TRAFFIC SAFETY

1. Read the title of the text. Try to guess what this text is about. Look through the text and find key words which can help you to understand the content of the text.

Сtheir usage (operation);

Traffic Safety

Traffic safety on the highway is ensured by a complex of measures: 1) by the rational construction of roads;

2) by good maintenance of the road and road structures at the time of

3) by installing various warning, prohibitive and directing signs and all sorts of fences;

и4) by traffic regulation;

Besidesбthis it is necessary to make provision for eliminating obstacles limiting the cross movements.

5) by observing the established rules of traffic.

Of very great importance for the safe traffic is the correct route designing and the designing of road constructions.

While designing a highway one must provide sufficient width and

А curvature design. Д

height of passage, good visibility (or sight distance).

Motor-car stability on the road is achieved mainly by the sufficient cohesion between the drive wheels and the road surface and by the rational

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Pic. 40

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2. Read and retell the following text. What signs are red-coloured, what are blue-coloured?

Signs and Signals

To ensure the tightness and safety of the traffic and for informing the Сdriver about the conditions and peculiarities of the way the signal road signs in the form of conventional pictures are installed on the roads and

streets.

The principal groups of signal signs are: the warning signs, the forbidding signs, and the directing signs. иThese signs have the conventional pictures on the metal or wooden sheets the forms and dimensions of which are standard.

The signs are placed on the posts 1.4 – 2.5 m high and in the cities they may be hanged up above the carriage way of the street.

3. Readбthe text and say about factors that reduce capacity.

Highway Capacity

The traffic on aАhighway is measured by the number of vehicles passing a “traffic station” and is stated as the “volume” of traffic. In urban areas the maximum traffic day is usually a weekday; (on rural highways it frequently is Sunday). On heavily traveled roads and streets hourly counts of peak traffic may be of very great importance.

For urban freeways or major Дhighways, traffic counts on the present streets in the area may not fully measure the volume that develops on the new facilities vehicles from some distance away may be attracted and, at times entirely new traffic may be generated. Under such circumstances, information like that developed from origin-andИ-destination surveys is needed if estimates are to be accurate.

It is not economically sound to design a facility to be congestion-free every hour throughout the year.

Multilane roads can be designed to meet relations between vehicle spacing and velocity. The basic capacity for a multilane highway is computed to be 2 000 cars per hour per lane, regardless of the number of lanes. Until recently, general opinion was that no more than three lanes in one direction should be used because added lanes did not contribute proportionally to capacity.

Factors that reduce capacity:

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1.Lane width and edge clearance. Twelve-foot lanes and 6-foot shoulder width and lateral clearances are assumed as perfect conditions. A reduction in either or both of these decreases capacity.

2.Commercial vehicles. Under all conditions, a truck utilizes more

highway capacity than a passenger car. On level multilane roads one Сcommercial vehicle (those vehicles having dual tires on the rear wheels)

has the effect of two passenger cars.

3. Imperfect alignment. Imperfect alignment and breaks in the profile reduce the distance that a driver can see ahead along the road. If on a twolane road this distance is less than 1500 ft, it will not be safe to make many passing maneuvers that could otherwise be performed. This reduced

и4. Grades. Brakes are assisted by gravity on upgrades and opposed by gravity on downgrades. On uphill stretches, vehicle spacings can therefore beбsmaller, which permits increased capacity. With grades often go restricted sight distances, which decrease capacity.

passing opportunity in turn decreases capacity.

The influence of parking, turns, and pedestrians on capacity are interrelated and extremely complex.

The capacity of importantАintersections rather than the capacity of the street itself usually determines how many cars a major metropolitan artery can accommodate. Between intersections the street is alternately heavily loaded and largely unoccupied. These intersections, where grade separation has not been made, are almost universally controlled by traffic signals, stop sighs, or directing officers without which traffic would become completely

facility – сооружение, устройствоД multilane road – многопутная дорога

snarled.

edge clearance – обочина дороги shoulder – обочина дороги

4. Read and study the following words: И

lateral clearance – обочина дороги gravity – сила тяжести

upgrade – подъем дороги downgrade – скат, спуск

to snarl – амер. приводить в беспорядок

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5. State part of speech and translate into Russian:

measure – measurement; state – statement; frequent – frequency; travel – travelling; count – countless; important – importance; develop – development – developed – developing; attract – attracted – attractiveness

– attractive; generate – generation; accurate – accuracy; relate – relation – Сrelationship; compute – computer; direct – directive – direction; use – useful – usefulness; add – addition; reduce – reduction; wide – width; safe

– safety; perform – performance; assist – assistance; oppose – opposition; interrelate – interrelation.

