Demonstration and Evaluation of Speed Management on Main Roads in Rural Communities

Principal Investigator:

Shauna Hallmark, shallmar@iastate.edu (other projects)

Co-Principal Investigator:

• Neal Hawkins, hawkins@iastate.edu (other projects)

Student Researchers:

• Eric Petersen
• Eric Fitzsimmons , efitz@iastate.edu

Other Authors: Jon Resler

Project Status: In Progress

Start Date: 12/01/2005
End Date: 11/30/2007


Research Objective: The main street through small Iowa communities is often a high speed rural highway outside the city limits which transitions to a reduced speed section through the community. As a result, drivers passing through the community often enter the community at high speeds and frequently maintain those speeds throughout. As a result, small communities often seek traffic calming measures to address high speeds. However, while the effectiveness of traffic calming is fairly well established in urban areas, the applicability and effectiveness of different treatments is unknown in a rural setting. Researchers at the Center for Transportation Research and Education (CTRE) at Iowa State University (ISU) are evaluating different traffic calming treatments in five small rural Iowa communities. The project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Iowa Highway Research (IHRB).

Several of the treatments are modeled after traffic calming treatments applied in Europe for small communities. Two communities received full gateway treatments. In one gateway community, peripheral transverse pavement markings were used to slow traffic as they entered the community. Speed feedback signs and lane narrowings using center median widenings (using pavement markings) were also used. In the second gateway community, transverse chevrons were applied at the community entrances to slow traffic entering the community. Lane narrowings, which consisted of repainting shoulders, and on-pavement speed signs were also used throughout the community. Single treatments were applied in the other three communities. In one community, a speed table was used. In another, a set of 4 on-pavement treatments consisting of red pavement markings with an on-pavement speed sign were used. In the last community, center island widening was accomplished using tubular channelizers.

Speed data were collected before installation of the treatments. Data were also collected at 1-month to examine the immediate effect. Data were also collected 3-months after installation and will be collected at 6, 9, and 12-month intervals to investigate the effectiveness over time.

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