Operating Speed and Speed Differential for Highway Design Consistency
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 11
Abstract
A critical factor in highway design is maintaining a good consistency with a road geometry that fits the drivers’ expectations. Presently, highway geometric design consistency is usually evaluated on the basis of operating-speed profile analysis, which requires the use of operating-speed models. This paper presents research carried out in Colombia consisting of a study of vehicle speeds on tangents and curves of two-lane rural highways. Car speeds were measured on the approach tangent and at the beginning, middle, and end points of curves by using two radar meters. The operating-speed prediction models that were developed are described. The speed change experienced by drivers from tangent to curve was also studied, and a model is presented that predicts this change. Finally, the model developed for operating-speed prediction at the midpoint of curves was compared with equivalent models calibrated in other countries and applied to a Colombian highway. This comparative study highlights the importance of using speed-prediction models calibrated according to local conditions.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was provided by the Universidad del Cauca and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UNSPECIFIEDResearch grant AL09-PID-11).
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Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 11 • November 2011
Pages: 837 - 840
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 14, 2009
Accepted: Jun 7, 2011
Published online: Jun 10, 2011
Published in print: Nov 1, 2011
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