Characteristics of Travel on Indiana Highways

IN T R O D U C T IO N The highway problem has been the subject of considerable discus­ sion during the past few years and has assumed proportions subject to national concern. This Road School is, in fact, a discussion of this Number One domestic problem. The interest of almost every individual in highways and their operation is increasing, and each year more high­ way technology is made available through research, more planning is originating in our various highway departments, more qualified men are contributing their energies, and more money is being invested— all for the production of an efficient, economical and safe national highway system. The development of such a system, however, requires the proper planning, and planning requires basic information on the characteristics of highway travel. Just as a good businessman does not plan additions to his store without studying the characteristics of his customers, the highway planner cannot wisely plan new facilities and the traffic engi­ neer cannot wisely initiate operational procedures without factual data on motor vehicle travel. For locations where major improvements are required these characteristics are usually obtained by the performance of the necessary traffic surveys. O f these surveys the comprehensive traffic survey has attained its rightful place as a major source of traffic information. For adequate information on a metropolitan area there is no doubt but that the conduct of such a survey is a necessity. Many occasions arise, however, where a general knowledge of the travel characteristics would be of major assistance in the planning or operation of highway facilities. In such cases the collection of the re­ quired data might be so time-consuming and expensive that the per­ formance of a survey would be impractical or uneconomical. Some of the characteristics of highway travel are remarkably similar throughout Indiana and are unusually repetitive in nature. A determination of typical characteristics from comprehensive surveys made throughout the