Road Safety 

Government of Kerala has initiated various programmes to address the alarming issue of increasing road accidents by coordinating all stakeholders of Road safety viz., Engineering, Education and Enforcement agencies.

Public Works Department is primarily responsible for Engineering aspects and a safety engineering component has been introduced as a part of world bank aided Kerala State Transport project.

Initiatives in PWD

  • Constitution of Road Safety Unit

A road safety unit has been constituted under the Chief Engineer (R&B and IT) supported by an Executive Engineer, 2 Assistant Executive Engineers and 2 Assistant Engineers

  • Road Safety Engineering Tool Kit

A comprehensive road safety tool kit has been developed for accident prevention and accident reduction as follows:

  • Road Safety Engineering Manual
    • Accident site improvement manual
    • Road safety audit manual
  • Road Safety Notes
    • Round About Design
    • Crash Barrier
    • Speed Survey
  • Road signs
    • Supplementary Technical advice for IRC 67
    • Sign fonts
  • Technical specification
    • Technical specification for safety related items
    • Checklist for procurement of traffic signs

A Code of Practice for signing at Road works have been developed by the Road safety Cell.

Activities

    1. Blackspot Improvement programme
    2. Road Safety Audit- Model Road
    3. Demonstration signs and markings
    4. Junction Improvement Schemes
    5. Mass Action Schemes
    6. Safety improvement of hazardous locations in
      NH 17 and 47
    7. Safety assessment of RMC roads
    8. Road Accident Database

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Blackspot improvement at Thonnackal


Blackspot Improvement programme

Completed Schemes

Work in progress

Under Tendering

  1. Kallampally
  2. Pongumoodu
  3. Kochullor
  4. Enchackal

            1. Thonnackal
            2. Sreekaryam
            3. Kumarichantha
            4. Varkala Maidanam
            5. Varkala court junction
            6. Marakkada junction

  1. Kanamala
  2. Vattapara

 

Field investigation and design in progress for improvement of blackspots in roads leading to Sabarimala

 

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Enchackal

 

Road safety Audit- Model Road

  The section of road between Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam of NH-47 has been selected as Model road to demonstrate as model road with regard to Road safety, coordinating all stakeholders of Road safety. The Road safety cell undertook a Safety Audit for the road and bids are now under tendering stage.

Salient Features

  • Complete Signs and Markings to demonstrate and enforce under Road safety Action Plan
  • No overtaking centreline based on visibility check
  • Roundabouts, junction with Traffic Signal and priority junction for demonstration
  • School Zone treatment
  • Pedestrian crossing treatment
  • Highly visible studs and markings
  • Crash barrier for deep drops
  • Delineators to guide drivers at night
  • Curve treatment with Chevrons
 
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                     Mass Action Scheme

 

Demonstration signs and markings

In order to demonstrate ideal signs and markings according the IRC and International practises two Demonstrations schemes have been implemented on NH 47 with a view to achieve consistency and uniformity.

  • Signs and Markings at Kazhakuttam junction at the take off point of Trivandrum bypass on NH- 47
  • Signings at Ambalapuzha Haripad section of NH- 47

 

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Gateway sign at Ambalapuzha

Junction Improvement Schemes

The road safety cell is now engaged in design of junctions giving attention on safety engineering measures.

  • Design completed for 8 junctions in Pathanamthitta ring road
  • Survey and design is progressing for 10 junctions in Tiruvalla town

Mass Action Schemes

The median end of various reach of NH  47 are being hit by vehicles especially night. In order to counteract such accident, similar treatment by way of diagonal markings reinforced with Rumble strip and studs and signs have been installed for all median ends between Trivandrum and Cherthala on NH - 47.

Safety Improvement of Hazardous locations of NH

As considerable number accidents are occurring on National Highway, at the request of State level monitoring committee, Road safety cell carried out site visit and proposed countermeasures to 74 hazardous locations on NH 47 and 42 hazardous locations on NH 17. The work has been awarded.

Safety Assessment of RMC roads

The road safety cell carried out safety assessment of KSTP's maintenance roads and implemented required safety engineering measures in order to counteract the accident due to better riding quality. Measures have been implemented for 600 km road through out the state and balance for 350 km is underway.

Road Accident Database

The PWD in association with Police Department has developed GIS-enabled accident database called GeoKAMS. It has following features.

  • Automatic generation of collision diagram with vehicular movements
  • Advanced querying and reporting
  • Many new advanced features like:
    • High accident location identification
    • Scenario Analysis
    • Spot / Intersection Analysis
    • Cluster Analysis
    • Strip / Corridor Analysis
    • Ability to add Accident photograph or location photograph along with the accident data.