10.7.1 Project-Specific Design Information

The Project-Specific Design Information has been developed to assist in the project evaluation and provide one possible outline for file documentation.
For individual project evaluation consider the following:
  • Has an on-site evaluation of the project been conducted (date, time, personnel)?
  • What is the highway type (low volume two-lane, urban street, etc.)?
  • What design guidelines given in this chapter are applicable to this project?
  • What are the design values on the existing roadway?
  • What are the expected design values of the roadway after project completion? Which design elements require individual evaluation prior to final design?
  • What is the ADT and character (truck %, recreational use, local traffic, etc.) of the traffic using the roadway?
  • What is the crash history (minimum 3 years including type, severity, conditions, etc.) of the entire project and at any specific locations that require the individual evaluation of design elements?
  • What countermeasures were considered to address crash patterns of interest and related crash contributing factors?
  • What project design alternatives were considered for further evaluation and were
    HSM
    Part C predictive methods used to estimate the predicted and/or expected average crash frequency for each project design alternative?
  • Was a benefit-cost analysis conducted to determine whether one or more of the design alternatives is economically justifiable and determine which design alternative is the most cost-effective investment?
  • What other non-monetary considerations factored into the selection of the preferred design alternative?
  • What is the compatibility of the proposed design with adjacent sections of the roadway?
For specific design elements that require individual evaluation prior to final project design, consider the following:
  • What length and percentage of the project are affected by the design elements in question?
  • What is the comparative cost of the given design guideline versus the proposed design element in terms of construction, ROW availability, project delay, environmental impacts, etc.?
  • What is the long-term effect of using the design element selected in terms of capacity and level of service?
  • If other design elements required individual evaluation, what is believed to be the cumulative effect of these design elements on the safety and operation of the proposed facility?