ISSN XXXX XXXX © 2019 IJESC

Research Article Volume 9 Issue No.3

Highway Safety Methods to be Adopted by Civil Engineers

Prof. Mantri .P.N
Département of Civil Engineering
Vishweshwarayya Abhiyantriki Padvika Mahavidyalay Almala, India

Abstract:
Highway safety is an important aspect of highway construction and engineering. Designing a highway means adopting safety
measures so that not only vehicular traffic stays safe, but the pedestrians and bikers also feel safe while moving on the highway.
Bott's dots, traffic lights, pedestrian marking, zebra crossings, and traffic circles are some of the important aspects of highway
design safety. GPS-based road traffic monitoring systems are one of the modern age inventions that make our road travel safe and
efficient. Even bike traffic is also considered while safely designing the highway.

I. INTRODUCTION: THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTTS' DOTS

Dr. Elbert Botts was a chemical engineer who used to teach at
Articles related to highway safety are discussed in this San Jose State College before he was inducted by Caltrans to
paper. head their research division Translab. His initial research
concentrated on developing paints that would outlast concrete
 Bott's Dots and Safe Driving and also remain visible in poor light conditions. He had a
 Working of Traffic Light Systems Explained background of having worked for a paint company for three
 Roundabouts, Traffic Circles, and Modern Age Traffic years before moving to teaching. He even included glass beads
 GPS based Road Traffic Management System in the paint to improve visibility through headlight reflections,
 The Visual Signals of the Kanban System but was unable to meet the standards required. This is when he
 Safety Considerations for Safe Bike Paths switched to reflective pavement markers that stuck up above
the road surface. Most of the field work using various types of
 Rumble Strips and Centerline Ruble Strips Create Safer
raised pavement markers was conducted on a new freeway in
Roads
West Sacramento. The main idea of using raised pavement
 Responding to Rockfall Hazards Around Mountain Roads
markers came from the fact that paint lines disappeared under
 Guide to Road Traffic Safety Barriers
water when it was raining, and the raised markers did allow
for better visibility. Unfortunately DrBotts died in 1962, two
1.1. ELBERT DYSART BOTTS- DOTS AND years after retirement at the age of 69, and his work was
REFLECTIVE PAINT, TOO actually filed away, with even Translab failing to acknowledge
You can see the results of the work of Elbert Dysart Botts on
it in connection with Dr. Botts. It was only in 1964 that the
most modern highways throughout the world. They are the
new head of Caltrans revived the research and developed the
raised reflective pavement markers, or Botts’ dots, that are
present day trend of using square reflectors between groups of
used as highway markers for warning drivers.
the polyester dots.
DR. BOTTS AND BOTTS' DOTS
THE APPLICATION OF BOTT’S DOTS
Dr.Elbert Dysart Botts worked with the California Department
The system got tacit recognition when the state legislature
of Transportation or Caltrans where he oversaw research
made the use of Botts' Dots mandatory in 1966. Botts' Dots are
concerned with road markings and paint stripes. Caltrans
now being used in various colors and in conjunction with
began research on raised pavement markers as far back as
painted and other reflective markers which make roads safer.
1936, but the research assumed real significance only after the
Yellow dots indicate a split in the road, whereas red markers
war years. 1953, spurred by the increasing number of
indicate lines that cannot be crossed. They are also used across
accidents that accompanied the economic boom, marked a
the road as rumble strips warning motorists to slow down.
watershed in the use of raised pavement markers. Prior to this,
Blue dots are used to indicate areas around fire hydrants.
markings on road pavement were done with painted lines Botts' Dots come in two different basic types. These are either
which tended to be obscured by dirt and to become almost
reflective or plain. The plain ones are white or amber colored
invisible in rain. The first of Botts’ dots were made of glass
and are made of ceramic or plastic material in a dome shape.
and attached to the road with nails. Once the dots got loose
The reflective ones are made of polyester that can take high
under traffic, the nails became a danger as they punctured
impact and are square in shape. White dots indicate parallel
tires. Further development led to the dots being made of
lanes while center markers are amber. Red dots are an
ceramic materials and polyester. The problem of fixing them
indication that the driver is in the wrong lane and needs to get
to pavement led to further research, which then came up with
off immediately. There is a difficulty in using these dots in
strong epoxy adhesives which replaced the nails and
areas with heavy snowfall as they can be dislodged by snow
eliminated possible traffic hazards from them. While this
clearing equipment. These markers are then put on divots in
epoxy is also credited to Caltrans, it is not known whether Dr.
the road. One aspect of the dots that has led to its acceptance
Botts was closely associated with this discovery, though with
was the discovery that they made a thumping noise when tires
his being the head of research, credit would accrue to him as
passed over them, and that, along with the bumping motion
well.

