Influence of Wider Longitudinal Road Markings on Vehicle Speeds in Two-Lane Rural Highways

Longitudinal road markings are a valuable aid in driving guidance. An increase in their width may influence driving and, therefore, road safety. Wider road markings generate a perception of a narrowing lane, which may induct drivers to reduce speed. The present study tries to verify if an increased width of longitudinal road markings actually helps one to drive more slowly, and consequently leads to enhanced road safety. For this purpose, three curves with reduced visibility were selected and driving speed was measured with normal and modified (wider) longitudinal road markings. The results showed a speed reduction effect of around 3.1% with wide road markings. The speed-reducing effect of wide marks was greater during weekends and with more intense traffic volume, while it was slightly attenuated by night. Finally, the calculation of some standard cases on a working day, and considering average traffic volume, gave the following speed reductions during the day and at night, respectively: for light vehicles, 2.24% and 1.96%; for heavy vehicles, 2.46% and 2.15%. In view of the results obtained, it may be said that using wide road markings can help reduce vehicle speed, thereby contributing to reduced traffic accidents and making road transport more sustainable.

Road Safety Assessment Considering the Expected Fatal Accident Density

Network-wide road safety assessment throughout the whole network is one of the four road infrastructure safety management procedures regulated by Directive 2019/1936/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 Аmending Directive 2008/96/EC on Road Infrastructure Safety Management and one of the methods for determining the direction of investment in road safety. So far, the implementation of the procedure has been lightly regulated and adapted using various road safety indicators. The paper describes the evaluation of road accident data that is one of the criteria for conducting a network-wide road safety assessment. Taking into consideration that networkwide road safety assessment is a proactive road safety activity, the paper proposes to conduct road safety assessment considering the expected fatal accident density. Such assessment makes it possible to assess the severity of accidents, and the use of the predicted road accident data on calculating the introduced road accident rate contributing to the prevention of accidents. The paper describes both the empirical Bayes method for predicting road accidents and the application of one of the road safety indicators – the expected fatal accident density – to determine five road safety categories across the road network. The paper demonstrates the application of the proposals submitted to Lithuanian highways using road accident and traffic data for the period 2014–2018.

Yellow-bellied gliders use glide poles to cross the Pacific Highway at Halfway Creek, north-east New South Wales

The installation of glide poles to enable gliding mammals to cross wide road corridors has become a common feature of highway upgrades in eastern Australia. While frequent use by small species has been well documented, records of use by large glider species are scant. During 15 months of camera monitoring of two glide poles in the median of the Pacific Highway at Halfway Creek, north-east New South Wales, yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) were detected on nine occasions. On three of these occasions, video footage captured glide launches across the northbound carriageway. Our study provides the first definitive evidence of repeated use of wooden glide poles by the yellow-bellied glider to cross a highway corridor. Glide poles, therefore, have the potential to restore functional connectivity for yellow-bellied gliders at locations where major roads bisect forest habitat.

Poor infrastructure will sustain north Mali separatism

Subject Country-wide road protests. Significance In late August, Malians in the southern cities of Kayes and Kati began holding protests to decry the substandard state of the country’s roads. Protests soon spread to the north as well, with protesters citing the difficulties in travel caused by endemic insecurity. The government has released funds for some road construction projects and promised new ones, but amid high costs of construction, the roads issue has become -- in the words of one local news outlet -- the “other woe” (alongside the security crisis) of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s second term. Impacts The southern protests indicate that the south is not as untouched by the country’s crisis as it seems. Even in 'stable' parts of the country, infrastructure shortfalls will keep making day-to-day life frustrating. The government will struggle to operationalise and fund new notional regions from the decentralisation plan.

Bicycle Usage in the Urban Transportation: Pristina Example

The aim of the research is to provide suggestions for increasing the use of bicycles, which are part of the modern transportation policies. The methodology in the research was developed according to the physical characteristics of the city center in Pristina and the new regulations of the Pristina Development Plan. In this context, in the questionnaires, the approach, demand and application possibilities of the passengers against the other transportation systems (except private vehicles) were evaluated. The field research questions were asked to get the thoughts of public transport passengers about these issues. The responses of 782 passengers that are directly or indirectly related with bicycle usage. As a result of these recommendations, Pristina will have two-way bicycle lanes with a length of 16 km to complete the cycling network. In this context, it was emphasized that the suggestions for the urban bicycle network in Pristina were evaluated in order of priority. Recommendations are given in accordance with the infrastructure of the route and it is expected that a regular transportation type will be provided to the urban transportation of Pristina by carrying out the arrangements on a 16 m wide road between the two sidewalks (platforms). In the new regulations, a two-way 4 km bike lane is proposed in the central ring of Pristina, as a result of the bicycle lanes that will form the bicycle network in Pristina to implement the bicycle public transport integration strategy in the future. Approximately 8.5 km two-way bicycle lane in central ring, 1.5 km two-way bicycle lane in the southwestern region and 2km bicycle lane in the southeastern region has been proposed for Pristina. Key words: Urban traffic, Transportation Demand Management, Bike Lane, Pristina.

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND CHALLENGES, RISK IDENTIFYING FOR EMERGING NEW CITIES OF NEPAL

Nepal is beautiful country. According to new geographical structure there are six metropolitan cities, eleven sub-metropolitan cities. Seventeen cities are already urbanized and two hundred and seventy-six municipalities are also newly emerging cities. The objective of this research is mainly urban infrastructure development, its challenges, explore the problems, identify defective coordination within the interdisciplinary ministry, suggest for integrated infrastructure, to aware risk factors associated during urban infrastructures. The methodology adopted was according to various literature reviews and surveys conducted on the sport. Respondent were selected from concerned authorities, this research shows everyone want affordable housing, public hospital, school, college, university, drinking water, communication, drain and sanitation facilities and wide road are prime needs. It was found the defective procurement policy including various risk factors, a lack of adequate government’s act with necessary policies, vision of leader is not globally thinking and locally acting, human resource is not compatible, the poor performance of contactor and consultant, project manager is not being professional and allocating budget is not enough, since one authority built, immediately other authority dig the trench. if government started integrated urban infrastructure projects would better for future and proper risk management plan needs to establish.

SEKULERISASI POLITIK DAN ULAMA DI INDONESIA DALAM PRESFEKTIF AHMAD SYAFII MAARIF

Maaruf Amin As we know, it is the Chairman of the MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council) as well as the political elite among the Nadhiyin community. Surely he has an appeal in targeting Muslim voters. Moreover, NU, which is the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia, opened a wide road to the Jokowi-Maaruf Amin pair, strolling towards the Palace. Choosing and choosing or declaring their ideological or political choices is a part of human rights that cannot be contested, so that the involvement of ulamas in politics both as council and regional and central leaders is legitimate. However, when this involvement is placed in the context of practical politics or identity politics that can threaten the harmony of the life of the nation in the framework of diversity and unity. So the terminology of ulama and political secularization will be the right to realize the humanized and civilized Indonesia. Considering that ulama (Islam), pastors and other religious leaders have a role as spiritual teachers, they should focus on educating the nation not to be easily dragged into the heat of politics or identity politics, instead of competing to declare their support to make it a political fatwa. instead it fools and injures democracy and political rights of others. Keywords: Politics, Secularization, Ulama