The overall goal of this research was to develop a methodology and gather sufficient data to quantify the impact of Texas Travel Information Center staff and services on the safety of travelers on Texas roadways. Researchers used data and analytical tools that quantify the value of person-to-person contact with visitors by providing information on travel route, road condition, destination, weather, and disaster evacuation. Several tasks were performed under this study to provide a response to this legislative request. The economic impact of Texas Travel Information Centers was established through two years of data collection via surveys collected on-site at the center locations, combining analysis of annual visitation and that of average daily per-person spending figures and other data. The research identified several safety benefits of Travel Information Centers such as reduction of driver fatigue and other wellness issues, transmission of critical information on safety and hazardous road and weather conditions, reduction of driver discomfort and distraction, reduction of highway shoulder stops, and reduction of excess travel to get services. Crash data analysis developed by this research also showed a significant positive effect on safety associated with Travel Information Centers. It was also found that Travel Information Centers have a significant economic benefit to Texas. Numerous safety benefits of the Texas Travel Information Centers were not addressed in this study. Many of these benefits were unquantifiable. Among the benefits that can be quantified in future studies are the comfort and convenience benefits, the relationship between the crash reduction rate and distance from a center, and the safety benefits of reduction of excess travel. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting