01004414

Component

Recently in Japan, though the cost evaluation has become so severe because of government's financial crisis, demands for roads are increasing to reduce traffic jams in the urban areas and improve convenience in the rural areas. Moreover, it is required to form a society in which everyone including elderly and disabled people can participate safely and comfortably. To realize these demands, geometric standards of roads have been revised with some newly developed geometric designs. For roads in urban areas, structural standards of small roads which are exclusively used by small vehicles, etc., have been stipulated. Because the section of small roads is smaller than that of ordinary roads, the cost could be reduced especially at a bridge or a tunnel, and the construction could be completed in a shorter time. For expressways in rural areas, structural standards of divided 2-lane roads which could be constructed with less cost than full 4-lane expressways have been also stipulated. Here, not only the cost but also the safety and serviceability are taken into account. In order to secure the mobility of elderly and disabled people, Transportation Accessibility Improvement Law was established in 2000. In line with this law, structural standards have been specified for sidewalks, grade separation crossing facilities and so on.

01004374

English

20p

2005

3rd International Symposium on Highway Geometric Design

CD-ROM

Figures (8) ; Tables (4)

Accessibility; Aged; Costs; Crosswalks; Design standards; Divided highways; Expressways; Geometric design; Highway design; Highway safety; Laws; Mobility; Persons with disabilities; Rural areas; Serviceability; Sidewalks; Traffic mitigation; Urban areas

Japan

Design; Finance; Highways; Law; Society; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure

TRIS, TRB

Sep 20 2005 1:17PM