NEW CONCEPTS IN DESIGN SPEED APPLICATION AS A CONTROL IN ACHIEVING CONSISTENT HIGHWAY DESIGN

This paper presents a new concept in the definition and application of design speed. The overall objective is to meet driver expectations and to comply with the inherent characteristics in order to achieve operational consistency and improve driving comfort and safety. The tool to accomplish and regulate the design in order to maintain the necessary consistency and quality of the alignment entails a speed profile technique. The potential passenger car and truck speeds are charted along the proposed highway improvement, taking into account the joint configuration of the horizontal and vertical alignment and the individual curvatures and gradients. The paper develops the procedure for analysis and related techniques. It is applicable to the design of new facilities, but it is even more meaningful to upgrading of existing facilities. The procedure identifies the inconsistencies and provides the direction for corrective measures.