6. Use the verbs given in brackets in proper Passive forms.

1.The traffic on a highway (to measure, Present Indefinite) by the number of vehicles passing “a traffic station” and (to state, Present Indefinite) as the “volume” of traffic.

2.The basic capacity for a multilane highway (to compute, Present Indefinite) to be 2 000 cars per hour per lane.

3.Twelve-foot lanes and 6-foot shoulder widths and lateral clearance (to assume, Present Indefinite) as perfect conditions.

4.Brakes (to assist, Present Indefinite) by gravity on downgrades.

5.Between intersections the street alternately heavily (to load,

Present Indefinite)

6.The intersections, where grade separation (not to make, Present Perfect), almost universally (to control, Present Indefinite) by traffic signals and so on.

7.Translate the following words combinations into English with Participle I as an attribute:иД

–дорога с интенсивным движением;

–информация, полученная из обследования «зарождение – назначение поездки»;

–дополнительная полоса движения;

–пониженная пропускная способность;

–повышенная пропускная способность;

–взаимосвязанные факторы;

–незагруженный участок дороги;

–беспорядочное движение. И

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8. Put the questions about:

a) the “volume” of traffic;

b) the maximum traffic day in urban and rural areas; c) accurate estimation needed in traffic counting;

Сd) necessity of multilane roads; e) factors that reduce capacity;

f) interrelated factors concerning the capacity of a road; g) the importance of controlled intersections.

и9. Read and translate the text and give its short summary:

Road capacity and special surfacings

The road capacity is calculated as the capacity under deal conditions, multiplied byбreduction factors for:

– the influence of the width of the traffic lane,

– the influence of heavy vehicles,

– the distribution of the traffic on directions.

АSpecial Surfacings

There are a lot of pavement problem, especially at intersections approaches where traffic signals installed. Regarding the rutting of surface, admixtures that have excellent lowДductility properties are used in the surface layer of the pavement in an approach section (generally about 50100 m before the pedestrian crossings). Moreover, as measures against skidding, the surface layer of the pavement is either constructed with admixtures having a high value of skidding resistance (open graded asphalt concrete and dense graded gap asphalt concrete)Иor with surface treatment measures such as, dressing with hard aggregates of uniform grading, limestone grit and resinoid materials, to the existing pavement surface. The results of a recent survey done on the annual occurrence of accidents before and after the adoption of a skid-proof method in Tokyo. From these results it is clear that the method is very effective, especially on rainy days.

10. Speak about the capacity of highways.

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11. Read and translate the following text. Give its short summary.

The urban transportation problems

When the initial improvement of main rural roads had established definite flows of motor traffic, it became increasingly apparent that future

Сgrowth of' the country’s highway transportation system should be on a

scientific rather than a haphazard bases. City streets were in relative distress, and many rural highways were overloaded. As traffic in urban areas has increased, more and more attention has been focused on the

problem created.

иTransportation has greatly influenced the development of our city. With the invention of the automobile the city exploded. At first, use of the automobile was restricted largely to the existing street system - system

designed without any concept of motor-vehicle movement. Gradually, the streets wereбimproved, and the cities began to spread over the countryside. The introduction of freeways and expressways greatly accelerated the expansion. The proportion of people in urban areas had been increasing.

The urban transportation problem, which with the great increase in motor transportation,Аhas become acute may be clarified with data accumulated by planning surveys and particularly from origin and destination studies. On an average, over 90% of the traffic that approaches

our larger cities is destined to them. In terms of vehicle-miles, about half of our vast highway transport is within urban areas. Excepting intercity traffic there is, in proportion to the size of our cities, a typical “traffic radius” that measures the limit of motor movements to and from the heart of the city. Around the largest cities, its length is about 35 miles.

improving residential conditions,Дit has caused traffic congestion to increase alarmingly in the hearts of the business districts. Much of the congestion and impedance is due to the rectangular street pattern that involves interrupting cross traffic. Much also can be attributed to a lack of convenient and available parking space.

