1
00:00:00,172 --> 00:00:02,922
(dramatic music)

2
00:00:09,090 --> 00:00:12,000
- [Narrator] Super 2 highways
have been in use across Texas

3
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,420
for over two decades,
offering a cost-effective way

4
00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:20,160
to improve safety and traffic
flow on rural two-lane roads.

5
00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,090
Early research has shown these
roadways do increase safety,

6
00:00:24,090 --> 00:00:25,680
but with traffic increasing

7
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,570
and more Super 2s being built,

8
00:00:27,570 --> 00:00:30,120
a more up-to-date analysis was needed.

9
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,280
The Texas Department of Transportation

10
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,270
and researchers with the Texas
A&M Transportation Institute

11
00:00:36,270 --> 00:00:37,920
have examined recent data

12
00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,680
to update the crash modification factor,

13
00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,760
quantifying the safety
benefits of Super 2 highways.

14
00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,488
- So these lanes allow
faster-moving vehicle

15
00:00:48,488 --> 00:00:51,405
to pass slower vehicle,

16
00:00:51,405 --> 00:00:55,920
and the result is improved
traffic flow and also safety.

17
00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,920
So we needed some evidence-based
or data-driven criteria

18
00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,550
to help us in this
selection and justification

19
00:01:05,550 --> 00:01:06,930
of using Super 2.

20
00:01:06,930 --> 00:01:10,710
- This project allowed us
to take a more detailed look

21
00:01:10,710 --> 00:01:11,880
at the safety benefits

22
00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,900
and actually develop a crash
modification factor, or a CMF,

23
00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:19,590
and actually a series of
them, as it turns out,

24
00:01:19,590 --> 00:01:21,900
so the TXDOT could use
that in their support

25
00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:24,570
for future Super 2 implementation.

26
00:01:24,570 --> 00:01:27,990
We were able to look at a lot
of locations across the state.

27
00:01:27,990 --> 00:01:31,590
In fact, we looked at 67
different Super 2 corridors,

28
00:01:31,590 --> 00:01:34,920
and then 165 segments of
other two-lane highways

29
00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,740
that have similar characteristics,
but no passing lanes.

30
00:01:37,740 --> 00:01:40,530
And we reviewed all of
these through the databases

31
00:01:40,530 --> 00:01:41,363
that were available.

32
00:01:41,363 --> 00:01:42,960
We also used aerial photography

33
00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:46,140
and some other in-office resources

34
00:01:46,140 --> 00:01:50,190
as well as the crash
databases that TXDOT provides

35
00:01:50,190 --> 00:01:51,750
that we were able to access

36
00:01:51,750 --> 00:01:54,240
to get a detailed look
at the crash history

37
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,760
of each of these sites that we looked at,

38
00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,030
and then conduct the statistical analysis

39
00:02:00,030 --> 00:02:01,180
to produce the results.

40
00:02:02,370 --> 00:02:06,840
Super 2s do have a
positive benefit on safety,

41
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:11,523
and the numbers bear that out
as statistically significant,

42
00:02:12,540 --> 00:02:17,040
result of 21% reduction in total crashes

43
00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,220
compared to your traditional
two-lane highways.

44
00:02:20,220 --> 00:02:22,771
- The finding of this study,

45
00:02:22,771 --> 00:02:26,250
we assumed that it will
enhance the knowledge,

46
00:02:26,250 --> 00:02:31,250
overall knowledge, to
improve the overall design

47
00:02:31,530 --> 00:02:34,980
and the highways for
infrastructure within Texas,

48
00:02:34,980 --> 00:02:37,050
and really, across the United States.

49
00:02:37,050 --> 00:02:39,390
- This provides that extra support

50
00:02:39,390 --> 00:02:42,060
in that not only do they improve
the operational performance

51
00:02:42,060 --> 00:02:45,450
by allowing people to
pass, reducing congestion,

52
00:02:45,450 --> 00:02:47,040
reducing travel time, et cetera,

53
00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,850
but this safety performance
helps us know for sure

54
00:02:50,850 --> 00:02:53,880
that they do, in fact, have
an effect on reducing crashes,

55
00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,550
and so it's showing
that those passing lanes

56
00:02:56,550 --> 00:02:58,140
are doing what they're intended to do.

57
00:02:58,140 --> 00:03:00,690
And so TXDOT can continue to use these

58
00:03:00,690 --> 00:03:02,640
and roll them out across
the state with confidence.

59
00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:05,760
And this provides one more way to do that.

60
00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:07,050
- [Narrator] For more information

61
00:03:07,050 --> 00:03:10,020
and to find the publications
for this project,

62
00:03:10,020 --> 00:03:12,690
please visit the TXDOT Research Library

63
00:03:12,690 --> 00:03:14,403
at the link shown below.