1. Is some one person responsible for traffic 2. Does he have sufficient engineering know- 4. Are lines of communication kept open be. 5. Are funds available for basic traffic operations? 6. Does the person responsible for traffic engi. neering have sufficient time to carry on a comprehensive program? • It is essential that one person be responsible for traf. fic engineering functions and that he have the necessary engineering training and background. He must be given the opportunity to receive specialized education, technical information and assistance and experience in the field of traffic engineering. Many universities offer short courses and seminars. • To assure continuous high level activities in traffic engineering, many communities have established the position of city traffic engineer. This position and its responsi bilities are set up by either charter amendment or ordinance. A good guide is the Model Traffic Ordinance (Article | Section 2-10) prepared by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances. In many municipalities and counties the traffic engineer reports directly to the mayor, city manager, or president of the Board of County Commissioners to make sure his professional recommendations are brought to the attention of this official. A good guide is Public Relations in County Road Management, a manual published by the National Association of County Engineers. • Progressive municipal and county governments set up a separate traffic operation fund to assure an effective program. • Performance studies prepared by the National Safety Council on the basis of Traffic Inventory data on cities under 50,000 population show that at least 40 per cent of one man's time per 10,000 population is required to carry out the traffic engineering function. Traffic Trouble Spots Yes No 1. Does the person responsible for traffic engi. neering have access to accident location files and spot maps? 2. Have you compiled a list of ten most haz. ardous intersections or locations in your area? 3. Are field investigations made by the person responsible for traffic engineering of the high accident locations? 4. Have there been any improvements made at these ten locations? • Use of records of past accidents to guide future accident prevention work and to facilitate traffic movement is based on the premise that accidents are caused by specific conditions and acts, and that unless remedial measures are taken, those same conditions will continue to cause traffic accidents. Your traffic engineer should use an accident location file and spot maps to pinpoint high accident locations. Accident spot maps provide an easily understood picture of the location and type of accidents, as well as a ready reference to locations where corrective measures are most urgently needed. • Make a list of your ten most hazardous locations and initiate immediate plans for engineering improvements. Some of these locations may be on federal or state routes that will require cooperative planning and treatment. Traffic Control Devices Yes No 1. Do you study your traffic signal timing to see if it meets current traffic demands? 2. What data are used to justify the installation of stop signs? 3. Do your signs, signals and markings conform to the national specifications or to your state's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices? 4. Have your school crossing needs been studied? 5. Is modern street lighting that meets recom. mended standards a current or planned part of your system? The traffic signal is a valuable device for the control and safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Selection and use of signals should be preceded by a thorough study of roadway and traffic conditions by an experienced engineer. It is equally urgent to check the efficiency of a traffic signal, once in operation, to ascertain the degree to which the type of installation and timing program meet the requirements of traffic, and to permit intelligent operating adjustments. Traffic signs and pavement markings are used for controlling, guiding, safeguarding and expediting traffic. They should conform in shape, color, dimensions, symbols, lettering, illumination or reflectorization and installation to the standards set forth in your state manual or the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. • Pedestrian crossings in school areas should be carefully planned and engineered. This involves selection of the safest route to school and determining what kind of protection is needed, such as use of adult crossing guards, police, erection of signals and warning signs, and marking crosswalks. A Guide to School Pedestrian Safety Program, published by the Automotive Safety Foundation, 200 Ring Building, Washington, D. C. 20036, is a helpful publication. • Sufficient street lighting will reduce the number of nighttime accidents. Based on accident data, your city or county should install lighting at hazardous locations. The 1963 Illuminating Engineering Society standards for roadway lighting should be used as a guide. A copy of the standards can be purchased for $1.00 from the Illuminating Engineering Society, 345 East 47th Street, New York, New York, 10017. Traffic Planning Yes No ᄆᄆ 1. Has your city or county adopted a com- 2. Do you have an official planning agency? • Planning for the future development of your munici pality or county requires long-range, flexible plans. Your traffic engineer should be a key force in your agency. A major street plan for your municipality, including arterials and collector streets, must be developed and improved for efficient traffic flow. The major street plan should include unincorporated areas. Then, as the community expands through development of residential and industrial subdivisions, a coordinated system of major and collector streets will result that will provide for free movement in and out and around town. A helpful reference source is Better Transportation for Your City, pub. lished by Public Administration Service, 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637. • Community development zoning, locations of shopping centers, residential and industrial areas, requires traffic engineering studies to provide adequate street capacity and efficient traffic circulation. New subdivisions bordering on major arterials, such as state and county roads, should be required by ordinance to provide service drives to reduce friction between roadside developments and active traffic lanes. IMPROVEMENTS PAY OFF Modernization of a traffic signal system on a four-mile street section in a midwestern city resulted in seven per cent less travel time, 13 per cent more capacity, and a 21 per cent decrease in accidents. In seven months the estimated savings from reduced travel time, vehicle operating costs and accident costs equalled the cost of the $85,000 improvement. "No Parking" signs that