ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES: THE RAIL-HIGHWAY INTERSECTION EXAMPLE

FROM A STUDY OF PROTECTIVE DEVICE INSTALLATION AT RAIL- HIGHWAY INTERSECTIONS, A PROCEDURE IS DEVELOPED THAT ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY AT THESE INTERSECTIONS. TECHNIQUES ARE REPORTED FOR COMPUTING INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, PRORATED ANNUALLY, OF RAIL-HIGHWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES. IN ADDITION, THE BENEFIT-COST RELATIONSHIP IS DEMONSTRATED, I.E., THE INTERSECTIONS ARE RANKED IN DESCENDING ORDER ON THE BASIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCREMENTAL BENEFITS, OR THE REDUCTION IN ACCIDENT COSTS, AND INCREMENTAL COST OF ADDITIONAL PROTECTION. ALTHOUGH THE PAPER DOES NOT DEAL WITH ALL FACTORS INCLUDED IN THE ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF SAFETY AT INTERSECTIONS, IT CONTAINS PROCEDURES THAT SHOULD BE OF USE TO CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS IN ESTABLISHING PRIORITY RATINGS FOR THE INSTALLATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT HIGHWAY AND STREET INTERSECTIONS AS WELL AS FOR RAIL-HIGHWAY INTERSECTIONS. /AUTHOR/