Road Safety Audit In Relation To Road Geometric Design Parameters: Case Study on Shashemene-Wendogenet-Gemeto Road

Abstract

One of the factors that cause road traffic accident is geometric elements of road. Even though there is a big concern on the issue there are no enough studies taken place on evaluating the safety of road. So as to be safe enough or improve the safety of existing road there should be road safety audit. But so far the road safety audit on the existing road of Shashemene-Wendogenet-Gemeto has not been conducted. This study focus on proactive approach rather than reactive one; which is conducting road safety audit. The aim of this study was to conduct the road safety audit of an existing road ShashemeneWendogenet-Gemeto road, road segment located between West Arsi Zone of Oromia And Sidama Zone of South Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region and assessing the existing road facilities with respect to geometric design elements. The study has taken as built data from ERA as population. The as built document has been gathered and then site inspection have been conducted. After analyzing the primary and secondary data the road safety audit report in general and relating with geometric elements of the road have been prepared. After assessing the hazardous condition of the geometric elements that could be risk of accident recommendations have been given. The Audit Report revealed that there is inadequate shoulder width, lack of pedestrian facility and non-motorized vehicles use the main road way. There is also lesser (SSD) and (PSD) at two curves against required Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) and Passing Sight Distance (PSD). As a whole, this corridor is assessed as hazardous mainly due to 85th percentile speed, significant variance of speed between locations and also within the same type of vehicles (average speed of bus, truck, small standard motorized vehicles and non-standard vehicles was found to vary observance of motorized vehicles’ . As site audit shows various hazardous conditions at built-up areas and at rural. There is lack of implementation of sign post as it is stated on as built data. On two bridges guardrails have not provided and as a whole no sign post for bridge approaching In this study attempts are made to assess safety hazards of a selected highway section of Ethiopia i.e. Shashemene-Wendogenet-Gemeto Highway using road safety auditing approach. Based on findings of the study, conclusion and recommendation of the researcher have been stated