Final Report to the Michigan State Legislature and Steering Committee Regarding the 16-ft Wide Mobile Home Study. Volume 2.

摘要

The document represents the final reporting of findings from a study of 16-foot wide mobile homes by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute on behalf of its sponsors, the Michigan State Legislature and its intermediary steering committee comprised of representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan Department of Commerce, the Michigan State Police, and the manufactured housing industry. A primary purpose of the study is to evaluate 'the mobility, turning ability, and transporting of mobile homes that are more than 14-1/3 feet wide...' as described in Section 10 of Senate Bill No. 142 from the regular session of the 1991 Michigan State Legislature. The study is focused on issues specifically related to differential effects that mobile home width (i.e., 16-ft widths versus 14-ft widths) may have on adjoining traffic and maneuverability. Recommendations are offered regarding safe operation and allowed access to state highways for such vehicles. The study relies on both field data, collected this past October and November on Michigan highways to evaluate driver behavior in the presence of mobile homes, and computer analysis to evaluate the low-speed maneuverability of mobile homes as well as their highway-speed dynamic characteristics.