracted.Other■ [Rating: 4]Item #57:B-06Collecting Accurate Motorcycle Travel Data to ReduceRising Fatalities on the Nation’s Highways(17)(46)NR 0 1 2 3 4 5SCOR 2 5 4 3 3RAC 1 3 3 11 15 5 11Standing Committee on Research■ This problem is common to all states. VMT for motorcycles is essential in problem ID and in countermeasure evaluation.Motorcycle countermeasures often go unfunded since their potential benefit cannot be compared to other vehiclecountermeasures.■ Agree with need to detect motorcycles; not sure detection will necessarily lead to safety.■ Motorcycle accidents account for 10% of accident fatalities and the rate is rising. Currently, there is not a method tocapture Motorcycle Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) or the number of motorcycles using the transportation system. Thisresearch could provide data to assist designers in identifying factors that would improve the safety of motorcyclists on thenation's transportation system.■ More suitable to a synthesis■ This could be a lower cost synthesis project.■ FHWA has done significant work in the area of motorcylce detection over the past couple of years. That work should beevaluated first.■ [Rating: 5] This effort is extremely important and necessary, as motorcycle fatalities are the only subgroup still on therise. Accurate exposure data is an absolute necessity in countermeasure development, deployment, and evaluation.However, the objectives and end product are related to current NCHRP Project 8-36 Task 92 - Counting Motorcycles.IV-39
Page 1 and 2: PART IV: Summary of Comments17-May-
Page 37: PART IV: Summary of Comments17-May-
Page 89 and 90:
PART IV: Summary of Comments17-May-
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
show all

PART IV: Summary of Comments - SCOR/RAC

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?