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that they created, served notice to drivers that is especially white color had some problems associated with it. Streetlights,
helpful when driving conditions are poor on rainy days. stars, and the glare of sunlight or other lights could be
misunderstood as a ‘go’ signal since they also shone as white
1.2 HOW TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEMS WORK from a distance. In order to solve this problem engineers used
Gone are the horse and buggy days. Nevertheless, the sad part yellow to denote caution.
is that we still do not notice the endless number of traffic
signals. Who are the inventors of these signal lights? What WORKING MECHANISM OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS
makes a traffic light work? These interesting facts make up In olden times, the change in color of traffic lights was preset
this article! with fixed timings. This means that when a vehicle draws up
exactly as the signal alters from green to red, it has to wait for
INTRODUCTION the next change to green, even if there are no other vehicles in
Urbanization has brought rapid development in industries due any other directions. Yet the contemporary style consists of
to which the majority of the population is settling down in the signals that are not fixed, but act in response to the presence of
cities. This results in a heavy rush in vehicular traffic requiring vehicles. This system uses a sensor loop embedded in the
efficient control to avoid accidents. Traffic lights can be seen pavement that detects weak magnetic fields such as the
arranged one above the other at crucial crossings and junctions metallic parts of cars. A controller box installed nearby
in a city. The colors used for traffic lights are green, yellow, contains a computer that senses the vehicle’s presence. If no
and red, out of which red denotes stop, green is used to other cars are found waiting, the controller blinks the green
indicate ‘carry on,’ and the yellow color is used in between to signal. The waiting vehicle then moves on. If a centrally
be ready for either red or green. Lights changes are either computerized traffic arrangement is installed, then a set of
preset with a timer or based on current conditions and lights can be controlled concurrently allowing smooth passage
connected with one another in such a way that traffic can of traffic.
move on the main road controlling their speed. However, these
days the interval between traffic lights is computerized and not NEW RESEARCH (ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS)
set. They change, but vary in sync with vehicular traffic. Traffic lights acting locally will better the control of traffic
globally, and this is the new research going on at present. With
HISTORY OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS regard to adaptive traffic lights, a mechanical engineer,
The question of traffic safety existed even before automobiles GáborOrosz of the University of Michigan says, “It’s very
were used. This led to the invention of the world's first traffic interesting- the approach is adaptive and the system can react.
light in London in 1868. A revolving lantern comprising of red That’s how it should be- that’s how we can get the most out of
and green signals was set up at a junction in London. These our current system.”
lights were lit with the help of gas and operated by men. A
lever at the base of the light was used to turn the colors of the 1.3 RISE OF THE ROUNDABOUTS
light and allow the traffic to flow. Regrettably, in January Roundabouts in America have come a long way since they
1869, this piece of equipment blew out and hurt the police were first introduced. Today, traffic conditions have changed,
officer who was controlling it at the time. The contemporary traffic density has increased manifold, and these factors have
red and green electric traffic light was invented in 1912 by a raised questions about the effectiveness of roundabouts. "Give
Utah police officer named Lester Wire. In 1914, the first way before entry" is the principle on which a roundabout is
traffic signal was installed in Cleveland, Ohio. This device had designed. The first roundabout was built in 1960s in the
a buzzer apart from the normal red and green colors. The United Kingdom Roundabout Sign and it appeared to be an
buzzer was used to provide a warning of the color changes. effective solution for the exponentially increasing traffic in the
This device was designed by James Hoge and was used by developed nations. The US followed suit and a few
both the police and the fire stations to manage the signals in an roundabouts started to appear in major American cities. The
emergency. Police officer William Potts invented the first roundabout model is still relatively new to the US, in
four-way, three-color traffic light in 1920. The first comparison to traffic circles, which came into existence in the
coordinated traffic signal arrangement system was set up in early 1900s. Compared to European countries, Americans are
1917 and had six linked points of intersections operated still adjusting to roundabout navigation and this has resulted in
concurrently by a manual switch. In 1922 in Houston, Texas less efficient use of roundabouts. Roundabout navigation
control of the interconnected lights was done automatically. depends mainly upon two factors: traffic lanes or traffic
Inter-linked traffic lights with automatic control were density and the behavior of the driver. The second factor is not
introduced in Wolverhampton, England only in 1927. only hard to predict, but it is highly variable, resulting in
confusion while reaching or crossing through a roundabout.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS Secondly, at the time of inception of the roundabout model in
All of us know that red, green and yellow are used as traffic the US, only motorist traffic was considered while designing.
light signals. Why were these colors selected? Gradually, as the number of cyclists and pedestrians increased,
The rules which governed the right of way in maritime to it gave rise to another problem- safety concerns for the non-
recognize port was red and starboard was green, which motorists crossing the roundabout (especially bicyclists).
signaled that the vessel on the left had to stop to allow the one
on the right to cross. Actually, the colors for traffic lights were Are Roundabouts and Traffic Circles the Same Thing?
adopted from the color code used by railway engineers as a Many people ask this question and the answer is NO.
traffic signal invented to control the trains on the rail lines. Roundabouts and traffic circles might look the same, but they
They used red to represent a signal to stop since it represents have huge Traffic Circle differences. A modern roundabout
danger or warning and this color caught the attention of follows the yield at entry principle whereas a traffic signal
passersby as well. The other two colors used by railway takes the conventional approach of giving priority to the
engineers weregreen symbolizing ‘caution’ and white meaning entering vehicle. Modern roundabouts use smaller diameters
‘go.’ Filters were used in traffic signals and because of this the whereas traffic circles have provision for both the small and

