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Georgia DOT Uses Curve Safety Assessment Devices for High Friction Surface Treatment Site Selection

Publication Year: 2021


Problem

RwD crashes are a major emphasis area for Georgia. To address this crash type, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) investigated and implemented several solutions to crashes in horizontal curves. One solution that GDOT is using to improve safety is the installation of high friction surface treatment (HFST) at curves where roadway departure crashes have the greatest likelihood of occurring. GDOT initially identified these curves using a traditional ball bank indicator. This approach is both time and resource intensive requiring two to three workers (driving, reading, and writing). Therefore, a new approach was tested: a market-ready curve safety assessment device that utilizes an electronic ball bank indicator traditionally used for setting safe speeds in curves. This market-ready device also has a website/database where all the raw data could be stored and access at any time.

Solution

GDOT rents devices for each of its Districts to collect data on all curves on the road network. Once the data is collected, GDOT manually locates each curve on the road network since data from the devices are imported as individual data points and may not be geospatially located correctly. GDOT will use the tool and database developed from the Georgia Tech research project to determine potential safety projects. Crash and historical probe speed data will be used with the curve data to determine which projects are to be implemented first by using a benefit/cost ratio ranking.

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