DESIGN AND STRIPING FOR SAFE PASSING OPERATIONS

THE GOALS OF THIS STUDY WERE TO EXAMINE PASSING BEHAVIOR ON RURAL 2-LANE HIGHWAYS; TO COMPARE STUDY PARAMETERS WITH THE CURRENT PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE DESIGN STANDARDS; AND TO DEVELOP DESIGN AND STRIPING STANDARDS COMPATIBLE WITH CURRENT OPERATING CONDITIONS. PASSING ZONE LENGTHS ARE CALCULATED ON THE BASIS OF: (1) PROVIDING A RECOVERY ZONE, WHERE MANEUVERS MAY BE SAFELY COMPLETED RATHER THAN ABORTED; (2) PASSING AND APPROACHING VEHICLE MOVING AT DESIGN SPEED; (3) CHANGES IN SIGHT DISTANCE WITH HIGHWAY GEOMETRY. THE INCLUSION OF TRAFFIC EFFICIENCY ALONG WITH THE BALANCE OF CUT AND FILL IN ESTABLISHING VERTICAL PROFILES IS DISCUSSED.