METHODS FOR ANALYZING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF ROADSIDE SAFETY FEATURES

Highway agencies are continually faced with decisions relating to roadside safety, from the use and selection of specific roadside safety features and appurtenances at specific locations to the development of warrants, policies, and guidelines on a system-wide basis. In today's environment of ever increasing demand and decreasing resources, it is crucial to make sure that the best use is made of the limited funds available. Cost-effectiveness analysis provides a logical and systematic approach to these decisions, from comparing alternatives and selecting the most cost-beneficial alternative to the development of warrants, policies, and guidelines. This workshop presentation provides brief descriptions of various existing cost-effectiveness analysis procedures and how the procedures are used in actual applications, followed by an overview of the cost-effectiveness analysis methodology. Some future research needs to improve on existing cost-effectiveness analysis procedures are then suggested as a starting point for discussions in the workshop breakout group sessions.