FHWA Road Safety Audit Guidelines
Previous Page | Next Page
Pre-construction Phase
Prompt List 2 – Preliminary Design Stage Audit
General Topics
- Drainage
- Landscaping
- Utility accommodations
- Access to property and developments
- Adjacent developments
- Emergency vehicles and access
- Future reconstruction projects (widening and/or realignments)
- Staging of construction
- Maintenance
- Human factors
- Changes since previous audit
Design Issues
- Design Standards
- Typical cross sections and recovery zones
- Effect of cross sectional variation
- Roadway layout
- Shoulders and edge treatment
- Effect of departures from standards or guidelines
- Flexibility of the design
- Design consistency
Alignment Details
- Geometry of horizontal and vertical alignment
- Visibility and sight distance
- New/existing road transitions
- 'Readability' (perception) of the alignment by drivers
Intersections
- Visibility to and visibility at intersections
- Layout, including the appropriateness of type
- 'Readability' (perception) by drivers
- Pedestrians, bicyclists
- Design consistency
Interchanges
- Visibility
- Layout, control
- Lanes, shoulders
- Ramps
- Pedestrians, bicyclists
- Design consistency
- Clearances, visual perception of structures
Special Road Users
- Adjacent land
- Pedestrians
- Bicyclists
- Older drivers
- Motorcyclists
- Equestrians and stock
- Motor carriers
- Public transport
- Road maintenance vehicles
- Snowmobiles and ATVs
- Special (slow moving) vehicles
Lighting, Signs and Delineation
- Lighting
- Signs
- Marking and delineation
Traffic Management
- Traffic flow and access restrictions
- Passing and merges
- Rest areas and stopping zones
- Construction and operation
Environmental Constraints
- Surrounding terrain
- Weather, sunlight
- Noise barriers, animal fencing
- Animal crossings
- Visual distractions
- Unstable land
Safety Aspects Not Already Covered
Special events, consequent unusual or hazardous conditions, oversize vehicles, etc.
Previous Page | Next Page
back to top
