Adding Overtaking Lanes Boosts Capacity of Rural Roads Dramatically!
The 1985 highway capacity manual has new parameters for assessing two-lane rural roads, including a platooning term and different techniques for estimating capacity. Australian research shows adding an overtaking lane significantly improves road service volume, while increasing lane or shoulder width has minimal impact. Many new features in the manual were proposed by Australians, highlighting the need for continued research in this area.