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Highway & Network Management

Napier University and RPS study looks at UK cycle lanes
January 9, 2015
A new UK report suggests local authorities should think twice about automatically incorporating cycle lanes in road design. David Arminas reports Environmental and social arguments for getting more people onto bicycles are well known. The theory is the more people cycling, the less traffic congestion and less air pollution from cars. Well-defined cycle lanes can encourage people who might otherwise be too nervous to take to a bicycle. But just how effective are cycle lanes for increasing the safety of
Laser scanning focuses on asset management
January 9, 2015
Laser scanners and improved data collection and analysis software are making light of asset management surveying. David Arminas reports The age of the laser scanner is upon us, taking over from traditional manual methods of surveying, data collection and processing. These new technical developments are making it much easier to process and use the data captured and are providing highways engineers with powerful tools to record, map and visualise their assets. This is good news for highways authorities
The UK Highways Agency engages Fugro for Doppler laser surveying
January 6, 2015
The United Kingdom’s Highways Agency has awarded its first commercial contract to survey thousands of road lanes using sophisticated Doppler laser equipment. Fugro is driving the project forward, reports David Arminas The Highways Agency Traffic Speed Defelectometer vehicle looks like an ordinary flatbed truck delivering a similarly ordinary steel shipping container. But looks are deceiving. Inside the container is a sophisticated Doppler laser measuring system collecting pavement condition data of the U
The UK Highways Agency engages Fugro for Doppler laser surveying
January 6, 2015
The United Kingdom’s Highways Agency has awarded its first commercial contract to survey thousands of road lanes using sophisticated Doppler laser equipment. Fugro is driving the project forward, reports David Arminas The Highways Agency Traffic Speed Defelectometer vehicle looks like an ordinary flatbed truck delivering a similarly ordinary steel shipping container. But looks are deceiving. Inside the container is a sophisticated Doppler laser measuring system collecting pavement condition data of the U
Fast installation signaling from John Thomas
January 6, 2015
John Thomas is introducing its PortaPole rapid response signal system, which forms part of the company’s proven ADDCO PTS-2000 range. Unlike traditional portable traffic signals designed for use in work zones, the PortaPole is designed specifically for use by municipalities during knockdowns, signal outages, emergencies and traffic reconfiguration for special events or construction projects.
Skyline’s smarter dynamic message signage
December 23, 2014
Skyline Products says that its sophisticated Active Traffic Demand Management (ATDM) systems will make traffic management simpler to control. The firm has long experience designing and manufacturing Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) for highway applications and says that ATDM offers the dynamic management, control, and influence of travel demand, traffic demand, and traffic flow for transportation facilities. There are three strategies within ATDM according to the company: Active Traffic Management (ATM), Active
International Transport Forum: public vs private policy debate
December 4, 2014
Simply banning cars in parts of major cities will not necessarily greatly improve the air quality over time, a new report has found. The answer for cutting carbon emissions is to get the right balance of private and public transportation along with infrastructure developed to sustain the mix, according to the International Transport Forum (ITF), a think tank within the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The ITF evaluated the potential impact of transport policies on urban carbon
Parsons Brinckerhoff launches highways management seminars
October 22, 2014
The first of Parsons Brinckerhoff’s regional seminars on how the UK should deliver whole-life asset management of its highways will held in Newcastle today, 23 October. The seminars, called Cracking up or Cracking on, are being run in association with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), whose president, . David Gibby, will introduce the event. The cost of maintaining the country’s roads is constantly under pressure from growing demand on the system and increasingly common extr
Morocco’s motorway network is growing
October 22, 2014
Moroccan motorway operator Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM) says that the company now has 1,511km of operational motorways. This network has cost some US$5.2 billion to construct and the motorways now represent 3% of Moroccan roads, while carrying some 20% of total traffic volumes. The aim of the motorway construction programme has been to boost connectivity and according to ADM, 60% of the population is now connected to a motorway, with 80% of industrial complexes and 76% of tourist zones linked to the network. A
UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists launches Wheels in Winter road driving campaign
October 14, 2014
European skiers may be praying for snow but city dwellers and highway users likely want the white stuff at bay for as long as possible. To help drivers be ready for the inevitable snow, the UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has launched its national winter campaign Wheels in Winter well ahead of 21 December, the official first day of winter. London’s winters can be milder than for many other major northern European cities, such as Paris, Warsaw and Berlin. But the UK capital’s rainy weather with t