The economics and importance of speed underlies most transportation improvements, because many of the resulting benefits are measured by the time saved. The economic value of travel time has been the subject of many studies and is basic to transport system evaluation. Both intraurban and interurban mobility have increased as a result of air travel advances and extended highway construction. Speeds also influence the choice of travel mode both within and between cities. As the nation's economy expands, people will place a higher value on time. Simultaneously, they will have greater ability to support capital transport improvements.

Criteria and a format for summarizing and analyzing alternate freeway and major street locations in urban areas are presented. This is a useful tool for decision makers at all levels of government as they work together toward common goals. It is presented as a tool not as a substitute for judgment.

As a partial attempt to relieve the urban traffic congestion, a limited freeway bus transit system has been operating In the Milwaukee metropolitan area. A study of this operation indicates: (1) The system can be initiated at extremely low cost and operated at a profit; (2) the present system has been growing rapidly in popularity and passenger usage; (3) the selection of external terminal points may be made on the basis of the housing densities, parking requirements, and geographical locations; (4) passenger pick-up loops through the external residential areas are helpful in selling the system to prospective users; (5) a quick and yet thorough distribution loop through the CBD with no need of further transferring satisfies the passengers’ needs, and (6) there are several personal characteristics of the passengers that may be used in determining the required service level for the operation.

The establishment of proper maintenance standards is a critical and complex challenge to the highway administrator and engineer. Interrelationships exist between the various needs to: protect the highway structure; make optimum use of the available facility; provide safe, convenient, and pleasant service to the user; and make the highway a compatible part of the environment. The criteria established by this report: (1) Outline standards of good maintenance for multilane highways; (2) suggest methods of evaluating maintenance practices and procedures; (3) promote a uniformly high level of maintenance; and (4) foster improvements in the quality and applicability of personnel, equipment, materials, and methods used in maintenance programs. Standards are proposed for four classifications of multilane highways. Standards for physical maintenance are outlined for pavements, structures, guardrail, median barriers, signs, light standards, shoulders, slopes, and drainage systems. Standards for traffic services are outlined for snow and ice control, management of vegetation, litter removal, shoulder and bridge deck cleaning, traffic sign cleaning and renewal, lamp cleaning and replacement, delineator cleaning and replacement, pavement striping, and marking and emergency services.

The problem of locating a highway between two given points is considered, so as to optimize a given criterion of merit. The calculus of variations is used to derive the Optimum Curvature Principle: the curvature of an optimum route at each point is equal to the percentage rate-of-change of the criterion function perpendicular to the route. The OCP is explained and described geometrically, illustrated by example, and compared to existing techniques. Practical aspects of its application are discussed, and areas for future research are indicated. Suggested areas of application include vertical alinement, horizontal alinement, minimize right-of-way cost, or cut-and-fill, or construction-plus-user cost, or cost/benefit ratio, or whatever criterion is selected.

The analysis of the research needs of highway transportation has been prepared by the Committee on Research of the Highway Division for ultimate use in a combined report of civil engineering research needs. The over-all civil engineering report is being prepared by Colorado State University. The primary reason for the study was to obtain a basis for funding. The systems approach was utilized, wherein each component is represented in terms of its ultimate performance within some larger system. The efforts of research should be concerned with improvement of the planning processes, system operations, physical performance, and management procedures. Allocation of research funds assumes 12,000 professional staff and $30,000 per year per professional (with support staff) for a total requirement of $360,000,000 per year. The proposed level of expenditure is considerably less than could be effectively utilized to optimize the role of highway transportation in helping to fulfill society's need for transportation.

Structural design of roadside appurtenances such as signs, lighting posts, and guardrails should be such that they inflict minimum damage to highway users when and if the appurtenances are struck by vehicles. Sign and lighting posts that cannot be located 30 ft from the lane edge can utilize breakaway post details recently developed which cause the post to fail relatively easily when hit by a vehicle. Beam type guard-rail should be blocked out, have 6 ft-3 in. post spacing, and should be anchored. Lateral clearances to bridge piers or abutments should be 30 ft from lane edge when possible. Full approach shoulders should be provided on nearly all bridges. Safety and aesthetics are compatible. A selected bibliography is included.