Print this page Low Cost Treatments for Horizontal Curve Safety
Vincent D. Reynolds, MBA, P.E.
Course Outline
Due to speed, road conditions and other factors, some vehicles may leave the roadway when driving through a horizontal curve. This course will discuss the low cost treatments that may be applied along horizontal curves. Design characteristics such as speed, and radii will be discussed as well as references to various signs from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
This 4 hour course materials “Low Cost Treatments for Horizontal Curve Safety,” promotes safe design standards for horizontal curves along roadways. This course will provide the reader with the knowledge that will aid in designing horizontal curves as safely and economical as possible. The course materials are based solely on the Transportation Research Board document “Low Cost Treatments for Horizontal Curve Safety.”This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
Learning
Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student would have learned the following:
- The goal that was set by AASHTOO to reduce annual highway fatalities;
- The percentage of people that die each year in vehicle crashes at curves;
- Percentages of crashes that occur in rural areas;
- The major cause of curve related fatal crashes;
- How experimentation is addressed by the MUTCD;
- Basic treatments for decreasing curve related crashes in the MUTCD;
- Numbers designated by the MUTCD for various warning signs;
- How roadway characteristics such as width and volumes require that a centerline be placed;
- The width of centerline stripes;
- How edge lines reduce accidents on horizontal curves;
- How to determine the distance that advisory signs should be placed;
- Distance of spacing between chevron signs;
- The effect of flashing beacons on horizontal curves;
- The effect of placing RPMs on horizontal curves;
- How trees are delineated; and
- The methods to treat horizontal curve safety in Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, California, New York, Texas and many other states.
Intended Audience and Benefit
This course is intended for those wanting a deeper understanding of the design of safer horizontal curves. This course is designed so that the intended audience will benefit immediately with the information to make intelligent decisions related to low cost treatments for horizontal curve safety.
Course Introduction
Horizontal curves are often encountered when traveling along highways. Due to geological features of other structures, horizontal curves are designed with moderate to very extreme radii. As a vehicle traverses a horizontal curve, the friction between the tires and the road help to keep the car on the road by opposing the centrifugal force.
Due to speed, road conditions and other factors, some vehicles may leave the roadway when driving through a horizontal curve. This course will discuss the low cost treatments that may be applied along horizontal curves. Design characteristics such as speed, and radii will be discussed as well as references to various signs from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Course Content
The purpose of this course will be to provide information on applying the data found in the course materials. You will be directed to the Transportation Research Board website for the study materials.
Low Cost Treatments for Horizontal Curve Safety
(http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pubs/sa07002/horizontalcurves.pdf)
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.
Course Summary
The implementation of low-cost treatments for horizontal curve safety are sometimes needed when curves are considered dangerous due to roadway geometrics, and roadside obstacles. Since a large number of accidents happen on horizontal curves, safer curves would lead to safer roadways.
Good Engineering judgment is always paramount in any transportation design. Utilizing good engineering judgment and the standards set forth in the text, the designer will be prepared to apply low-cost treatments to horizontal curves to make them safer.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:
www.trb.com
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
www.aashto.com
www.ite.com
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