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large diameters. Small diameters are used for traffic calming 1.4 GPS-BASED ROAD TRAFFIC MONITORING
and the large diameter circles are used to maintain the normal SYSTEM - A STUDY OF THE CELL PHONE-BASED
traffic flow. The upper speed limit while crossing through a MODEL
roundabout is 25 mph, whereas a traffic signal allows speeds For cost effective traffic control, efforts are on to create
above 25 mph. Modern roundabouts minimize weaving GPS based road traffic monitoring systems. Researchers,
movement within the circular section of the road. Traffic individuals, groups, and telecom companies are studying the
circles allow weaving and weaving sections are provided to prospects of such a system. This article discusses a cell phone
take care of conflicting traffic movements. As the entry speeds based model while also considering its practicality.
are low, the deflection angle is kept low for the modern
roundabouts. Traffic circles have large deflection angles. ROAD TRAFFIC MONITORING SYSTEM– THE
CURRENT SCENARIO
MODERN ROUNDABOUTS - THE DRAWBACKS At present, most road traffic monitoring systems use sensors
Roundabouts are popping up like mushrooms in the US. Old and video cameras to check the speed of vehicles and to take
traffic circles are disappearing at an alarming rate and people snapshots of vehicles that violate signals. However, the cost of
are made to believe that modern roundabouts are the best thing this equipment has restricted the current video camera-based
that ever happened to humankind, which will not only road traffic monitoring systems to certain very important areas
channelize traffic, but also avoid intersection crashes and and important highway intersections - where there are greater
ensure the safety of non-motorists. However, there are certain possibilities of traffic congestion and accidents. The
drawbacks associated with modern roundabouts. government is willing to cut down the costs of the "sensor and
video camera based road traffic monitoring system" so that it
What are the major disadvantages of having roundabouts can implement it widely. To achieve this, it has permitted
in your city? several research groups and telecom companies to come up
One important factor in the case against roundabouts is that with a model- both practical and cost effective- covering large
they are, by design, slow. When you have a roundabout every areas (not only certain portions of the city and highway
mile or two, you might end up spending more time on the road intersections). There are several research projects going on,
and less time with your family. As compared to traffic circles, some using government grants and some on their own –
roundabouts increase the travel time by a huge margin. In case conducted by telecom giants such as Nokia, UTStarcom, and
of traffic congestion, the gap between vehicles becomes less. others. The common point in all these researches is that almost
This can result in low-speed crashes and fender benders. all of them are considering GPS-based road traffic monitoring
Queue development can cause long lines at the entry points. system to bring down the overall costs of maintenance because
Higher maintenance costs make modern roundabouts an the costs of the GPS devices are low and are showing a further
expensive solution for traffic control. Like traffic circles, very downward trend. Almonst every person with a vehicle has a
large roundabouts require huge land mass and long splitter GPS device or can afford a GPS device for vehicles, which
islands further increase the cost. Very large roundabouts eat up means that the stage is already set. We just need to put the
a lot of public space. Temporary widening and outside different components in place so that the desired GPS-based
diameter space requirement increase the running cost of road traffic monitoring system can be put into place. The
construction as well. Roundabouts are not at all friendly for following section discusses the cost effective model of GPS
handicapped people, especially for visually impaired based road traffic monitoring system proposed by Nokia, a
pedestrians. Additional pedestrian signals need to be installed leading telecom company.
to safe-guard them. Cyclists suffer the most because of blind
spots on a roundabout. Traffic rules allow inside lane turn- GPS-BASED ROAD TRAFFIC MONITORING SYSTEM
outs. In America this means that a vehicle in the inside lane- – AN OVERVIEW
closest to the island- can turn right across the outside lane in The model for GPS-based road traffic monitoring system
order to exit. This can be unexpected to a bicyclist presented by Nokia is based on the fact that almost every
approaching behind the turning vehicle, and the bicycle can, at vehicle driver already has a cell phone. If the model is
the same time, be in the motorist's blind spot at an unexpected implemented, the cell phones can be upgraded to ones that
angle (neither behind, beside, or ahead). Alternative pathways contain GPS units if the existing ones do not have one already.
have to be designed to avoid roundabout exit accidents and The basic concept of this model is to trace "each" vehicle
that increases the cost of construction. Roundabouts are not using the signals sent out by the GPS unit in the cell phone.
suitable for "platooned" traffic flow. Emergency vehicles like The model claims to monitor real time flow of traffic using the
ambulances cannot make it through roundabouts easily. The GPS enabled cell phones while securing the privacy of cell
need of the hour is bringing forward an effective traffic phone users.
management system that not only takes care of complex traffic The model suggested by Nokia for GPS based road traffic
conditions, but also costs less to manage. Cost effectiveness monitoring system employs use of:
and optimum use of land are two key requirements of building 1) GPS enabled cellular handsets;
an effective traffic navigation system, and unfortunately 2) a central server for each area;
roundabouts do not fulfill both these conditions. Traffic circles 3) the Internet; and,
are in use across the world and have been for quite some time. 4) a unit to view the traffic condition. This unit can be the cell
Many people are used to them. Roundabouts require educating phone itself, a GPS unit, or any other device capable of
people about navigation and crossing methods, which is a connecting to the Internet and displaying the traffic conditions.
stressful exercise. In America, roundabouts and traffic circles Each area under observation will have a central server of its
must go hand-in-hand. Major cities can easily accommodate own, thereby using several servers to cover a larger area.
roundabouts, but for the smaller cities, traffic circles can serve These central servers can be integrated using wireless
the purpose without waste of money or land. Even the traffic connections to create a network that covers an entire city.
circles need to be improved because the traffic density and Each car will be equipped with a GPS-enabled mobile phone.
traffic behavior has changed a lot in recent years. The GPS unit will contain some software that will send signals

