U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
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| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-14-057 Date: February 2018 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-14-057 Date: February 2018 |
The objective of this research was to develop corridor-level crash prediction models to evaluate the potential safety effects of AM strategies. Functional specifications were developed for applying the various crash prediction models. Agencies can apply the functional specifications through a series of algorithms to assess the safety impacts of their decisions related to AM.
The intent of this study was to focus on corridors based on functional classification, area type, and land use. All corridors included in this study are functionally classified as arterials and fall under one of nine area type/land use scenarios. Table 3 identifies these categories and defines each.
Table 3. Area type and land use categories.
| Area Type | Land Use |
|---|---|
| Urban: metropolitan area with population of at least 250,000 | Residential |
| Urban: metropolitan area with population of at least 250,000 | Commercial |
| Urban: metropolitan area with population of at least 250,000 | Mixed-use |
| Suburban: nearby areas with population of 50,000 to 250,000 | Residential |
| Suburban: nearby areas with population of 50,000 to 250,000 | Commercial |
| Suburban: nearby areas with population of 50,000 to 250,000 | Mixed-use |
| Urbanizing: areas with build-out plans to reach or exceed population of 50,000 | Residential |
| Urbanizing: areas with build-out plans to reach or exceed population of 50,000 | Commercial |
| Urbanizing: areas with build-out plans to reach or exceed population of 50,000 | Mixed-use |
Residential and commercial areas are characterized by the type of development but are differentiated by the type and distribution of vehicles accessing the areas. Residential areas serve mainly passenger cars, while commercial areas serve a larger proportion of heavy vehicles. Commercial areas are generally defined as those areas with office buildings and other businesses that operate primarily during normal business hours on weekdays. Commercial areas, as defined in this study, do not include large shopping centers (e.g., malls) that have a larger percentage of trips on the weekends. Mixed-use area types are defined as those areas with a balanced mix of both commercial and residential establishments and access points. Figure 10 and figure 11 provide two examples of corridors included in the study.
Source: FHWA.
Figure 10. Photo. Example of an urban arterial in a residential area.
Source: FHWA.
Figure 11. Photo. Example of a suburban arterial in a commercial area.
