AN ASSESSMENT OF CHANGES IN TRUCK DIMENSIONS ON HIGHWAY GEOMETRIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

Among the many issues surrounding motor vehicle size and weights, specifically an increase in truck size and weights, is the concern of the impact any change would have on the operational characteristics of rural highways. Today's highway network in any given area is the result of an evolutionary process representing among other things a mix of geometric design principles and practices. Any significant change in the vehicular operating characteristics should require an assessment of the geometric design practices and the impact on the existing highway system in terms of operational aspects and safety. Also needed would be an estimate of the cost required to redesign and modify the current network or segments of the network to accommodate the larger vehicles. This report represents one element of an ongoing study to assess the various issues and effects of an increase in truck size and/or weights on the rural highways in Texas. The purpose of this report is to summarize a study of the effects that an increase in legal truck limits would have on highway geometric design elements, and the cost implications, should various segments of the Texas highway system require redesign and modification to facilitate their safe and efficient operation. (Author)