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carrying data on the vehicle's speed and location to the central the cell phone and use it anonymously employing SSL (bank
server for that area. With all vehicles in an area sending type encryption) so that the data is not used by anyone else,
signals to the central server, there will be ample data to thereby protecting the privacy of the cell phone owner. Read
compute the traffic conditions of that area. Once computed, our article on GPS Cellphone - Ethics Violations.
the results will be uploaded to the Internet in form of images
(graphs or charts). This information can be viewed by anyone Unwilling Users – People not Willing to Participate in the
on his/her cell phones or any other device able to browse the Monitoring System
Internet. The best thing about this model is that both drivers There will be drivers who will not be willing to contribute.
and the traffic police can view the traffic conditions in real- They may not use GPS-based cell phones or may turn their
time with a delay of only few milliseconds. While speaking on GPS off. There will be a hard time persuading such drivers.
the model's feasibility, a Nokia staffer says, "Enlisting GPS- However, considering the benefits of this GPS-based road
equipped cell phones into traffic monitoring systems could traffic monitoring system, the percentage of such people will
help provide information on everything from multiple side- be very low. The results of computing at the central server will
street routes in urban areas to hazardous driving conditions or not be affected, so the servers will still be able to upload real-
accidents on vast stretches of rural roads. GPS-based systems time traffic information to the Internet. I also went through
can pinpoint a car’s location with an accuracy of a few meters some other proposed models for GPS based road traffic
and calculate traveling speed to within three miles per hour." monitoring systems, out of which, one was more stable than
This is quite true but there are certain obstacles that will have the Nokia model but it was not as cost effective as the model
to be considered for implementing this model of GPS based discussed here.
road traffic monitoring system.
1.5ADDING UP THE ADVANTAGES OF THE KANBAN
Nokia's GPS Based Road Traffic Monitoring System SYSTEM
Model – Possible Problems The word Kanban may not be part of your daily vocabulary
Roping in Cell Phone Service Providers when it comes to scheduling. But after learning about the
The first and foremost problem that may interfere with Nokia's advantages of the Kanban system and its role in just in time
GPS-based road traffic monitoring system is the fact that (JIT) manufacturing, Kanban may become a household word
different people use different service providers for their cell for you.
phones. As all the residents of US cannot be persuaded to use
the same service provider, all the different service providers in THE VISUAL SIGNALS OF THE KANBAN SYSTEM
US will have to be roped in so that the model works offering ADVANTAGES OF THE KANBAN SYSTEM
full data on vehicle movements. Even if one service provider The Kanban System is an integral part of implementing the
backs out, the model will yield partial results. However, Quinn Just in Time (JIT) manufacturing philosophy which was
Jacobson, Nokia Research Center's research leader is designed to control inventory and reduce waste. The history of
confident that there will be no problem as these service the Kanban system can be traced back to the late 1940s
providers will only benefit from being part of the GPS-based when Toyota made a cultural commitment to continuous
road traffic monitoring system. Also, drivers will not let the improvement to drive its manufacturing processes to peak
service providers back out as there are additional benefits to performance. The term Kanban is a Japanese word whose
the GPS-based road traffic system than just traffic updates. English translation means signboard or visual signal. A well-
According to Jacobson, "Integration of traffic information timed Kanban system works exactly like a traffic signal in
with functions such as calendar and online timetables means managing the flow of traffic and meeting the real time needs
that the mobile device can act as personal travel planner. With of customers by sending clears signals on when to start, slow
the increasing number of vehicles, a proper road traffic down, and stop production. Each Kanban signal also carries
monitoring system will help drivers save time and precious valuable information about the volume and sequencing of the
fuel by taking alternate routes based on real time traffic production. Toyota originally used cards attached to different
information." supply containers to communicate what materials in the
production line were needed, but today many variations exists,
BANDWIDTH PROBLEM including signboards and electronic systems. The result is an
Assuming that the cell phones in Nokia's model of GPS-based efficient system where products are only replenished when
road traffic monitoring system send out signals every three they are consumed further downstream in the process.
seconds, the system will require a huge bandwidth considering
the number of cell phones active at any given point of time. IMPROVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Alexander Bayen, professor of systems engineering at The main advantage of the Kanban system lies in its innate
Berkeley’s California Center (the institute is also part of ability to drive down costs and waste by improving the flow of
Nokia's GPS traffic monitoring research), says that they are production. Many of the scheduling advantages of the Kanban
working on a solution to find an optimum subset of the entire system spring from naturally from the core elements of lean
data so that the model does not need such a huge bandwidth. and just in time manufacturing strategies. These strengths
However, I could not get any clue anywhere as to what kind of become more pronounced when the flow of production is
solution they are considering. reduced to small batches to accommodate product variations.
With a Kanban system in place, managers and supervisors see
USER PRIVACY: A MAJOR PROBLEM the benefits of the Kanban system in:
Most of the users of the cell phones will not want their phones
to send out signals indicating their whereabouts that can be Better managed inventory levels. Too much inventory can
intercepted by unwanted sources, too. According to Jacobson, result in cash flow problems by adding overhead expenses for
if users are not willing, they can turn off the GPS feed in the storage, insurance, and security. On the flip side, too little
cell phone. This will not affect the proposed GPS-based road inventory can damage the reputation of the business for being
traffic monitoring system as it will disassociate the data with unreliable, resulting in lost sales and dissatisfied customers.

