An evaluation of life cycle factors for urban arterial roadways

A case-study approach was used to evaluate transportation and land use factors commonly exhibited along high-use, highly-developed urban arterial roadways. A comparative evaluation was conducted on twelve multi-lane arterial roadway projects selected from a four state area located in the southeast U.S. An integrated data base was constructed to compare traffic volume, land use, adjacent access and roadway safety factors. The evaluation centers on a series of comparative analyses conducted over a period of time exceeding the initial 20 year design life of the project. Projected and actual traffic volumes were compared to determine evidence of patterns in the accuracy of forecasted values. An evaluation of mid-block crash rates for various lane configurations was performed with respect to change in land use intensity. In addition, mid-block crash rates were analyzed with respect to the amount of adjacent access provided along the roadway. Project level and sub-divided segment level aggregations were used to develop meaningful comparisons of affiliated factors. Findings and results provide an improved understanding of traffic growth, traffic projections, urban land use intensity and arterial roadway performance.