Comprehensive Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems (Web-Only Document) (2005)

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2.0 Project Activities This document is the project final report for NCHRP Project 17-18(8), Comprehensive Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems. It summarizes the activities and key products of the project. The products include a proposed outline for the HFG, a workplan for development of the HFG (Appendix A), a draft Introduction (Chapter 1) for the document (Appendix B), and a draft example chapter (Appendix C). The impetus for NCHRP 17-18(8) grew from the efforts of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Joint Subcommittee for Development of Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems. The Joint Subcommittee consists of representatives from several TRB committees as well as several European countries. The Joint Subcommittee formed in 2000 with the goal of promoting an international effort to develop a set of human factors guidelines related to highway safety. It held a workshop in January 2001, attended by 54 researchers and practitioners, to consider the development of such guidelines. Out of this meeting grew further interest in the concept of a human factors guidance resource for highway designers and traffic engineers. NCHPR 17-18(8) stems directly from this interest. The Joint Subcommittee has produced various reports and meeting minutes. Among the documents put out by the Joint Subcommittee is the Illustrated Example of “International Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems Design.” This document, drafted in October 2001, was intended to serve as a first draft of ideas for a guidelines document. It was not meant to definitively describe the ultimate document or limit consideration of issues. Quite the opposite, the intent was to provide a “straw man” document that “hopefully will serve to create discussion and ideas among road designers and traffic engineers on what kinds of topics they would like included in the final Guideline and how these topics might best be presented.” The authors noted that “it is expected the final Guideline will look entirely different from this illustration.” The Illustrated Example served as an important starting point for the efforts of NCHRP 17- 18(8). With this background, the project was initiated, working independently of, but in communication with, the Joint Subcommittee. While the Joint Subcommittee provides an invaluable international perspective, the approach to NCHRP 17-18(8) is from a North American perspective. The intent is to provide a basis of human factors guidance that is compatible with and complementary to the practices and major reference sources used by highway designers and traffic engineers in the United States. To accomplish its goals, the project consisted of a sequence of eight tasks: Task 1. Conceptual Framework– This task consisted of a variety of critical and analytic activities to develop a general approach and framework for the HFG. These activities included: • Critical evaluation of the Joint Subcommittee document, Illustrated Example of “International Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems Design.” • Review of existing human factors guidelines for traffic engineering applications, to provide models for format, content, style, features • Review of major design guides that the HFG will have to complement 6

• Coordination with the TRB Joint Subcommittee for Development of International Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems • Identification of major treatments of human factors for highway design and traffic engineering, including books, chapters, and training courses • Analysis of the manner in which practitioners are likely to use the HFG, including the conduct of a User Needs Workshop • Examination of options for CD-ROM and multi-media capabilities Task 2. Submit Report, Outline, and Recommendations – The results of Task 1 were integrated and summarized in report form. The report was reviewed by the TRB project panel, the Joint Subcommittee, and interested reviewers from other TRB committees. The revised version of the Task 2 report, reflecting the reviewer comments, is in Lerner, Llaneras, Hanscom, Smiley, Neuman, and Antonucci (2002a). The report included a discussion of findings and recommendations for the approach to the HFG and alternatives for format and structure. It also included a proposed outline for the first edition of the HFG. Key recommendations from the Task 2 report are summarized in Chapter 3 of this document. The proposed outline is presented in Chapter 4 of this document. Task 3. Prepare Work Plan – In Task 3, a work plan was developed that delineated what would be required to develop an initial addition of the HFG. This effort began by incorporating reviewing comments on the Task 2 report and revising the initial outline and approach to reflect this review. The work plan then systematically addressed the needs to accomplish that end product. It included identification of required activities, the various technical and editorial roles that are needed, needs for outside collaboration and review, and estimates of time and effort for each activity. Task 4. Submit Revised Outline and Work Plan– The Task 3 effort was developed in report form and submitted for review by the TRB project panel and the Joint Subcommittee. The Task 4 report (Lerner, Llaneras, Hanscom, Smiley, Neuman, and Antonucci, 2002b) included a response to reviewer comments on the Task 2 report, a revised HFG outline, alternative suggestions for a sample chapter, and the Work Plan for developing the initial edition of the HFG. Chapter 5 of this document addresses the work plan, and details are included in Appendix A. Task 5. Prepare Annotated Outlines – Various alternatives for a sample chapter were considered, each with certain advantages. Extensive discussion of this issue was included at briefings and correspondence with the panel and the Joint Subcommittee. Ultimately the decision was made to do a chapter on the relationship of driver time requirements as related to highway design sight distances. Chapter 6 of this document discusses the selection of the sample chapter. Annotated outlines were then developed for the HFG Introduction (Chapter 1 of the proposed HFG outline) and the sample chapter (Chapter 5 of the proposed HFG outline). 7

Task 6. Submit Annotated Outlines – The annotated outlines were submitted for review by the NCHRP panel and the Joint Subcommittee. Comments were incorporated prior to writing the chapters. Task 7. Develop Draft Introduction and Sample Chapter – In this task, the draft introduction and sample chapter were written. Chapter 6 of this document describes the effort. The draft chapters themselves are included as Appendix B (Chapter 1) and Appendix C (Chapter 5). Task 8. Submit Final Report and Implementation Plan– Task 8 integrated all of the project activities and products into this project final report. 8