The purposes of this report are to compile the latest information on utility company, state department of transportation (DOT), and local highway agency roadside safety programs; to describe the current status of a combined federal and industry effort to implement roadside safety, including yielding poles; and to document recent developments in guardrail, concrete barrier, and crash cushion design to reduce utility maintenance costs, potential liability, and public health costs. Strategies are identified to deal with a relatively small number of poles on a prioritized, cost-effective basis. The report includes cost comparisons of various safety treatments for prioritized utility poles in highway rights-of-way, and a summary of the current status of litigation is given to provide an estimate of how recent precedents may affect future exposure. The report is presented in 8 chapters and 3 appendices: 1) Introduction; 2) Utility Pole Collisions; 3) Solutions; 4) Strategies; 5) Initiatives; 6) Legal Issues; 7) Professionalism; 8) Summary; A) Example of Recommended Guidelines for Utility Installations and Modifications; B) Example of Recommended Crash Reduction Program and Roadside Safety Treatments; and C) Examples of Lawsuits Involving Utility Pole Crashes.
Abstract