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Developing Pavement Safety-Based Guidelines for Improving Horizontal Curve Safety

Project Summary

TxDOT is increasing its efforts to improve rural highway curve safety by including high-friction surface treatments in the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). A handful of efforts are underway in the state to install these treatments or others that are intended to improve safety by increasing pavement skid resistance. However, HSIP funds are very limited. There were about $1.2 billion of submittals to HSIP in 2014, but HSIP only receives about $155 million per year in funding. Hence, it is necessary to prioritize projects carefully to spend the limited funds where they would yield the greatest benefit in terms of crashes reduced and injuries and fatalities prevented. Documents like the Roadway Safety Design Workbook and the Highway Safety Manual contain much useful information about the safety effects of design characteristics like curve radius and cross-sectional widths, but pavement characteristics are not yet included in these documents. In this research project, the researchers will calibrate detailed safety prediction models to account for the effects of key curve characteristics, including geometry, pavement variables (particularly skid resistance), and presence of traffic control devices. Additionally, they will develop estimates of the service life for various surface treatments that may be used to increase skid resistance. By combining the safety prediction models and the service life data, the research team will develop guidelines and a life-cycle benefit-cost evaluation framework to assist practitioners in choosing effective safety treatments for curves.

Project Number

0-6932

Status

Completed

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