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The Kanban system combined with good inventory practices more orderly and highly visual accountability system. The
smooths out inventory levels and eliminates carrying costs. visual signals not only aid in improving production flow and
Smoother manufacturing flow. Because the Kanban system responsiveness to customer demand but also in shifting
focuses on current conditions, production levels are calculated workers' focus on quality improvment and team work through
to take into account downtime, scrap, and changeover time of empowerment and self-monitoring activities.
equipment to ensure that the production schedule is met.
Overproduction elimination. As a demand pull system, 1.6 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR SAFE BIKE
Kanban is less likely to result in overproduction because of the PATHS
need to create buffer inventory to address unexpected delays Bike paths are as important as highways and proper design
resulting from quality problems with suppliers or minor guidelines must be followed while designing them. Bicycle
disruptions in the transportation network. safety tips are an important aspect of design and what types of
Reduced risk of Inventory obsolescence. Many products roads are suitable for bikers will be discussed in this article.
have a shelf life or product lifecycle that can expire unless the Read on to know about best bike path designs.
product reaches the consumer in a timely manner. In these
changing economic times, brand loyalty has faded and can no BICYCLE PATH
longer save a company that does not deliver its goods on time. Designing a bike path is not as simple as it may sound. In
most of the American states, bike-car collisions have already
RESPONSIVENESS TO DEMAND created a lot of problems. Bikes cannot move on the highway
Manufacturing is more than just about the mechanics of along with other speeding vehicles because bikes move very
production and a series of calculations to determine slowly in comparison to cars and other vehicles. One single
changeover, lead time, and downtime for equipment to derive design is not the solution because they differ depending on the
an ideal production schedule. Production is foremost driven by type of traffic and traffic density of the region. Different
customer demand which can run in a various patterns from design methods need to be implemented to develop a balanced
predictable to sporadic, from increasing to declining, and from commuting channel for the bikers. According to the US
seasonal to no seasonal. One of the biggest advantages of the Department of Transportation, walking and bicycling facilities
Kanban System is that it improves the responsiveness to must be a part of the road project and cannot be ignored unless
changes in demand. In this way, the Kanban system is similar under exceptional circumstances. With gas becoming more
to a smart traffic light with its ability to sense when the traffic, expensive, high inflation rates, and increased pollution levels,
or in this case the demand, is building up. When the pent up governments and private organizations are promoting cycling
demand reaches a predetermined level, the system sends the activities and to promote it, it becomes even more important to
appropriate signal -- the traffic light changes to green or, in the design safe pathways for bikers and offer the best possible
factory, production is sped up. road facilities to them.

EMPOWERMENT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES

Another advantage of the Kanban system is that it places Safety and accessibility are two important factors associated
control in the hands of the operators who are in the best with bike path design. Those driving a car or a motorcycle
position to oversee production. People on the front lines have often pay no attention to bikers because bikes are considered
the most knowledge about the daily operations and have a to be easy vehicles, they move slow, weigh less, and can
pulse on the real-time flow of the work. Also, shifting manage in less space. However, a biker would not be hurt less
accountability for monitoring the daily runs frees up the time in an accident, so safety becomes the primary concern while
of supervisors to focus on long term planning needs. designing a bike path. Accessibility means taking care of
Empowerment is an effective managerial tool because it intersections, busy traffic areas, and the merging of bike lanes
reinforces education and training; increases mutual respect with the main highway. How bikers access the exclusive bike
among employees, generates enthusiasm and dedication to a lanes and how do they switch to the main highway without
common goal; lowers absenteeism, and increases productivity. disturbing the flow of traffic is another important aspect. A
Another by-product of empowerment is conquering resistance single design cannot be proposed for a state or a big region
to change because employees participate directly in the because traffic conditions are not same throughout the region,
decision making process. so a mixed design approach is adopted to design safe
pathways for bikers. The US Department of Transportation
QUALITY CONTROL AND SELF-DISCIPLINE and Federal highway Administration has also stated that
A final advantage of the Kanban system is found in the fabric adopting a mixed approach will always lead to a better and
of its purpose to promote an environment devoted to quality more economical network.
improvement. Because the Kanban system uses small lot sizes Major designs that are implemented in American States,
at various points in the production, quality control issues can recommended by the authorities are mentioned below.
be more easily pinpointed at the source. Also, the Kanban 1. Exclusive Bike Lane
system eliminates excess inventory which tends to mask 2. Mixed or Shared Use Paths
quality problems by remaining undetected for longer periods 3. Parking Permitted or Praking Prohibited Bike Lanes
of time. Thus, the need for buffer inventory to resolve quality 4. Off Road Cycle Lanes
problems is reduced, and this system becomes self- 5. Canberra Bicycle Lane
perpetulating as inventory reduction leads to further quality Exclusive Bike Lanes are designed and developed on the side
improvment results. of the main road. These roads run parallel to the highway and
intersect very rarely, mainly at the traffic signals. Usually
A FINAL TALLY OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE these lanes are designed in cities where the roads run for a
KANBAN SYSTEM considerable distance without turning. It helps the bikers to
In adding up the advantages of the Kanban system, managers stay safe and travel equal distance as the motorists do.
should recognize that the system's strengths lie in creating a However such lanes are expensive to build and maintain.

