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First published online January 1, 2009

Evaluation of Alternative Procedures for Setting Curve Advisory Speed

Abstract

This paper examines procedures for setting curve advisory speeds, identifies issues associated with these procedures, and describes a proposed procedure that overcomes many of these issues. The proposed procedure consists of three elements: a criterion for setting the curve advisory speed, a method for determining this speed, and an engineering study method that confirms the need for an advisory speed plaque. One conclusion is that challenges associated with the use of the ball-bank indicator hinder achieving curve advisory speeds that are uniform in curves and consistent with driver expectation. The proposed procedure is shown to overcome these challenges.

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References

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2. Chowdhury M., Warren D., Bissell H., and Taori S. Are the Criteria for Setting Advisory Speeds on Curves Still Relevant? ITE Journal, Washington, D.C., Feb. 1998, pp. 32–45.
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Article first published online: January 1, 2009
Issue published: January 2009

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© 2009 National Academy of Sciences.
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Authors

Affiliations

James A. Bonneson
Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, 3135 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3135.
Michael P. Pratt
Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, 3135 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3135.
Jeff Miles
Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, 3135 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3135.

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