Because destinations in rural areas are spread over large areas, residents of rural communities must travel long distances to access everyday activities. The quality and safety of rural transportation routes – from country roads and high-speed highways to walking trails and bike paths – are essential to the basic health and prosperity of rural residents and businesses.
CSS highway design techniques can help communities make rural roadways safer without compromising their scenic value or pitting driver safety against that of other users. Bridges, for example, can be modernized while maintaining their rural scale and character. Sharp curves can be adjusted within the natural contours of the landscape rather than flattened completely, which tends to encourage speeding. Well-maintained shoulders can do double duty by providing room for cyclists and reducing roadway maintenance costs. And intersections can be reconfigured to reduce conflicts among drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, especially around schools, parks, recreational areas, and neighborhoods.