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Mixed or shared path use is one such model which is 1.7 RUMBLE STRIPS AND CENTERLINE RUMBLE
combination of different lanes. These lanes usually are STRIPS
designed in cities where Shared Pathway number of bikers
commuting on a daily basis along with the traffic density is Rumble strips whether used on edges or centerline of roads are
high. Bikers travel on the main roads along with the motorists considered a road safety feature as the vibration and rumbling
and the lanes keep on merging and diverging from the main that they produce help to alert drivers who are inattentive.
road depending upon the traffic conditions. Segregated bike
lanes are designed on the main highway and are painted with RUMBLE STRIPS AS SAFETY DEVICES
white stripes. Moreover, these lanes are exclusively meant for CENTER LINE RUMBLE STRIPS
the bikers and motorists cannot run their vehicle on these Rumble strips and centerline rumble strips are being used to
roads while passing or for any other reason. However, the reduce accidents and warn inattentive drivers. Rumble strips
mixed pathways require very high level of safety measures can even be laid across a travel lane so that they can warn
because if the bike lanes are not equipped with painted drivers that they are approaching areas ahead where they need
boundaries, indicating boards and warning boards, the to exercise caution. Such strips are also accompanied by
accidents are bound to happen. Considering the ever signage warning of the impending danger. Rumble strips were
increasing population and number of new vehicles rolling in first used in 1952 and have followed a number of designs.
every year, mixed modal pathways are the need of the hour Initially the asphalt pavement was itself milled or formed in
because they not only save time and money, but also help such a way as to create the indentations required for the
bikers to move along with the mainstream traffic. rumble strips. This has now been totally replaced by ceramic
or plastic raised systems made famous by Botts’ Dots. Such
PROTECTED BIKELANE strips produce rumbling that creates specific frequencies in the
Parking permitted or parking prohibited bike lanes, as the audible range and traffic engineers have used this to create
names signify, allow or prohibit the motorists to park their singing shoulders or musical roads.
vehicles alongside the bike lanes. When the parking is
prohibited, it strictly means that no car should be parked or PROBLEMS WITH RUMBLE STRIPS
even enter into the bike lanes. When motorists try to park the Rumble strips have however not been without their share of
vehicles in the prohibited lanes, bikers often face problems. controversy, and people staying near freeways have
Just imagine you take a turn on an exclusive bike lane and all complained against the noise produced by such rumbling
of a sudden you find a car parked in the middle of the lane. strips. As a result many authorities do not install rumble strips
Even in the parking permitted lanes, accidental probability is in suburban areas where low speed restrictions are in place.
high because very often motorists open up the doors of their Rumble strips are also sometimes viewed as a hazard for
cars on the bike lanes creating trouble for the bikers. Off road cyclists, whose narrow wheel base may find the rumble strips
bike lanes are not the lanes where the general bikers would difficult to ride over. Climate is another factor that does
like to go but still off road bike lanes are constructed to help contribute to the success or failure of a rumble strip. In
bikers commute through off-road destinations. Bikers northern areas prone to severe winters, such strips can get
generally would not complain about a shortcut that saves filled with ice or even traction sand and become ineffective.
considerable time. This can also happen in desert or sandy areas where winds can
fill up the space in the rumble strips. Steering wheel vibration
INTERSECTIONS & TRAFFIC SIGNALS - GREATEST is another aspect that worries traffic engineers, and this has
HURDLES something to do with the gaps between rumble strips and is
Irrespective of the design and type of bike pathway, the being studied for the best pattern to be followed.
greatest hurdles are the merging of bikers and motorists on a
traffic signal or an intersection. Most accidents happen in THE IMPORTANCE OF CENTERLINE RUMBLE
these places because regulating the bikes and motors at such STRIPS
junctions becomes difficult. The Department of Transportation
states that while approaching an intersection the bike stripes Centerline rumble strips are mainly used on two lanes, two
must be dashed so that bikers get an idea that motorists can way roadways and are meant to create warnings for drivers to
turn right and enter the bike lane while turning. At large avoid potential accidents with opposing traffic. Accidents
intersections, mixed or shared pathways become problematic happen due to side swiping or head on collisions. It has been
because of vehicles coming from all the directions and established that the installation of centerline rumble strips has
entering into the bike lanes becomes inevitable. Even at the led to reduction in such accidents, especially on rural roads,
traffic signals, if the queue is too long or the signal is too busy, most of which fall into the two lanes, two way roads category.
motorists often tend to enter into the bike lanes. This can be Such roads do not have any dividing medians and thus no
avoided by segregating the bikes from motor vehicles as the impending mechanisms to traffic running in opposite
traffic signal is approached. Another hurdle remains drainage directions. Different designs of the centerline rumble strips
problem over the bike lanes. In hilly regions, exclusive bike have led to the use of double 4 inch strips laid parallel to the
lanes are constructed at a height above than the main road. If road and 6 inch lateral strips that are said to increase visibility
the water drainage system is not put in place, it will surely as well as prevent damage to the center line strips. Other
create problem for the main traffic movement and affect the designs use strips that may be laid continuously or in lengths
strength of road too. Bike accidents happen just like other of 12 inch to 30 inch with the width varying from 4 to 8
accidents and bikers need to follow bicycle safety tips to inches. Depth of grooves is normally kept at half an inch,
ensure their own safety. Bikers must not try to rush with the which is considered enough to produce the rumble. Centerline
motorists because a bike is a bike and a car is a car. Drive rumble strips require very little maintenance and do not
safely, try not to rush and when moving in the traffic, ensure contribute to degradation of the pavement as had been the
that a helmet is on your head because if it is not on your head, apprehension.
it will definitely create problems.

