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Research Reports |
| Title: | County Road Survey for Transportation Managers |
| Authors: | Mark Berwick, Kimberly Vachal, Kurt Johnson, and Jason Baker |
| Publication Date: | Nov 2010 |
| Report #: | DP-238 |
| TRID #: | 01448665 |
| Keywords: | countermeasures, high risk locations, highway delineators, highway safety, rumble strips, rural highways |
| Type: | Research Report – Department Publications |
North Dakota county road managers were surveyed regarding safety practices, training, and resources. Responses establish a benchmark for understanding common practices and opportunities to promote safety on this high risk road system. Results show a range of activity with regard to county adaptation of proven safety measures and planning activities. Although counties do include safety elements in construction and maintenance activities, they do not have any ongoing safety planning initiatives that institutionalize common road safety features. For instance, none of the counties report the use of chevrons on curves, proven to be a highly effective crash reduction factor. Only about one in ten report that they use delineators on a consistent basis. While almost half of the counties reported using rumble strips or stripes, only one in four frequently apply the countermeasure. In another critical low-cost rural road safety feature, 80% have problems with right of way interference in trying to maintain an adequate clear zone. Survey results provide baseline information that is valuable in prioritizing knowledge investments and safety promotion to reduce crashes on the state's rural roads.
Berwick, Mark, Kimberly Vachal, Kurt Johnson, and Jason Baker. County Road Survey for Transportation Managers, DP-238. North Dakota State University, Fargo: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, 2010.
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