Texas Guidelines for Optimizing Roadway Cross-Section

Highways and streets in Texas contain a wide variety of cross-sections, with through lanes, turning lanes, medians, shoulders, parking, and bicycle lanes as common components. Providing an appropriate cross-section is important for both operational and safety performance. It is useful to periodically evaluate whether a given cross-section is the most appropriate based on expected road users and related contextual application. One alternative cross-section treatment has been called the “road diet”, in which existing through lanes or shoulders may be reduced and that cross-section width reassigned for other purposes. There is currently no statewide guidance for this type of roadway optimization. The research team will compile and review existing road cross-section (“diet”) guidance on urban, suburban and rural environments from across the United States, along with research findings, to identify content that would be appropriate for inclusion in Texas-based guidelines for road cross section optimization. The research team will also consider the data needs for assessing a proposed cross section treatment. The research team will use the results from these efforts to determine if existing guidance and data are sufficient to develop cross section optimization guidelines. The research team will provide recommendations for further evaluation and adoption.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $200000
  • Contract Numbers:

    0-7136

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Managing Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Project Managers:

    Schwerdt, Tom

  • Performing Organizations:

    Texas A&M Transportation Institute

    Texas A&M University System
    3135 TAMU
    College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
  • Principal Investigators:

    Brewer, Marcus

  • Start Date: 20220901
  • Expected Completion Date: 20230831
  • Actual Completion Date: 20230831

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01863315
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 0-7136
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Nov 3 2022 12:08PM