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MAKING CENTERLINE RUMBLE STRIPS PERCENT OF DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE
Centerline rumble strips can be milled on the center of the ROCK FALL FENCE PROTECTING ROAD
roadway with machines that have been specially designed for Sight distance is the length at which an obstacle of a specific
this job. Quite often painted lines are also used in addition to height is visible to the driver. The percent decision sight
the rumble strips for better visual identification. These lines distance is the measurement in feet that is used to determine
can be on both sides of the milled rumble indentation. In such from what distance a normal driver can make an instantaneous
cases the width of the rumble strip is reduced. Spacing decision if any obstacle comes in front of him. It is important
between strips can be 12 to 24 inches, though the maximum because curves of the roadways along the mountains can limit
decibels which serve as warning are in those strips that have a the ability of a driver to notice rocks present on the road.
12 inch distance. Length of strips in the direction of traffic is
best at 6 inches and the width across traffic 12 inches. A depth GEOLOGIC CHARACTER
of about a quarter of an inch in the milled surface is As the name says, it defines the geologic character of the
considered adequate to produce the sound caused by air being slopes. These are classified in two cases. The first case
forced out of the depression. Carpeting or relaying of the includes the structural conditions such as adhesive or
surface of a road would require that these rumble strips have continuous joints present in the slopes, rock friction angle,
to be redone. It has to be however ensured that the thickness of hydrostatic head if water is present, and other discontinuities.
the new layer is sufficient to take the new milling that is Furthermore, the second case includes slopes having
required to create the rumble strips differential erosions or overstepped slopes. Measurement of
rock friction is also important determining the potential of the
1.8 RESPONDING TO ROCK FALL RISK ON PUBLIC rocks to move over one another.
ROADWAYS
Construction of highways and railways is challenging around QUANTITY OF ROCKFALL PER EVENT
mountains and steep slopes. Each require special study by This rating determines what type of rockfall may most
geologists and geotechnical engineers. Through geotechnical commonly occur. For example, if rocks fall individually,
analysis, slopes are identified that are critical and require considering the sizes of the rocks is required. If a number of
special protection. The "Rockfall Hazard Rating System" for small and large sized rock fall, use the mass of the fallen rocks
the Federal Highway Administration was introduced by the in the last event to determine the rating. Usually these
Oregon State Highway Division. It is used to define the measurements can be easily determined from the maintenance
overall stability of slopes along mountainsides against major history. However, if there is no event history, estimate it
sliding or toppling failures in order to protect the highway through observing the conditions of the slope. This factor is
below from known hazards through various methods. also beneficial for future remedial measures.
However, analysis of hundreds of miles of mountain highway
can be more difficult than rocket science. In this article we CLIMATE AND THE PRESENCE OF WATER
take a look at the important things done under this rating Studying the climate and the presence of water in the slope is
system in regard to determining slopes that are hazardous and essential. This is because water and freeze cycles contribute an
require immediate remedial work. You can also use the table important role in rock movement. If the area gets less than
in the image given below for the exact ratings of all the factors twenty inches rain per year, it is called a low precipitation
of this rating system. area; if the value is more than fifty inches, it is then called a
high precipitation area. The impact of freezing or thaw cycles
SLOPE HEIGHT can be determined by the freezing conditions of the area.
Slope height is an important measure of risk because rocks
present on the higher slopes have higher potential energy. OTHER IMPORTANT PARAMETERS
Measuring slope height requires determining only the vertical The rockfall hazard rating also includes the width of the
height of the slope (in place of the slope distance) or roadway. This measurement is appropriately called "Roadway
measuring the highest point from where rockfall can be Width" and defines the maneuvering room for a driver to
reasonably expected. There might be some cases where rocks avoid rockfall. If the width is variable, consider the minimum
are coming from a slope present above the roadway cut. In this width of the roadway for this rating. The "Average Vehicle
situation, add the cut height to the original height of the slope. Risk" rating represents the average time of which a vehicle
will be present in the hazard zone. It is based on factors like
DITCH EFFECTIVENESS daily traffic and the posted speed limit in an area. Next is
"Difference in Erosion Ratings." This measurement defines
"Ditch" is the area in between the slope and the roadway. The common physical and chemical erosion processes happening
ditch effectiveness is defined as ability of the ditch to prevent in the slope. The effect of human action is also a factor to
falling rock from reaching the road. There are certain factors consider into it. The difference in erosion rates explains how
that need to be considered for measuring ditch effectiveness. quickly erosion is taking place at the particular slope. All the
above points are important and essential to determine for the
SLOPE HEIGHT AND ITS ANGLE Federal Highway Administration's rating system for rockfall
hazards. However, there is one more point to consider, and
 Slope irregularities that is the rockfall history of slopes. This is because historical
 Quantity of the rockfall data directly represents which slopes are very hazardous and
 Anticipated size of the block require remedial work. Again, the maintenance officer is the
 Parameter and shape of the ditch best person for getting the history of such events.
Measuring slope irregularities is important because it can
increase or decrease the speed of falling rocks and there would 1.9 ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY BARRIERS
be more tendency of rocks reaching the road. Life is precious, and should not be wasted by road accidents.
Use of the road safety features and proper driving may prevent

