SAFETY AND SPEEDS AS AFFECTING HIGHWAY DESIGN

THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE AGITATION IN RECENT YEARS FOR HIGHWAYS DESIGNED TO PERMIT AT HIGH SPEEDS. IT IS CLAIMED THAT MUCH OF OUR MAIN ROAD SYSTEM IS OBSOLETE, AND THAT WE NEED TO BUILD SAFETY INTO THE HIGHWAYS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ACCOMODATIONS FOR MODERN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. SPEEDS OF 90 TO 100 M.P.H. TODAY AND EVEN HIGHER SPEEDS IN THE FUTURE ARE ADVOCATED BY CERTAIN ENGINEERS AS PROPER BASED FOR SUCH DESIGN. IN DISCUSSING THESE PROPOSALS IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE OTHER ROAD REQUIREMENTS THAN THOSE OF THE SUPERHIGHWAY, AND THAT AVAILABLE FUNDS MUST BE DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY AMONG ALL CLASSES OF HIGHWAYS. THERE MAY BE A NET LOSS IN EXCESSIVE VEHICLE OPERATING COSTS RESULTING FROM HIGH-SPEED TRAVEL, AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ARE KNOWN TO BE NUMEROUS M THE SO-CALLED SAFE STRAIGHTAWAY STRETCHES WHERE HIGHER SPEEDS ARE POSSIBLE. IT IS FELT THAT NONE BUT A FEW VERY EXPERIENCED DRIVERS ARE REALLY CAPABLE OF DRIVING SAFELY AT SPEEDS OVER 50 TO 60 M.P.H., AND THAT THE EDUCATION AND SELECTION OF DRIVERS IS OF FAR GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN THE PROVISION OF SPEEDWAYS. ONE OF THE GREATEST PROBLEMS NOW CONFRONTING HIGHWAY OFFICIALS IS THE RELIEF OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION, AND MAXIMUM CAPACITY ON HIGHWAYS OF HEAVY TRAFFIC IS ATTAINED AT SPEEDS AT LESS THAN 50 M.P.H. ALTHOUGH THE LAYING OUT OF HIGHWAYS SHOULD INCLUDE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS OF DESIGN ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR DESIGNING HIGH-SPEED ROADS WHEN SUCH DESIGN WILL ENTAIL ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES FOR CONSTRUCTION. IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT ANY CONSIDERABLE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC WILL MOVE OVER A HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 TO 60 M.P.H. /AUTHOR/