01371231

Component

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/167060.aspx

http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/167060.aspx

Each winter, hundreds of drivers are injured on Iowa’s highways due to weather-related crashes. Transportation agencies spend millions of dollars on proactive and reactive maintenance and roadway–roadside improvement strategies to ensure the best possible pavement and visibility conditions for traveling motorists. However, there does not currently exist a way to easily measure the impacts of these activities on winter weather-related safety and mobility. Furthermore, there is no systematic method to identify potentially problematic weather-related crash locations. Using historic crash data, techniques were developed to systematically evaluate the safety of the state-maintained rural highway system in Iowa during winter weather conditions and identify locations potentially in the greatest need for crash mitigation resources. Three evaluation metrics were developed (winter weather-related crash density, crash proportion, and crash severity) and applied over multiple analysis periods and roadway types. The results of these analyses were then presented within the Google maps and Earth environments. The impact of different analysis periods was evaluated and preliminary site specific analysis demonstrated. A preliminary work plan was also developed outlining procedures for identification and evaluation of candidate improvement sites and selection of potential mitigation strategies.

01371195

WM-STW12-113A

English

p 62

2012-4

Transportation Research Circular

International Conference on Winter Maintenance and Surface Transportation Weather

Web

Crash data; High risk locations; Highway safety; Metrics (Quantitative assessment); Primary highways; Rural areas; Weather conditions; Winter maintenance

Iowa

Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; I62: Winter Maintenance; I80: Accident Studies

TRIS, TRB

May 14 2012 9:06AM