improved visibility at an intersection in St. Louis County cut the accident total from 12 in a two-year "before" period to one in the two-year "after" interval. No other control changes were made. Placing red flasher lights over stop signs at one intersection in a small community reduced accidents from 12 in an eight-month period "before" the improvement to three in the eight-month "after" period. New signal installations at 30 locations in California reduced accidents 45 per cent and save $350,000 annually. Cost of the installations was $483,000. The sav. ings in accident losses at these locations would pay for the installations in about a year and a half. Erecting "No Left Turn" signs at an intersection in a small town near St. Louis reduced the accident toll from 12 in the six-month "before" period to two in the same period following the improvement. Use of "Yield" signs in a western community reduced accidents at 16 residential intersections from 75 to 33. Injury accidents were cut from 12 to two. These examples indicate that the application of basic traffic engineering principles to high accident frequency locations can and will be successful. DEVELOP A PLAN The checklist is intended to give you some understanding of where improvements are needed in your traffic engi. neering program. Your specific projects for making engineering improvements in your county or municipality probably will be of three kinds - short range, those things you can do immediately at little cost; intermediate range, such as sig. nal installations that require more time and money; and longe range projects, such as treatment of main traffic arteries. Your first attack on the accident problem should be treatment of those locations where most accidents happen. In locating these high accident spots, and in making other improvements, you may need technical assistance if you do not have a traffic engineer or someone fully qualified to handle this function. There are several sources of technical assistance available: 1. Call your state highway department and ask for help in pinpointing the spots needing engineering attention and supervising changes. 2. Ask for traffic engineering assistance from the automobile club serving your area. 3. You may be able to hire a traffic engineering con. sulting firm. There are many excellent firms and individual consultants. The use of one has many advantages, including providing specialists when you need them to solve a single problem, to develop a broad action program, or to render a continuing advisory service. REACH KEY PEOPLE As soon as you have worked out your plan for traffic engineering improvements, or have made an outline of needs in this area, call together key members of your government, and a number of representatives from princi. pal business and industrial interests to outline your plan. While this need not be a large group, it must include those who can give support to the improvement projects. If you have a local safety council, traffic commission or support group, it can be of help in setting up the meeting and can start the work of generating public acceptance of the plan. USE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING The Traffic Conference of the National Safety Council has published a traffic engineering public support guide designed to help key organizations in counties and com. munities generate backing for needed improvement projects. Entitled How to Implement a Program of Traffic Engineering and Roadway Improvements in Your Community, the 53-page guide and supporting publications outline basic engineering requirements and the steps support groups should follow in making citizens aware of needed improvements. Safety groups and other organizations who are interested in getting improvements started can obtain this publication (Stock No. 0914-20, Price $2.00) from the National Safety Council, 425 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611. YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR HELP UNDER THE "SPOT IMPROVEMENT" PROGRAM OF THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS You may find that a hazardous traffic location in your area is eligible for treatment in the "Spot Improvement" program of the Bureau of Public Roads. The bureau has instituted a program for accelerated engineering improvements for those locations on the federal-aid primary and secondary highway system that have a high number of accidents. The bureau authorized states to use the federal-aid highway funds already available to finance these improvements on a 50-50 matching basis. Some routes that pass through your community may qualify for spot improvement projects under this plan. The Bureau of Public Roads has adopted a very liberal attitude in approving projects for improvement of high accident locations. To find out more about this project, contact the state highway department. Although it is a federal program, it is up to each individual state to implement it. Your county or municipality should support and expand this national effort by initiating your own "Spot Improvement" program on all roadways (under your jurisdiction) immediately and by providing funds for needed improvements. REFERENCES: TRAFFIC ENGINEERING HANDBOOK-A comprehensive text of traffic engineering principles and practices. Useful to engi. neers and others with traffic engineering responsibilities. Available from the Institute of Traffic Engineers, Suite 506, 1725 DeSales Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20036. $10.00 MANUAL OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING STUDIES-An authentic guide in traffic data collection presenting subjects such as parking, lighting, observance, traffic counting studies and statistical treatment of traffic data. Available from the Institute of Traffic Engineers, Suite 506, 1725 DeSales Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20036. $6.50 MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES FOR STREETS AND HIGHWAYS (Revised 1961) - A set of standards for cities and states. Mandatory on federal-aid highways. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402. $2.00 AMERICAN STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ROADWAY LIGHTING (Revised 1963) - A comprehensive technical guide to fixed street lighting, sponsored by the Illuminating Engineering Society and approved by the American Standards Association. Available from the Illuminating Engineering Society, 345 East 47th Street, New York, N. Y. 10017. $1.00 BETTER TRANSPORTATION FOR YOUR CITY-A planning guide for systematically collecting and organizing basic facts concerning transportation needs in a city. Available from the National Committee on Urban Transportation, Public Administration Service, 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637. $5.00 ENGINEERING SECTION OF THE ACTION PROGRAM FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (Revised 1960) Published by the President's Committee for Traffic Safety. A basic program guide for highway, traffic, and vehicle engineering. