Predicted 95th Percentile Speeds on Curved Alignments Approaching a Stop

Abstract

The objective of this project was to develop a model that describes design speed profiles of vehicles traversing horizontal curves on approaches to stop-controlled intersections on two-lane two-way rural highways. Once speed prediction models were determined, a procedure for the design of horizontal curves that would accommodate vehicles transitioning from high speeds to a stop was developed. Speed profiles were developed with the use of data from 15 study sites in Nebraska. The multiplicative model was used to provide prediction equations for speed profiles. Separate profiles were created for passenger cars and heavy vehicles because speeds were significantly different. The heavy vehicle data were separated further for alignments with and without horizontal curvature. It was concluded that posted speed, median type, presence of rumble bars, roadway surface condition, and degree of rutting did not significantly affect the vehicle speed profiles at these sites at a 95% confidence level. During the comparison of speeds, it was found that the intercepts of the regression lines for approaches with and without horizontal curves were significantly different in the case of heavy vehicles. The speed of heavy vehicles on tangent approaches was generally about 8 mph higher than on sites that exhibited horizontal curvature. The rate of deceleration remained almost the same on all approaches to intersections, except near the stop. For passenger cars, there was no statistically significant difference between curved and tangent alignments. A guidebook for the geometric design of intersection realignment Methods A through D, referred to in the 2004 Green Book, is also included in the project's report.