Safety EdgeGuidance and Policy

Guidance and Policy Design and Construction Guide

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration

Downloadable Version
PDF [1.6 MB]

Table of Contents

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.	2. Government Accession No.	3. Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle Safety Edge_SM Design and Construction Guide	5. Report Date January 5, 2012
6. Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s) Andy Mergenmeier, P.E., Harold Von Quintus, P.E, Jagannath Mallela, and Paul Littleton, P.E	8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Applied Research Associates, Inc. 100 Trade Centre Drive, Suite 200 Champaign, IL 61820	10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
11. Contract or Grant No.
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Office of Infrastructure Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590	13. Type of Report and Period Covered Design and Construction Guide April 2010 – July 2011
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
15. Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative: Byron Lord and Mary Huie Contracting Officer’s Technical Manager: Andy Mergenmeier
16. Abstract In a coordinated effort with highway authorities and industry leaders, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts initiative serves as a catalyst to identify and promote cost effective innovations to bring about rapid change to increase safety of our nations highway system, decrease project delivery time, and protect our environment. The Safety Edge_SM concept is an example of one such initiative in which the edge of the road is beveled during construction for the purpose of helping drivers who migrate off the roadways to more easily return to the road without over correcting and running into the path of oncoming traffic or running off the other side of the roadway. This Design and Construction Guide shares the findings from ten demonstration projects in multiple states and other ad hoc projects in which the Safety Edge_SM was implemented. This Guide supports the FHWA's efforts to implement the Safety EdgeSM technology by providing standards, guidance, and specifications for adopting this treatment as a standard practice on all applicable new and resurfacing pavement projects. The Guide provides information on the various elements to consider when designing and constructing pavement projects with the Safety Edge_SM. The Guide provides insights and lessons learned on previously constructed projects, highlighting items that may vary from conventional pavement design and construction.
17. Key Words Safety Edge_SM, slope, asphalt concrete materials, PCC, roadway departure.	18. Distribution Statement No restrictions.
19. Security Classification (of this report) Unclassified	20. Security Classification (of this page) Unclassified	21. No of Pages 32	22. Price N/A

1. Report No.

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Safety Edge_SM Design and Construction Guide

5. Report Date

January 5, 2012

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

Andy Mergenmeier, P.E., Harold Von Quintus, P.E, Jagannath Mallela, and Paul Littleton, P.E

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Applied Research Associates, Inc.
100 Trade Centre Drive, Suite 200
Champaign, IL 61820

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Office of Infrastructure
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Design and Construction Guide
April 2010 – July 2011

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. Supplementary Notes

Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative: Byron Lord and Mary Huie
Contracting Officer’s Technical Manager: Andy Mergenmeier

16. Abstract

In a coordinated effort with highway authorities and industry leaders, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts initiative serves as a catalyst to identify and promote cost effective innovations to bring about rapid change to increase safety of our nations highway system, decrease project delivery time, and protect our environment. The Safety Edge_SM concept is an example of one such initiative in which the edge of the road is beveled during construction for the purpose of helping drivers who migrate off the roadways to more easily return to the road without over correcting and running into the path of oncoming traffic or running off the other side of the roadway.

This Design and Construction Guide shares the findings from ten demonstration projects in multiple states and other ad hoc projects in which the Safety Edge_SM was implemented. This Guide supports the FHWA's efforts to implement the Safety EdgeSM technology by providing standards, guidance, and specifications for adopting this treatment as a standard practice on all applicable new and resurfacing pavement projects.

The Guide provides information on the various elements to consider when designing and constructing pavement projects with the Safety Edge_SM. The Guide provides insights and lessons learned on previously constructed projects, highlighting items that may vary from conventional pavement design and construction.

17. Key Words

Safety Edge_SM, slope, asphalt concrete materials, PCC, roadway departure.

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions.

19. Security Classification (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classification (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No of Pages

22. Price

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)
Reproduction of completed page authorized.