State Highway Engineer

How does one identify and then prioritize relatively minor improvements and modifications which might be made with limited funding for the sake of safety and accident reduction on the Interstate Highway System in Kentucky? First, one must know how to identify places or situations which a~e more hazardous than-others. Second, one must know how to rank hazards according to severity and the potential effectiveness of corrective measures. One must know what is normal in terms of accident statistics in order to identify what is abnormal when scanning accident data files. Indeed, one must have criteria and guidelines to follow. The report submitted herewith brings known factors together in order and organization which will be the basis for a manual of step-by-step procedures. The program will evolve therefrom. Provisions for updating will emerge in the form of refined criteria and statistics and from possible, further availability of designated funds. It is planned to extend the guidelines and criteria to cover similar application to the remaining systems of highways in the state. The report at hand was reviewed by the Project Advisory Committee on December 7; only editorial changes have been made. The membership of the Committee in addition to Research people is: F. R