Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Highway Safety Features and Appurtenances. Instructors Manual

Bowman, Brian L.; Bryden, James E.; Gripne, Don J. · 1997 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This document serves as the Instructor’s Manual for the National Highway Institute course "Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Highway Safety Features and Appurtenances." Published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 1998, the manual provides comprehensive instructional notes and guidelines for training design, construction, and maintenance personnel. The primary objective is to equip these professionals with the knowledge to prevent traffic accidents and reduce their severity through the proper implementation of roadway and roadside safety features. The manual is structured to support a modular training course, allowing host agencies to select specific topics relevant to their needs. The content covers current information on crashworthy longitudinal barriers, crash cushions, bridge rails, transitions, end terminals, sign posts, luminaire supports, and utility poles. Key instructional modules include the "Clear Zone" concept, traversable and non-traversable ditches, performance requirements for barriers, and selection guidelines. It also addresses breakaway designs for signs and utility poles, the design of drainage features, and safety considerations for landscaping. The manual emphasizes practical understanding, enabling participants to recognize substandard or hazardous appurtenances and develop alternatives to mitigate unsatisfactory safety characteristics. The instructional design relies on a combination of lecture scripts, visual aids, and workshops. Each session includes specific objectives, timing cues, and slide references to ensure uniformity and effective delivery. The manual provides detailed guidance on teaching techniques, such as managing classroom discussions, handling difficult questions, and differentiating between factual information and opinion. It also outlines procedures for evaluating training effectiveness through session-by-session and overall evaluation forms, which assess presentation quality, instructional aids, and objective attainment. Appendices provide technical resources, including glossaries, lists of approved assemblies, inspection forms, and manufacturer contacts. The significance of this manual lies in its role as a standardized resource for improving highway safety infrastructure across the United States. By providing evidence-based guidelines and approved hardware specifications, it ensures that safety features function correctly and meet FHWA acceptance criteria. The manual supports the continuous improvement of roadside safety by training personnel to identify deficiencies, retrofit deficient systems, and apply best practices in design and maintenance. This structured approach aims to reduce the occurrence and severity of traffic accidents, thereby enhancing public safety and operational efficiency in highway management.

Key finding

The document provides comprehensive instructional materials and guidelines for training personnel on the proper design, construction, and maintenance of highway safety features to improve roadside safety.

Methodology

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Provenance

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Topics

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• perceptual countermeasures
• roadway lighting effects
• rail grade crossings