While the motor vehicle has enabled cities to expand outwardly, thus И

As for the private cars, ten times as many persons can be moved over

a given street in mass-transportation vehicles as in private autos.

The facts developed about the downtown congestion problem indicate the need for a new approach. Primary attention must be focused upon the movement of people rather than the movement of vehicles. Masstransportation facilities must be improved, so that fewer automobiles will come into the downtown area. Freeway plans must include not only radial

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lines feeding into the downtown area, but also belt lines circling the downtown area. In this way, vehicles destined beyond congested section will be diverted from the streets. Off-street parking must be provided, partly to make up the present deficiency and partly to release street-space now used for storing vehicles. Capacity of streets must be further increased by one-way and off-center operation. This multiple approach for sound, long-range development of an integrated highway system offers the only reasonable solution.

origin travel – зарождение поездки destination – назначение, конечный пункт impedance – задержка, препятствие congestion – затор (уличного движения)

13. Form the corresponding nouns from the following verbs:

to improve, to grow, to transport, to develop, to invent, to move, to introduce, to expand, to destine, to impede, to facilitate, to operate, to

to establish, to overload, to increase, to influence, to explode, to restrict, to improve, to begin, to accelerate, to increase, to become, to limit, to enable, to cause.

1. As the initial improvement of main rural roads (Past Perfect) definite flows of motor traffic, many rural highways (Past Indefinite,

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Passive). 2. In this connection traffic in urban areas (Present Perfect). 3. Increase in traffic transportation (Present Perfect) greatly the development of our cities. 4. With the invention of the automobile the city

(Past Indefinite) the expansion of cities. 8. The percentage of city residents (Past Perfect Continuous) in urban areas. 9. With the great increase in motor transportation, the urban transportation problem (Present Perfect) acute. 10. The so-called “traffic radius” (Present Indefinite) motor movement to and from the center of large cities. 11. The growth of motor

17. Read and translate the following text and use it when speaking about urban transportation problems.И

Nowadays, the structural data of the town for the traffic forecasting are the following:

– the number of working places, the number of the inhabitant,

– the distance of the zone from the town centre,

–the number of passenger cars,

–the general size of the household,

–commercial establishment area per capita.

–catering establishment area per capita.

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The specific journey number of a zone, using:

–public transport,

–individual vehicle (passenger car, motorcycle),

–bicycle and on foot.

СWhile calculating the effect on traffic of the land use there must be take into consideration 3 travel modes mentioned above and 5 other aspects of travel groups, journeys between:

– home and working place,

– home and other, и– working place and home,

– other and home,

– other journeys.

18. Tellбabout urban transportation problem.

19. Read the text. Find key sentence in each part of the text. Try to retell the text using plan.

АCity transportation

Urban transportation has become a major management job. It is a big and complex task requiring close coordination. It is now generally recognized that urban transportation functions are as follows:

1.Transportation planning

A.Conducting studies of traffic volume, parking, speed and delay, street capacity, origin and destination of trips, and research in related fields.

B.Determining present and future needs for streets, street lighting, parking transit facilities, terminal facilities and establishing priorities for such facilities.

C.Coordinating transportation improvement programs with other municipal activities.

D.Participating in the operation of a master transportation plan with the city planning commission. Such a plan should establish the relationship of service between transit, street transportation, and over-all city

development. This includes all plans involving transit street, and terminal improvements. ДИ

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contracts for transportation improvements.

3. Operations

A.Determination of the location, type, and specification of trafficcontrol devices.

B.Determination of prohibition of curb parking, standing, and stopping.

C.Installation and timing of traffic signals.

D.Establishment of turning controls, parking regulations, speed controls, one-way streets, through streets, stop intersections, and any other practices or procedures deemed necessary.

E.Development of transit routes, schedules, and service improvements.иА

4.Maintenance

A.Maintaining, resurfacing, and repairing all transportation facilities.

