STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY GUIDANCE TECHNIQUES. VOLUME I. FINAL REPORT

A study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of reduced visibility guidance systems and operating strategies; and determine, if possible, which factors of system design contributed to system effectiveness and which approach is economically feasible for a specific highway condition. Data were assembled and analyzed from seven existing reduced visibility systems. A utility/cost model was generated which permits quantitative comparisons to be made between systems. A "measure of need" index was generated to make comparisons between the seriousness of the hazard at different locations. The study resulted in a methodology which allows a reduced visibility problem to be quantified and permits resources to be allocated in a systematic way in proportion to the seriousness of the hazard. The methodology has been separately published by the FHWA as Implementation Package Number 79-2. This is the first of two volumes which constitute the final report. It is the final Study Report, and contains a summary of pertinent literature. Volume II of the report is titled "Equipment Survey," and is identified as follows: FHWA-RD-78-116. (FHWA)