Rural Road Design According to the Safe System Approach

Abstract

This chapter covers design of rural roads according to the model for safe traffic used in the Vision Zero approach. Based on expected levels of the safety of vehicles and road users, the roads and the road side furniture should be designed to avoid fatalities and serious injuries. An introduction is presented covering the safe system approach and how speed limits of roads should be set to reflect the safety standard of the road in relation human injury tolerance and the capacity to protect the road users. One section will cover countermeasures to protect vulnerable road users, including speed calming road infrastructure, bicycle and pedestrian paths, bus stops. Another section will cover road infrastructure countermeasures addressing vehicle occupants. It is shown how change of velocity, vehicle mean acceleration, and crash duration are correlated and how they influence occupant injury risk. Design of different types of roads on rural roads is described, such as the two-plus-one lane road design with median barrier, and various ways of separating traffic or preventing run-off road crashes including road barrier design and rumble strips. Safe intersection design is an important part on rural roads that is explained. The last part covers design of the roadside area from a safe system approach.