Traffic Safety Challenges and Strategies in the Eagle Ford Shale Area
In the past few years, Texas has experienced a boom in energy-related activities, particularly in extraction of shale oil and natural gas. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the Eagle Ford area has resulted in an economic boom that is benefiting rural and urban communities alike. The Eagle Ford Shale area covers more than 25 counties and seven councils of governments in South Texas. Unfortunately, many short-term and long-term impacts on the state transportation infrastructure results from these activities, including a dramatic increase in truck traffic and crashes involving commercial vehicles. Although local, county, and state agencies are beginning to implement measures to boost safety, these efforts are not properly documented and their effectiveness has not been assessed. The Texas Deparetment of Transportation (TxDOT) has started to document some observed impacts of energy-related activities in the Eagle Ford Shale region on transportation infrastructure and transportation safety through the analysis of five-year crash records; however, a detailed analysis of the direct impact of these activities on transportation safety in this region is lacking. The Research Team will perform a comprehensive evaluation of crash causes and risk factors to identify the root causes of the dramatic increase in crashes involving commercial vehicles on roadways in the Eagle Ford Shale region. The Research Team will detail the main types (run-off-the-road, right angle, side-swipe, rear end) and causes of crashes in the region, effectiveness of safety enhancement measures, and the other additional interventions that can improve the current state of practice.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
- Funding: $266603
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Contract Numbers:
0-6899
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Sponsor Organizations:
Texas Department of Transportation
125 E. 11th Street
Austin, TX United States 78701-2483 -
Project Managers:
Odell, Wade
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Performing Organizations:
University of Texas, San Antonio
6900 N. Loop 1604 W
San Antonio, TX United States -
Principal Investigators:
Sharif, Hatim
- Start Date: 20150901
- Expected Completion Date: 20170831
- Actual Completion Date: 20170831
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Commercial vehicles; Crash causes; Regional planning; Resource development; Safety; Truck traffic
- Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01618982
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: 0-6899
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Dec 21 2016 10:17AM