Seven Experiment Designs Addressing Problems of Safety and Capacity on Two-Lane Rural Highways : Volume 1. Introduction, Description of Experiments and Common Elements

The present report, consisting of eight volumes, details the designs for seven experiments to be performed at or near the Maine Facility of the US Department of Transportation. Rural two-lane roads are important in terms of extent, usage, and accident rate. Conditions such as on-coming traffic, slow vehicles on a grade and restricted passing opportunities tend to lower average vehicle speed, correspondingly increasing travel time and irritating the driver. Situations of this kind may cause a driver to make unsafe passing attempts, tailgate or overtake a slow vehicle at high speeds. The primary problem is how to increase safety, improve traffic flow, and lower operating costs without incurring major capital expenditures to rebuild and upgrade existing roads.\n