Safety and cost-effectiveness of clearzones in rockcuts

摘要

Clearzones are a feature of modern highways that have a dramatic impact on roadside safety. The purpose of these unobstructed spaces is to provide an area where an errant vehicle can safely stop or the driver can regain control of the vehicle without striking a hazardous object like a tree of utility pole. Many clearzone alternatives(e.g., removing trees, installing traversable culvert open- ings, and installing guardrails in front of untraversable hazards)are relatively inexpensive in comparison to other roadway construction costs. Roadways passing through rockcuts present at unusual case where the construction cost of providing the clearzone is very high.