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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Worker Injury Prevention Strategies, Carlos A. Ferreira-Diaz, Alma Torres-Zapata, Christopher A. Nanovic, Dulcy M. Abraham
Worker Injury Prevention Strategies, Carlos A. Ferreira-Diaz, Alma Torres-Zapata, Christopher A. Nanovic, Dulcy M. Abraham
JTRP Technical Reports
As the trend of increased highway construction and/or rehabilitation continues to grow, the public often demands that delays in work zones be kept to a minimum. Thus, the flow of traffic through the construction zone must be maintained while performing pavement maintenance/ repair/ reconstruction activities. At the same time, the safety of personnel and property in highway construction work zones must be ensured. Three types of risks are encountered by construction and maintenance workers in construction workzones: (a) risks due to underprotection or lack of protection against potential hazards (including lack of hearing protection, eye protection, respiratory protection); (b) effect …
Investigation Of The Effective Use Of Warning Lights On Indiana Department Of Transportation (Indot) Vehicles And Equipment, Bob Mccullouch, Brandon Stevens
Investigation Of The Effective Use Of Warning Lights On Indiana Department Of Transportation (Indot) Vehicles And Equipment, Bob Mccullouch, Brandon Stevens
JTRP Technical Reports
This study was requested by INDOT to determine if current lighting packages used on INDOT maintenance vehicles, specifically snow plow vehicles, can be improved with other commercially available products. Different light products were obtained from various vendors, mounted on INDOT vehicles, and visual comparisons were performed under various lighting and weather conditions by a team of observers. The comparison evaluations were performed revealing that other light packages, LED models for most options, were brighter and certain colors more visible. The preferred light models are recommended. These recommendations were forwarded to appropriate individuals that make these decisions at INDOT. Implementation is …
Risk Assessment Of Various Median Treatments Of Rural Interstates, Natalie M. Villwock, Nicolas Paul Blond, Andrzej P. Tarko
Risk Assessment Of Various Median Treatments Of Rural Interstates, Natalie M. Villwock, Nicolas Paul Blond, Andrzej P. Tarko
JTRP Technical Reports
This report presents results of a comprehensive study that evaluates the safety impacts of alternative median treatments on rural freeways. Extensive data were obtained from Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. The studied median treatments include AASHTO-recommended treatments: depressed medians, depressed medians with high and lowtensioned cable barriers, and flush medians with concrete barriers. Other treatments used in the freeway design were also studied: medians with berms, sloped medians, and depressed medians with berms. Negative binomial models were developed to predict the frequency of crashes in three categories: single vehicle (SV), multiple vehicles same …
Evaluating And Enhancing The Safety Of Nighttime Construction Projects, Dulcy M. Abraham, Julia Jensen Spadaccini, Beau Braxton Burgess, Lindsay Rae Miller, Vanessa Valentin
Evaluating And Enhancing The Safety Of Nighttime Construction Projects, Dulcy M. Abraham, Julia Jensen Spadaccini, Beau Braxton Burgess, Lindsay Rae Miller, Vanessa Valentin
JTRP Technical Reports
The increased demand on the current highway system has caused transportation agencies to increase scheduling for nighttime work in order to alleviate daytime work zone congestion, especially during peak traffic hours. Although traffic congestion is reduced, safety in nighttime workzones remains a concern among both transportation agencies and contractors. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), approximately one-half of the fatalities that occurred in workzones nationwide occurred at night. These work zone statistics have received increased attention among agencies to evaluate planning and safety issues concerning the workers and the general public on nighttime workzones. Four separate, but interrelated research …
Safety Of Intersections On High-Speed Road Segments With Superelevation, Peter T. Savolainen, Andrzej P. Tarko
Safety Of Intersections On High-Speed Road Segments With Superelevation, Peter T. Savolainen, Andrzej P. Tarko
JTRP Technical Reports
