REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ANALYSIS

IT IS SELF-EVIDENT THAT THE FUTURE TRAFFIC ON A GIVEN HIGHWAY DEPENDS UPON MANY LOCAL CONDITIONS, AND THAT TO DETERMINE A FACTOR, BASED ON MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION, FOR FORECASTING FUTURE TRAFFIC WHICH WOULD BE OF GENERAL APPRECIATION IS IMPRACTICABLE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE DETERMINATION OF THE FUTURE TRAFFIC ON A GIVEN HIGHWAY SHOULD BE BASED ONLY UPON A COMPREHENSIVE HIGHWAY TRANSPORT SURVEY. SINCE SUCH VARIOUS FACTORS INFLUENCE THE UTILIZATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, IT IS THOUGHT USELESS TO ENDEAVOR, AT THE PRESENT TIME, TO FORECAST THE SATURATION POINT OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN ANY COMMUNITY EXCEPT IN CONGESTED URBAN DISTRICTS. ON LOCAL ROADS-I.E., 500 TO 1000 VEHICLE PER DAY - A MINIMUM WIDTH OF 18 FEET OF TRAVELED WAY IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE FOR TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. BETWEEN EDGES OF DITCHES A TOTAL WIDTH OF 30 FEET IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE FOR PARKING OF VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THE TRAVELED WAY. ON SUCH A ROAD, DRAINAGE STRUCTURES SHOULD PREFERABLY BE NOT LESS THAN 30 FEET CLEAR WIDTH. ON ROADS BETWEEN CONGESTED MANUFACTURING OR INDUSTRIAL AREAS WHERE THERE WILL BE A LARGE VOLUME OF SLOW MOVING VEHICLES, THE TRAVELED WAY SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR AT LEAST FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC. PRESENT HIGHWAY CAPACITY CAN BE INCREASED BY RELIEVING LOCAL CONGESTION, BUT IMMEDIATE STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRESENT PROPERTY LINES AND THE ACQUISITION OF NEEDED RIGHT OF WAY FOR FUTURE TRAFFIC DEVELOPMENT. ON HIGHWAYS WITH FOUR OR MORE TRAFFIC LANES, A MIMIMUM SPEED LIMIT SHOULD BE DETERMINED AND ENFORCED BY LAW. AVAILABLE HIGHWAY FUNDS ARE SO LIMITED THAT MANY MILES OF SURFACE CAPABLE OF CARRYING TRAFFIC EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR ARE MORE NEEDED THAN A FEW MILES OF HIGH CLASS PAVEMENT. DETAILS OF THE PURPOSES, COSTS, AND ORGANIZATION OF HIGHWAY TRANSPORT SURVEYS ARE GIVEN IN THE COMPLETE REPORT. DATA OBTAINED FROM HIGHWAY TRANSPORT SURVEYS ARE GIVEN IN THE COMPLETE REPORT. DATA OBTAINED FROM HIGHWAY TRANSPORT SURVEYS INDICATE THE NECESSITY FOR CLASSIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS ON THE BASIS OF MOTOR TRUCK CAPACITY AND GROSS LOADS AND SUBSEQUENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ON THE BASIS OF THIS CLASSIFICATION. THE FOLLOWING TOPICS ARE BEING STUDIED BY THE COMMITTEE: SAFETY OF OPERATION OF VEHICLES ON A THREE-LANE ROAD; ADEQUATE WIDTHS OF RIGHT OF WAY FOR FUTURE TRAFFIC DEVELOPMENTS.