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road accidents. The roads have been designed keeping in view safety gadget that is utilized in road markings. It consists of
the human factors in road safety. Safety posters and slogans reflective glass that is fixed in a rubber casing. It marks the
can influence humans towards safe driving. road centre for the convenience of the driver. Cat's eyes are
primarily useful in haze. Furthermore, tone bands are engraved
IMPORTANCE OF ROAD SAFETY into the road edges that awaken the drowsing drivers when
Risks will always exist that are related to road safety, and their they move off the road edge. Tone bands may also be
total elimination may not be possible. However, all risks, commonly called rumble strips. Alternatively, raised rib
including road Importance road safety driving risks, can be markings may be used that consist of a line marking, with
mitigated by the implementation of appropriate remedial regular diagonal ribs. They improve the edge description
measures. The state and the general public have a during wet conditions, or during darkness.
responsibility to control and manage road risks. The human
factors in road safety should be the prime parameter while II. CONCLUSION
designing roads. Safety posters and slogans, and observing a
horrific accident picture do have a positive effect on the  Risks will always exist that are related to road safety, and
human mind. Drivers may benefit from the shortest driving their total elimination may not be possible. However, all
instructions that are available at several training institutions. risks, including road Importance road safety driving risks,
Road safety must constantly be kept in mind. Each individual can be mitigated by the implementation of appropriate
is responsible for the road safety. The circumstances on the remedial measures
roads are unpredictable, due to which it is only proper  The presence of lighting not only reduces the risk of
planning, implementation, and conscientiousness that can traffic accidents, but also their severity. Surveys have
assist to reduce the road accidents. Road traffic victims, injury, shown that the public are in favour of street lighting as a
and suffering represent a severe universal state that adversely way of improving road safety and that, if anything, it
affects the lives of individuals. This is an important matter needs to be improved in some areas
considering the financial effects on the state and the  The human factors in road safety should be the prime
community. The state has the responsibility to arrange parameter while designing roads. Safety posters and
measures for the prevention of accidents, while the public is slogans, and observing a horrific accident picture do have
expected to strictly abide by the road safety regulations. a positive effect on the human mind.
 Centerline rumble strips are mainly used on two lanes,
SAFE ROAD DESIGN two way roadways and are meant to create warnings for
The safe road design is an important feature that can drivers to avoid potential accidents with opposing traffic.
significantly contribute to prevent road accidents. The better Accidents happen due to side swiping or head on
roads have on the curves to increase the vehicle stability. This collisions.
is particularly important for the vehicles that have a higher  Safety standards like Bott's Dots, Working of Traffic
centre of gravity. The roads should be cambered in accordance Light Systems, Roundabouts, Traffic Circles, PS based
with the design analysis, with round surfaces. Such roads will Road Traffic Management System, The Visual Signals of
decrease the ice and standing water, mainly to avoid the frost the Kanban System, Safety Considerations for Safe Bike
damage, and also increase the traction when the weather is Paths, Rumble Strips and Centerline Ruble Strips Create
poor. The roads should have suitable arrangements to facilitate Safer Roads
drainage, particularly on the bends. The current road barriers,
intended for safety, are designed to ensure maximum III. REFERENCE
absorption of the impact, with minimum risk to the vehicle
occupants. The side rails are firmly fixed with the ground, and [1].Night-time accidents, a scoping study; Report to the AA
the poles for lights are planned to fracture at the bottom, Trust; H. Ward et al, UCL
instead of stopping a car violently. The road fixtures like fire
hydrants and the road signs are designed to fall on impact. The [2]. Highway Engineering by Justo and Khanna.
trees along the roads are removed to improve visibility. The
guard rail ends are fitted with impact attenuators that slowly [3].The relationship between the level of public lighting and
take in the vehicle kinetic energy. The vehicle slows smoothly traffic safety; a supplementary literature study, D.A.Schreuder.
before striking the guard rail end. Several other techniques are R-88-10. Leidschendam, SWOV, 1988
employed for the dissipation of the kinetic energy. Barrels
filled with sand transfer the vehicle momentum to the sand. [4].Research on the interrelation between illuminance at
intersections and the reduction in traffic accidents; H Oya et
ROAD MARKINGS al; The Lighting Journal, Vol 68 pp 14-21
The numerous hazards on the road are generally indicated
multiple times, much before their appearance, to enable timely [5].http://www.hslsa.gov.in/sites/default/files/documents/Hand
measures by the drivers. Mainly, the marking materials used %20Book%20of%20Road%20Safety.pdf
for pavements and roads are reflective, including prisms or
glass spheres that efficiently reflect light from the headlights [6]. Essentials of road safety-Ashwini and Nisha Bagga
of the vehicle. Thus, the driver can easily be warned about the
dangers ahead. Lanes are distinguished by the use of Botts’
dots and Cat's eyes. Botts' dots are normally round raised
markers for pavements that are not reflective. These markers
are used for the marking of lanes on highways and main roads.
Feedback is provided to the drivers while moving across the
travel lanes. They are similar to rumble strips, and are
generally white, but can be also yellow. The cat's eye is a

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, March 2019 20232 http://ijesc.org/