Economic design of low-traffic roads.

The scientific expert group who prepared the report was created in 1984 to review research and practice on geometric standards for roads with traffic volumes less than 1500 vehicles per day. In oecd countries these roads represent some 60 to 70 per cent - and even up to 80 per cent - of the total length of national networks. Because of the socio-economic and transport functions they provide and the priorities in the sixties and seventies on the provision and upkeep of high standard infrastructure, neglecting low-traffic networks, it has become urgent to bring low-traffic roads up to standard which will require considerable financial outlay. The report's introductory chapter describes the general context and highlights the specific technical and economic issues. Chapters 2 and 3 include an inventory of the characteristics typifying low-traffic roads, a critical analysis of the state-of-the-art and an examination of cost/effective geometric design standards. Chapter 4 contains suggestions for improving, planning and design methods while chapter 5 looks at possible areas for future research. The group's conclusions and recommendations are set out in chapter 6. The specific problems of low-traffic roads in developing countries are discussed in a special review at the end of the report. The group's study should provide authorities both in oecd and developing countries with guidelines on how to enhance current road design policies in line with national land use and regional development plans. (Author/publisher) The title of the report published in french is: conception economique des routes a faible trafic.