Tag Archives: Safety
A friend sent me a link to a recent WRAL article posted yesterday about a fatal collision in Cary on Sunday, February 12th1. Tragically, both passengers in a left-turning vehicle died when the driver crossed the path of another vehicle. This is terrible and my condolences go out to those affected by the incident. I also feel for safety engineers everywhere who feel the emptiness of failure at each reported fatality2, especially the highway safety professionals who work in this jurisdiction. However, … Continue reading
So it seems there were a few damages from the Virginia earthquake earlier this week. The biggest damages on the news? The National Cathedral and the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument suffered some cracking at the very top and has since been closed indefinitely to the public until damages can be assessed. As for the National Cathedral, gargoyles, spires, buttresses, and walls cracked, shifted, or fell and shattered. Other homes and businesses near the epicenter were damaged as well. While … Continue reading
Two weeks ago, an unfortunate collision occurred at a railroad grade crossing in Maine. Reuters reports that a dump truck was hit by an Amtrak train and the driver was fatally wounded. Four passengers aboard the train were injured as well. Terrible. At-grade railroad crossings are some of the most dangerous intersections we have on our road system and they should be avoided whenever possible. Fortunately, many public agencies are fully aware of hazards associated with them and are taking steps to fix … Continue reading
The following is an email I sent to Wake County Representatives, concerning the issue of legislation-run engineering. If you can, write something similar RIGHT NOW to your representatives. A list of NC Representatives can be found here. Here is a list of NC Senators. From: Mike Roselli To: Jennifer.Weiss@ncleg.net, Paul.Stam@ncleg.net, Deborah.Ross@ncleg.net, Tom.Murry@ncleg.net, Grier.Martin@ncleg.net, Darren.Jackson@ncleg.net, Rosa.Gill@ncleg.net, Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net, Marilyn.Avila@ncleg.net, Richard.Stevens@ncleg.net, Josh.Stein@ncleg.net, Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net, Dan.Blue@ncleg.net Senators and Representatives, I live in Wake County and I work in the engineering field. I’ve been made aware … Continue reading
Today, the News and Observer reports that the State Senate will be voting on House Bill 561, to require NCDOT to remove a half mile of center median installed on new projects in Asheville, NC, “at a cost estimated by NCDOT at $797,500″, and to give the State legislature power over road design for other projects. Other than ripping up a nearly completed project to nullify the design, the legislation would force DOT to change widening plans and forget other … Continue reading
I was reading this News & Observer article today about the new roundabout on Hillsborough St in Raleigh, NC. Raleigh Police have cataloged more than 40 collisions at a new roundabout installation at it seems at least a few people have some ruffled feathers. At first this number seems high, but it’s important to remember a few key thoughts about the safety, design and installation of new traffic patterns: New patterns can cause collisions It’s a fact, and one that is … Continue reading
For my Highway Safety graduate level course at NC State, I conducted a field study at the intersection of Glenwood Ave and Peace St in Raleigh, NC. The study evaluated the current status of field conditions, conflicts, previous collision reports, and recommended a few counter measures that might reduce conflicts at the intersection. I’m really enjoying the class. If you’re interested in reading the study, I’ve attached it to this post. Safety Report