Evaluation of the On-Road Behavior of 16-ft-Wide Mobile Homes in North Carolina

Abstract

The overall objective of this effort was to evaluate the operational behavior and effect on surrounding traffic of 16-ft (4.9-m) wide mobile homes on various types of roadways and compare the results with similar measures for 14-ft (4.3-m) wide units. The evaluation was accomplished by following a sample of 16-ft and 14-ft units on Interstates, other multilane highways, and two-lane roads and videotaping the positions of the vehicles in relation to the roadway and to oncoming and overtaking vehicles. In addition, standardized measures were made for a sample of individual images from the videotapes, and the resulting data were analyzed to determine differences in operations between 14-ft- and 16-ft-wide units as well as differences in the effects on other traffic. Measures examined included lane positioning of the mobile homes and surrounding traffic and shoulder encroachments by both the mobile homes and other traffic. Encroachments of oncoming or overtaking vehicles on the shoulder show significant differences between the two sizes of mobile homes. Where lane or shoulder widths are narrow, the oncoming or overtaking vehicles used the shoulder to get by or around the 16-ft units more often than when they encountered the 14-ft units. The results produced recommended pavement widths for the two sizes of mobile homes. For 14-ft units, the amount of paved surface required is 4.9 m (16 ft). For 16-ft-wide units, the required amount of paved surface is 5.2 m (17 ft).