B.Maintaining all transportation equipment, including vehicle and street maintenance machinery.

C.Installing and maintaining uniform signs, pavement markings, parking meters, street lights, and traffic signals.

D.Performing street cleaning, including snow removal.

20.Read the following words and words combinations. Give their equivalents in Russian: ИД

resurface, transit routes, street lights, vehicle, snow removal, curb parking, turning controls, detailed engineering drawings, facilities, delay, elevations.

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21. Read the title of the text. Try to guess what this text is about. Look through the text and find key words which can help you to understand the content of the text.

Bituminous wearing courses and road bases at bus stops

СThe sensitivity to temperature of bituminous coated materials has led us to choose and use materials whose characteristics of resistance do not change appreciably when the temperature varies.

In recent years, in Czechoslovakia, we have tried to achieve this resultиbу the combination of a layer of mastic asphalt or mastic asphalt and bituminous concrete applied to a slab of concrete with a minimum thickness of 20 cm. The choice of a wearing course in concrete at bus stops is a possible variant, but the spreading of large quantities of chemicals in winter variants,бwhere on a slab of concrete with a resistance to deflection, on the surface intension, of R 128 = 4.5 mPa, we laid а course of mastic asphalt of 23.5 cm or a course of bituminous concrete and mastic asphalt. The bond between the bituminous course and the concrete slab is obtained by treatment the surfaceАof the concrete with a bonding coating or by driving coated aggregate of 16 – 32 mm half into the concrete after laying.

We avoided expansion cracks appearing in the thin layer of mastic asphalt by taking the concrete slab a length of 4 m and by reinforcing the bituminous concrete or mastic asphalt with polyamide.

The section constructed accordingДto the technique has shown no deformation after four years’ service. We also used a variant in which the course 5 cm thick was constructed with a base of concrete with a plastic binder in places where shearing stresses are highest in the pavement i.e. between the surface course and the bituminous baseИcourse.

The combined use of the short slab of concrete with а surface course of bituminous coated material has also proved its worth when reconstructing damaged pavements at bus stops and trolleybus stops.

22. Before reading the text answer the following questions:

1. What do you know about parking in your city? 2. Is there a real problem with parking in big cities?

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Parking

In many large cities, congestion in commercial and industrial areas is relieved by providing special off-street terminal for trucks and buses. Large and unwieldy over-the-road trucks drive to destinations located out of the congested areas but on or near the main highways into the city. Here loads are sorted for distribution over the city in lighter, more maneuverable vehicles. Off-street, bus terminals conveniently situated near entering highways, the downtown area, and local mass transportation are in

СAs for car parking, in many urban and suburban locations multistory parking buildings of an open-walled type may have been constructed. You can get an access to parking garages by fairly steep ramps. In some cases

widespread use.

vehiclesиare arranged by attendants; in others customers park their own cars themselves. Often gasoline and lubrication sales and washing, greasing, and mechanic services add supplementary income. Parking buildings are relatively cheap. Often the walls are open, the ceilings low, and heating, ventilating, and certain other refinements omitted. Maintenance costs also are low.

Road engineering

Since the beginning of the 20th century, as the automobile and truck have offered ever higher levels of mobility, vehicle ownership per head of population has increased. Road needs have been strongly influenced by this popularity and also by the mass movement of people to cities and

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thence to suburban fringes – a trend that has led to increasing travel needs and road congestion and to low-density cities, which are difficult to service by public transport. Often the building of new roads to alleviate such problems has encouraged further urban sprawl and yet more road travel. Long-term solutions require the provision of alternatives to car and truck

Сtransport, controls over land use, and the proper pricing of road travel. To this end, road managers must be concerned not merely with lines on maps but also with the number, type, speed, and loading of individual vehicles, the safety, comfort, and convenience of the traveling public, and the health and welfare of bystanders and adjoining property owners.

Ideally, the development of a major road system is an orderly, continuous process. The process follows several steps: assessing road needs and transport options; planning a system to meet those needs; designing an economically, socially, and environmentally acceptable set of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-C1gmi1du0. Is there anything like this in your city? Would you like to install such sensors in the place you live? Why?

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