AASHTO Domestic Scan Proposal Form s5

AASHTO Domestic Scan Proposal Form

AASHTO is soliciting topic proposals for a FY 2008 US Domestic Scan Program (NCHRP Panel 20-68A). Each selected scan topic will be investigated through site visits to three to six locations over a one or two week period, conducted by a group of eight to 12 transportation professionals with expertise in the selected topic area. Proposed topics should meet the following criteria:  Address an important and timely need for information by transportation agencies;  Are of interest to a broad national spectrum of people and agencies;  Are complex and also “hands-on,” meaning they lend themselves particularly well to exploration through on-site visits; and  Are sufficiently focused that the tour participants are able to investigate and understand key issues in the limited time available on the tour.

Proposals should be returned no later than November 9 th , 2007.

Proposal Contact Information Name: Mary L. McDonough Title: Team Leader for Roadway Departure, FHWA Office of Safety Agency/AASHTO Committee: Federal Highway Administration Address: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone number: 202-366-2175 Date of submission: November 9, 2007 Title of Proposed Scan Rural Roadside Safety Design and Maintenance Practices

Problem Statement (What topic is to be examined? What drives the need for the scan? Why now?)

According to FARS data, the fatality rate along rural roads is 2.4 times the fatality rate along urban roads. Approximately 14,000 are killed annually in rural two lane road departure crashes. Roadside design along rural roadways can be especially challenging due to right-of-way constraints, the many intersections and driveway openings that provide access to the roadway, and the presence of utility poles, other fixed object hazards, hazardous ditches, and steep slopes. Designing, installing, and maintaining barriers and other safety features, and making safety improvements such as removing fixed object hazards or improving roadside grading, are formidable challenges on roads where funding is limited, traffic volumes are growing, and speeds are often excessive.

Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that repair of safety appurtenances following impact is not a high priority for those local transportation agencies responsible for maintenance. Maintenance practices for safety appurtenances needs to be observed and documented to determine the effects on rural road crashes and safety. Successful activation of most breakaway sign supports, roadside barriers, and guardrail end treatments requiring maintenance will often not result in an accident report. This necessitates the need for alternative methods, such as field visits, to determine the current condition of appurtenances.

Scan Scope (What specific subject areas are to be examined? Which cities and states might be visited? Which agencies/organizations (including specific departments or types of staff if applicable)?

An examination by a team of Federal, State and local participants, of the placement, installation practices, and maintenance processes of roadside features along rural roads in a sample of three to five geographically dispersed states should be done. Numerous rural locations along U.S. highways, city streets, and county roads are needed for sampling. Possible locations include Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, and California.

Scan Objectives (What key information is to be gained? What information is to be shared after the scan? Who would the audience be for this information?)

Key information to be compiled should include: 1. States’ design practices for providing appropriate roadside hardware on rural roadways. 2. Methods of handling right of way/easement needs (where essential) for hardware installation, drainage extensions, or slope modification. 3. The most common types of damage to roadside hardware requiring repair and the extent of repair required. 4. Maintenance and repair issues when using various manufacturers’ devices (breakaway features, guardrail terminals, etc.). 5. The time from initial damage to completion of repair, the costs of repair, and the time to repair (e.g., time in a work zone). 6. Determination as to whether there are any secondary impacts before maintenance or repair is performed following the initial impact.

Benefits Expected (Including potential impacts on current technology or procedures)

This scan will lead to a better understanding of the extent of the design, installation, and maintenance issues related to roadside features on rural roads. FHWA and State DOT’s will then be better equipped to assess and provide guidance on how to improve the selection and placement of hardware as well as the benefits of maintenance practices that would lower fatalities and injuries, particularly on rural roads. In addition, this scan could potentially result in the identification of new technologies and new areas of research for safety hardware and other countermeasures.

As part of FHWA’s focus on Roadway Departure, which accounts for 58% of all fatalities and most of the 2 million serious injuries annually, the results of this scan will not only facilitate information sharing and technology exchange among States and other transportation agencies. The results of the scan (e.g., state of the practice, best practices, lessons learned) would be captured in a variety of technical products in addition to the scan report -- all of which would receive wide distribution as part of FHWA’s Roadway Departure program which addresses countermeasure efforts nationally.