Development of Crash Modification Factors for Rumble Strips Treatment for Freeway Applications: Phase I Development of Safety Performance Functions

Published in: Innovation in Engineering, Technology and Education for Competitiveness and Prosperity: Proceedings of the 12th Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and Technology
Date of Conference: July 21-24,2014
Location of Conference: Guayaquil,Ecuador
Authors: Benjamín Colucci Ríos
Dafne Valle Javier
Refereed Paper: #105

Abstract:

Longitudinal rumble strips is a safety feature or treatment on a paved shoulder capable of alerting drivers that their motor vehicle is departing the traveled lane. This treatment has proven to be effective specially preventing roadway departure crashes. In 2009, Puerto Rico started the implementation of longitudinal shoulder rumble strips on freeways. In 2010, the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) provide tools for decision making to estimate how effective a countermeasure or set of countermeasures will be in reducing crashes at a specific location. The Crash Modification Factors (CMF) are used to quantify the effect of a particular treatment on expected crash frequency adjusting the estimate of crash frequency from a base condition defined by a Safety Performance Function (SPF) to the specific conditions present at a site. In the 2010 HSM, CMF’s for freeway applications using intermittent longitudinal rumble strips on shoulders were not included. This paper documents the process of developing CMF for intermittent rumble strips on freeway segments, in rolling to mountainous topography and the development of SPF’s. The study area is PR-52, a 108.3 km toll freeway facility, part of NHS originating in San Juan, crossing the central mountain range and ends in the city of Ponce.