Methodology to Predict the Safety Performance of Urban and Suburban Arterials (Phases I and II); Final rept

摘要

The objective of the research is to develop a methodology that predicts the safety performance of the various elements (e.g., lane width, shoulder width, use of curbs) considered in planning of non-limited-access urban and suburban arterials. The scope of the research includes definition of the structure and content of the safety prediction methodology, obtaining the data best suited to development of the methodology, analyzing those data to develop valid statistical models of specific aspects of safety performance of urban and suburban arterials, fitting those models together into a comprehensive methodology, testing, and validating that methodology, and preparing a chapter that presents the model to users. The urban and suburban arterials to be considered in the research potentially include all highway facilities in urban areas, other than freeways, that serve the primary function of serving through traffic movements. Highways which provide access to adjacent land as a primary or substantial function will not be considered. Although mobility is the primary function of an arterial, and the access function is less important than on collector or local roads, direct access to arterial facilities will play an important role in defining their safety performance. Thus, the relationship to safety of driveways, median openings, and median treatments on arterials will be a key consideration in the research.