In recent years, the State of Indiana has built a number of intersections where one or both of the roads are located on curves. The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets recommends that in such cases “the alignment should be as straight and the gradient as flat as practical.” This wording, consistent with Part V of the Indiana Design Manual, allows for the design of intersections on curves if other solutions prove to be too expensive. Several of these intersections have raised safety concerns and led to expensive corrective measures. Due to these safety and economic issues, …
Traffic Signals In School Zones, Kevin S. Lee, Darcy M. Bullock
Traffic Signals In School Zones, Kevin S. Lee, Darcy M. Bullock
JTRP Technical Reports
Traffic signals are used to control the right of way at intersections. Strict engineering guidelines are published in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that engineers use to determine if a traffic signal is “warranted”. The warrants provide consistent national balance between mobility, safety, efficiency, and costs. However, signalized intersections are often viewed by the general public as safer then unsignalized intersections. This belief is often heightened when there are personal injuries and even higher when children are involved. Parents, city officials, and local interest groups often vigorously request the installation of a traffic signal. After these requests …
Evaluation Of Safety Enforcement On Changing Driver Behavior - Runs On Red (2 Of 2 Volumes), Robert C. Zahnke, Maria L. Drake, Jose E. Thomaz
Evaluation Of Safety Enforcement On Changing Driver Behavior - Runs On Red (2 Of 2 Volumes), Robert C. Zahnke, Maria L. Drake, Jose E. Thomaz
JTRP Technical Reports
Red light running (RLR) is a dangerous act. Approximately 22% of urban crashes at signalized intersections are caused nationwide by RLR. Nearly 1,036 deaths were caused nationwide by RLR in the year 2000. Indiana had no previous research conducted in this area; therefore, this research was aimed at estimating the RLR problem in Indiana. The other objectives of this research included: learning drivers’ opinions on the problem, studying the effectiveness of selected countermeasures, and studying the legal issues related to photo-enforcement. A crash statistics study, telephone survey, and extended monitoring of a selected intersection were the three major approaches chosen …
Evaluation Of Safety Enforcement On Changing Driver Behavior - Runs On Red (1 Of 2 Volumes), Andrzej P. Tarko, Naredla Lakshmi Reddy
Evaluation Of Safety Enforcement On Changing Driver Behavior - Runs On Red (1 Of 2 Volumes), Andrzej P. Tarko, Naredla Lakshmi Reddy
JTRP Technical Reports
Red light running (RLR) is a dangerous act. Approximately 22% of urban crashes at signalized intersections are caused nationwide by RLR. Nearly 1,036 deaths were caused nationwide by RLR in the year 2000. Indiana had no previous research conducted in this area; therefore, this research was aimed at estimating the RLR problem in Indiana. The other objectives of this research included: learning drivers’ opinions on the problem, studying the effectiveness of selected countermeasures, and studying the legal issues related to photo-enforcement. A crash statistics study, telephone survey, and extended monitoring of a selected intersection were the three major approaches chosen …
Improving Efficiency Of Indot Traffic Data Collection Using Gps Devices, Shuo Li, Karen Zhu, Boudewijn H. W. Van Gelder, John Nagle, Carl Tuttle
Improving Efficiency Of Indot Traffic Data Collection Using Gps Devices, Shuo Li, Karen Zhu, Boudewijn H. W. Van Gelder, John Nagle, Carl Tuttle
JTRP Technical Reports
INDOT has utilized many new technologies to reduce travel delay, mitigate traffic congestion, and enhance public and employees’ safety. Many projects are underway, including re-timing of most existing traffic signals and pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. To evaluate signal system performance, prioritize alternatives of improvement, conduct before and after studies and investigate work zone safety, it requires a large amount of traffic data such as travel time, speed and delay. Issues, such as safety, efficiency and cost, may arise associated with the current methods. For the current manual or automatic data collection, it usually requires two operators, a driver and a …
An Analysis Of Speed Limit Policies For Indiana, Nisar M. Khan, Kumares C. Sinha
An Analysis Of Speed Limit Policies For Indiana, Nisar M. Khan, Kumares C. Sinha
