Passing Opportunities at Slow-Vehicle Bays
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 2
Abstract
Recently ways of assessing the need for and providing for improved passing opportunities on rural two-lane (single-carriageway) highways has been investigated in New Zealand. This paper focuses on studies of the performance of slow-vehicle bays (SVBs), also known as “turnouts.” Field surveys at eight sites identified the effect of different features on SVB usage and on reduction in following. Higher levels of SVB use than reported overseas were observed; however, this use appears to be very dependent on the location and design of each site. The SVBs’ effects on vehicle following was generally not substantial, although the short-term benefits probably reduce driver frustration. Minimum desirable lengths for SVBs were also reviewed, and it was found that the current New Zealand guidelines for SVB lengths may be inappropriate, given the number of merged area conflicts and multivehicle queues SVBs create on the roads. From these findings, project evaluation methods were developed using simplified analytical procedures and a simulation modeling package.
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Acknowledgments
In presenting this paper, the writer would like to thank Opus International Consultants Ltd. and Transfund New Zealand for their support of the research described here.
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 2 • February 2007
Pages: 129 - 137
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 21, 2005
Accepted: Jun 7, 2006
Published online: Feb 1, 2007
Published in print: Feb 2007
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