May 29 - The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) has published a white paper detailing how poorly designed intersections adversely affect the shipment of oversize and overweight cargoes in the USA.
The SC&RA is sending a copy of the paper to all state departments of transportation, state freight advisory groups, and state industry groups involved in the movement of high and heavy loads, as well as federal officials and other stakeholders that have a voice in the design of intersections and interchanges.
Roundabouts, Intersections & Interchanges - Barriers and Benefits to Specialized Transportation Carriers and DOTs, considers that efforts to increase safety and efficiency at the nation's crossroads have mainly focused on the volume of cars, at the expense of trucks, particularly oversize/overweight trucks.
In a number of cases new intersections are impassible for oversize trucks, forcing detours upwards of 100 miles (160 km). Resulting delays and associated costs are ultimately passed on to consumers, shippers and producers, including departments of transportation and local governments.
The paper also describes problems created by circular intersections (roundabouts), various forms of U-turns and traffic lights. It also looks at the type of intersection best suited for high, heavy and wide cargoes such as diverging diamond and single point interchanges, and displaced/continuous left intersections.
The SC&RA is eager to be directly involved in dialog concerning the planning and design of intersections and interchanges. The paper concludes with a listing of experts who already have contributed innovations to this important subject and who are willing to share their expertise, including: Peter Lynch, Specialized Freight Solutions; Mark Lenters, GHD - leader of a design team at GHD and former president of Ourston Roundabout Design Engineers; plus Gene Russell, PhD, Kansas State University - head of a study that illustrates the need to balance roundabout designs and placement with oversize/overweight needs.
A free copy of Roundabouts, Intersections & Interchanges - Barriers and Benefits to Specialized Transportation Carriers and DOTs is available here.