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402. $.30 COUNTY ROAD MANAGEMENT SERIES - Published by the National Association of County Engineers, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20006. These publications deal with public relations, organization, personnel cost records and budgets, advance road programs, and county traffic operations. $3.00 each Mr. PYLE. Now, as you can see, we have prepared a total of 40 pages of commentary on our 18 recommendations. Then on what would be page 49 you will find a list of 10 appendixes identifying the supportive materials we hope each of the members of the committee will explore as time is available. Mr. Chairman, obviously a great many hours could be spent in a useful exchange of views on everything that is involved here, but many hours we do not have this morning so may I summarize very briefly. Then we will handle as many questions as your time for it will permit. THE 18 POINTS ELABORATED In heading up our list of 18 recommendations with 2 that pertain to national policies, we have done so for the very practical reason that first things should come first. Very early in the traffic safety activities of this subcommittee, it was made clear by the chairman, Senator Ribicoff, that a study of the Federal role is a study of national policy. Subsequently it was very properly made clear that you were searching for a national policy based on cooperation between localities, States, and the Federal Government, and also the private sector. Since the date of a White House conference in 1946, the action program for traffic safety has been in the process of qualifying for recognition as national policy. Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson have recognized its merits and sustained the machinery necessary to its continued development. I speak, of course, of the President's Committee for Traffic Safety and its Advisory Council of some 40 agencies. In 1949 and again in 1960 the basic documents were updated. Two major new sections have been added since 1960. The Governors of the States and the National League of Cities have approved the principles of the action program. Still the Congress has continued to remain silent. The significance of this fact is hard to overemphasize because the higher we go with recognition of the potential of such a program as this, the more certain we are to have recognition and action behind its recommendations. In other words, the prestige of congressional endorsement and congressional insistence on an even more realistic program could do more than any other thing to assure action where you now wonder about its lack of action. On the subject of financing, it is covered in considerable detail in our second recommendation. By the same token that we are faced with a problem that is costing the Nation billions of dollars annually in waste at its absolute worst, it is not surprising that another $1 billion a year must be added to our financing of the solutions if we are to expect the results we have every right to require of the action program for traffic safety. With respect to the highway and our third and fourth recommendations, no proof we have around today is more convincing on the side of ground gained in our fight to reduce highway accidents than the performance of the driving public when operating today's automobile on the new Interstate Highway System. It is phenomenal, and it accounts for our reasoning under points 3 and 4. 49-959 0-66-pt. 3 Where the motor vehicle is concerned, in our pursuit of more traffic safety, we offer six recommendations covering accelerated industry action, standards for Federal vehicles, accident investigation teams, tires, uniform State standards, and State vehicle inspection programs. Without any reservation whatsoever, automobile safety requires simultaneously a safe car, a safe road, and a safe driver. Therefore a safe car is a must. To this end as very carefully spelled out in the engineering section of the action program for highway safety, the automobile industry must continue to seek all possible ways in which the built-in protection for car occupants can be improved. Responsive to the need for establishing consumer demand for safer passenger vehicles, the Congress sets a noteworthy example by enacting an effective means of requiring certain safety standards for Federal vehicles. I speak of the Roberts bill. Having supported the Roberts bill, including the legislative intent stated in the Senate committee's report that the public at large and not the Federal Government only should be able to obtain such approved safety devices, we have been greatly gratified to see the automobile industry pass on to the general public substantially all of the 17 safety devices recently required by the General Services Administration. Now as indicated in our seventh recommendation, we would like to see GSA's responsibility for establishing vehicle safety standards given the benefit of some well-directed accident investigation where federally operated vehicles are concerned. We believe an experimental effort of this kind on the part of accident investigation teams from the agencies whose vehicles are involved could be very helpful to the GSA. Our eighth recommendation deals with tire safety, and point 9 covers the subject of uniform State safety standards along with the recommendation that the Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission, a congressionally validated body, whose function is to devise and prescribe safer motor vehicle design, be given congressional financing adequate to its task. The intent of the Baldwin amendment makes it imperative that the Commission be equipped to perform a maximum service in the development of uniform State safety standards. Under State vehicle inspection programs, our 10th recommendation proposes that both Federal and State Governments should determine jointly the proper direction this extremely important aspect of vehicle safety should take. The National Safety Council feels the need for action very strongly. Since the allocation of costs among the various levels of government inevitably raises certain political questions, we can only urge that the earliest possible answers be found. Our 11th, 12th, and 13th recommendations pertain to the driver. The drinking driver heads our list of concerns. Alcohol has been shown to be a factor in 50 percent or more of the Nation's fatal traffic accidents. Recalling the effectiveness of the seat belt campaign carried on jointly by the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Medical Association, and the National Safety Council, it is essential that these same agencies act as quickly as possible on their present plan to |