Review of Traffic and Highway Engineering, Fourth Edition, by Nicholas J. Garber and Lester A. HoelTraffic and Highway EngineeringCENGAGE Learning$160

Abstract

The fourth edition of the popular book on traffic and highway engineering by Nicholas Garber and Lester Hoel has been released. The authors maintain the five core parts of the previous edition, namely: • Introduction to Transportation; • Traffic Operations; • Transportation Planning; • Location, Geometrics, and Drainage; and • Material and Pavements. However, many notable and timely additions have been included that highlight the recent evolution of transportation during the seven years since the third edition was released. The book begins with an excellent overview of transportation, written in a conversational style that can be enjoyed by all readers, regardless of their background and interest. Of particular note is the expanded section on the history of transportation and the evolution of America’s highways. Significant historical landmarks, ranging from the Lancaster Turnpike toll road in 1794 and the introduction of the bicycle in 1886, to the 21st-century development of information technology and hybrid vehicles in transportation, are presented and discussed. Even the most uninterested reader’s attention will be captured by the excellent presentation and the notable contribution that transportation has made over the years. The addition of several historic photos, obtained from the Library of Congress, provides a finishing polish to this section. Safe and efficient operation of transportation systems has never been more important than it is today. In part two of the book, the authors highlight this importance and present the concept of traffic operations through eight appropriately defined chapters. Although an expanded section on human factors concepts may have enhanced this section, the authors do appropriately define the characteristics of drivers and pedestrians, and add timely discussions on older driver and bicyclist characteristics. The chapter on highway safety has been appropriately expanded to include the burgeoning areas and rapid knowledge gain in this topic. I particularly appreciated the expanded discussion on the statistical procedures used in transportation safety data analysis, including a fundamental presentation on the Empirical Bayes methodology commonly used by safety researchers. The authors effectively provide sufficient detail to capture the readers’ interest and understanding, but avoid a statistical documentary that may detract from the beginner’s understanding of this important issue. I also found the presentation of shock waves in traffic flow extremely well done. For those who have taught introductory transportation courses, the concept of shock waves is perhaps the most difficult concepts for students to grasp. The authors effec-