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FHWA Highway Safety Programs

Road Safety Audit Case Studies: Using Three-Dimensional Design Visualization in the Road Safety Audit Process

fhwasa14003.pdf (8.4 MB)

Cover – Road Safety Audit Case Studies: Using Three-Dimensional Design Visualization in the Road Safety Audit Process

JULY 2013
FHWA-SA-14-003

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of this document.

Technical Documentation Page

1. Report No. FHWA
FHWA-SA-14-003		 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle
Road Safety Audit Case Studies: Using Three-Dimensional Design Visualization in the Road Safety Audit Process		 5. Report Date
July 2013
6. Performing Organization Code
7. Authors
Dan Nabors, Jon Soika		 8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and AddressVanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 700
Vienna, VA 22182-2626		 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
11. Contract or Grant No.
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Federal Highway Administration
Office of Safety
1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, DC 20590		 13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report, July 2013

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

 
15. Supplementary Notes:
The Federal highway Administration Office of Safety sponsored the study of the Road Safety Audits reported in this document. The Task Manager for this report was Rebecca Crowe (FHWA Office of Safety). The three-dimensional visualization work was completed by Chris Dubois and graphic design was provided by Jorge Quinones.

16. Abstract
Road Safety Audits (RSAs) are a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future roadway or off-road facility and are conducted by an independent, experienced, multidisciplinary team. The purpose of the Road Safety Audit Case Studies: Using Three-Dimensional Visualization in the Road Safety Audit Process is to help Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies understand the benefits of utilizing interactive three-dimensional (3-D) visualization to assist an RSA team in assessing the safety effects of potential roadway designs. This case study document provides a review of the RSA process, a 3-D visualization overview, and four case study examples of planning and design-stage RSAs where 3-D visualization was used. The case studies include photographs, a project background, key RSA findings and suggestions, and the benefits of the 3-D visualization. These case studies will help jurisdictions integrate this innovative technology into their RSA process.
17. Key Words
Road safety audit, 3-D visualization, 3-D model, design visualization, innovative technologies, roadway design		 18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
19. Security Classif. (of this report)
Unclassified		 20. Security Classif. (of this page)
Unclassified		 21. No. of Pages:
62		 22. Price

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) – Reproduction of form and completed page is authorized

Acknowledgment

Information obtained for this document involved transportation agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the authors greatly appreciate the cooperation of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, the Montana Department of Transportation, the Prince William County Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Riverside County Transportation Commission, and the California Department of Transportation.