Project 1.14 Summary:
| Enhancing safety of roadway segments is a critical step towards maintaining durable transportation infrastructures. Due to significant costs associated with construction of roadway segments, redesigning or rebuilding a roadway segment is not always a viable solution for safety improvement. Low-cost safety countermeasures are effective tools to enhance safety while diminishing reconstruction costs. Among all traffic collisions, the lane departure crashes continue to be the leading type of serious traffic accidents in Maine, comprising 70% of state-wide traffic fatalities. Installations of shoulder and centerline rumble strips have been a primary countermeasure to prevent lane departure crashes in Maine. With an increase in installations of rumble strips, there is a clear DOT need to understand the impact of rumble strips in reducing lane departure crashes in Maine in different conditions. This project will employ Empirical Bayes (EB) observational before-after study (and/or other statistical tools when appropriate) to explore the effectiveness of rumble strips in Maine. The evaluation will investigate the impact of both centerline and shoulder rumble strips on reducing the frequency and severity (Fatal, Injury and PDO) of lane departure crashes (e.g.: run-off the road and head-on collisions) for select roadways (e.g.: rural two lane roads) under different conditions. This analysis will also use benefit-cost analysis to explore the economic benefits of using rumble strips. |
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Ali Shirazi
Institution:
University of Maine
Co-PIs:
Dr. Per Garder
Project Type:
Base-funded
Start Date:
10/1/2021
Project Cost:
$100,000
Project Status:
In Progress
End Date:
03/31/2023
Agency ID:
69A3551847101
Sponsors:
University Transportation Centers Program, Department of Transportation
University of Maine
MaineDOT
Implementation of Research Outcomes:
This project is in its initial research phase. Implementation of Research outcomes will be reported upon completion of initial research.
Impacts and Benefits of Implementation:
This project is in its initial research phase. Impacts and benefits of the research will be reported after the implementation phase.
Related Links:
Coming Soon
Downloadable Documents
Printable Project Information Sheet