Incremental Safety Improvements for Unpaved Rural Roads

Abstract

With limited resources and increasing exposure to tort liability, local rural road agencies face the dilemma of how to maximize improvements to their road system. For unpaved rural roads the problem is particularly acute. Many of these unpaved rural roads worldwide have geometric deficiencies that do not conform with recognized standards and guidelines. In many instances, roadway improvements are not being completed because of the inability to fund improvements to meet these standards and guidelines. Incremental improvements for unpaved rural roads is potentially an important tool for local agencies. The goal is at least to meet minimum guidelines and standards by continuing to implement an incremental program. Reported here are the results of a project that used a national U.S. focus group to provide input into the acceptability of the concept and use of incremental safety improvements on unpaved rural roads. The investigation targeted horizontal curvature as a site deficiency. The focus group was used to identify if and what incremental improvements should be considered. The results demonstrated the need for functional subclassifications of rural unpaved roads, with incremental decisions made that address the unique operational differences. Incremental improvements, when properly considered, are recommended as an acceptable method to increase safety on unpaved rural roads and to minimize liability.