JTRP Technical Reports
The repeal of the National maximum Speed Limit law in 1995 enabled individual states to set their own speed limits. Speed limits are necessary to ensure mobility while preserving highway safety. It is important that states continually monitor and evaluate existing operating speeds in the context of changing patterns of travel, and changing characteristics of highways, vehicles, drivers, and land-use. Any efforts to review existing speed limits should be accompanied by evaluation of policy impacts such as safety and economic productivity. The goal of this research is to develop a set of speed limit policy guidelines for the state. The …
The Development Of A Speed Monitoring Program For Indiana, Darren L. Jorgenson, Kumares C. Sinha
The Development Of A Speed Monitoring Program For Indiana, Darren L. Jorgenson, Kumares C. Sinha
JTRP Technical Reports
From the passage of the National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) of 55 mph in 1974 through its repeal in 1995 speed monitoring programs have been mandated by the federal government. The speed-monitoring program was primarily intended to provide reliable data to be included as a part of the State’s annual certification in order to be approved for Federal Aid highway projects. The repeal of the NMSL in 1995 not only authorized states to set their own speed limits, it also allowed states to develop their own speed monitoring programs. The goal of this research is to provide the framework for …
A Methodology For The Analysis Of Its Impacts On Mobility, Air Quality, And Land Use, Kumares C. Sinha, Srinivas Peeta, Muhammed Amer Sultan, Kamalakar Poonuru, Nadine-Jenelle K. Richards
A Methodology For The Analysis Of Its Impacts On Mobility, Air Quality, And Land Use, Kumares C. Sinha, Srinivas Peeta, Muhammed Amer Sultan, Kamalakar Poonuru, Nadine-Jenelle K. Richards
JTRP Technical Reports
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is currently implementing (or has implemented) several components of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This includes a mini Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) implemented on a three-mile stretch of the Borman Expressway to evaluate advanced non-intrusive sensor systems and the associated communication infrastructure for the installation of a full-scale ATMS on the 16-mile stretch of the Borman Expressway. Potential specific ITS technologies that are either being implemented or are being considered include pre-trip information, en-route information, variable message signs, and Hoosier Helpers. It is expected that the implementation of various ITS technologies on the Borman …
An Evaluation Of Lane Closure Strategies For Interstate Work Zones, Raktim Pal, Kumares C. Sinha
An Evaluation Of Lane Closure Strategies For Interstate Work Zones, Raktim Pal, Kumares C. Sinha
JTRP Technical Reports
A systematic procedure was developed in the present study that can be used to make a decision regarding the appropriate lane closure strategy at a particular interstate work zone. Four criteria were identified which influence such a decision, namely user travel time and vehicle operating cost, traffic control cost, safety, and contractors’ convenience. The influences of these criteria were aggregated using the Analytic Hierarchy Approach. The procedure developed in the present study is systematic in nature, simple to use and sensitive to the policy adopted by a transportation agency. A computer program, LANECLOSE, was developed which can be readily used …
The Effects Of The All-Red Clearance Interval On Intersection Accident Rates In Indiana, Brian Alan Roper, Jon D. Fricker, Kumares C. Sinha, Robert E. Montgomery
The Effects Of The All-Red Clearance Interval On Intersection Accident Rates In Indiana, Brian Alan Roper, Jon D. Fricker, Kumares C. Sinha, Robert E. Montgomery
JTRP Technical Reports
The research reported is an evaluation of all-red clearance intervals as the second phase of a project involving traffic signal operation. The first phase of the project dealt with leading versus lagging left turn signal phasing. The study analyzed both the short-term and long-term effects of all-red interval on accident rates in Indiana using accident records for the years 1981 to 1987. The results contradict those of previous studies. Statistical tests indicated that all-red clearance intervals did not cause a reduction in accident rates at the intersections studied in Indiana.