Skip to main content

AASHTO committee calls for flexibility in road design guidelines

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Standing Committee on Highways has approved a resolution calling for the next update to AASHTO's design guidelines to better address multi-modal transport issues. That committee is made up of engineers from various state Departments of Transportation and recommended the changes to AASHTO’s Green Book, or Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets). The research-based, peer-developed guidance serves as the basis for t
June 1, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The 4944 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Standing Committee on Highways has approved a resolution calling for the next update to AASHTO's design guidelines to better address multi-modal transport issues.

That committee is made up of engineers from various state Departments of Transportation and recommended the changes to AASHTO’s Green Book, or Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets). The research-based, peer-developed guidance serves as the basis for the design of roads on the National Highway System, as well as many state and local roads.

"We have seen consistent growth in walking and biking throughout the country, and we also have seen an increase in crashes and fatalities involving them," said Kirk Steudle, Standing Committee on Highways chair and director of the 1688 Michigan Department of Transportation. "Our state agencies need robustly-researched guidance on how to best incorporate all modes of travel when designing safe and efficient roadways that serve all users."

"Multi-modal design philosophies have been described using a variety of names, including context-sensitive solutions; practical design and complete streets," said Bud Wright, AASHTO executive director. "Regardless of the name, the ultimate goal is always to design a safe transportation system that supports a greater quality of life and robust economy."

Related Content

  • USDOT to launch nationwide safety assessment of key bike/pedestrian routes
    September 11, 2014
    US transportation secretary Anthony Foxx has announced a new initiative to reduce the growing number of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities through a comprehensive approach that addresses infrastructure safety, education, vehicle safety and data collection. Injuries and fatalities of pedestrian and people bicycling have steadily increased since 2009, at a rate higher than motor vehicle fatalities. From 2011 to 2012, pedestrian deaths rose six per cent and bicyclist fatalities went up almost s
  • ITS annual meeting - how transportation affects social issues
    August 2, 2012
    The 2010 ITS America Annual Meeting & Exposition, which will take place in Houston, Texas will offer attendees something of a contrast with the policy-driven event which took place in Washington, DC this year. Houston will go to the other end of the scale and focus on real-life technology applications and operational best practice, says event Co-Chair David Sparks
  • Racial imbalance in US traffic fatalities
    June 28, 2021
    American Indian/Alaskan Native people have highest per capita rate of traffic fatalities
  • Harmonisation of Europe's ITS deployment still unbalanced
    January 31, 2012
    Dean Herenda, Chairman of the EasyWay project, talks about the progress made and the progress still to be made in harmonising ITS deployment across the European Union. "The deployment and use of ITS in road transport across Europe was and still is unbalanced" Although Europe can be proud of being home to some of the world's most advanced ITS solutions, the relative disparities between Member States of the European Union (EU) in terms of the extent and technological sophistication of deployments actually sta