What is the compliance with right-in-right-out rules, and how could we further increase traffic safety?
Project Description
Currently, there are notable compliance issues with driveways where the turning movements are restricted to right-in and right-out only. Different types of separators (colloquially known as "Porkchops") exist, from just paint, to low-curbed concrete barriers, to full separation with landscaping. Transportation Planning has input on the design of these separators when a development is proposed. We are wondering - what the rate of compliance is across different separator typologies, considering other factors such as traffic volume and land use, and how Transportation Planning could drive greater compliance with these rules while keeping separator design as simple and low-cost as possible. Students would ideally complete field research about compliance, and analyze these findings.
Challenge Summary
What is the compliance with right-in-right-out rules, and how could we further increase traffic safety? From the studies, we are hoping to draw conclusions about whether “Porkchop” driveways are effective or ineffective, in which case they should all be abandoned. Alternatively, we may conclude that the “Porkchop” design may work in some environments and not so well in others, in terms of compliance. Yet another challenge we hope to solve is whether “Porkchops” can be made more effective either with a simple design modification or the application of an innovative design idea, both of which may reveal themselves to the observers while conducting compliance studies.
Objective
Students will conduct hour-long (possibly longer depending on volumes) compliance studies at various right-in, right-out access points. They will compile data into a spreadsheet to determine compliance rates. Furthermore, students will share data with each other and exercise critical thinking skills to determine factors that may impact compliance positively or negatively. The outcomes/summary of these data-sharing and brainstorming sessions will be documented.
City staff name: Domenic De-Flavio, Project Manager, Transportation Planning
Faculty name: Craig Sherwood
Course name: Highway Technology A
Student: Thalia Thompson