Context Classification Application: A Guide (2022)

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2022 N A T I O N A L C O O P E R A T I V E H I G H W A Y R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1022 Context Classication Application A GUIDE Nikiforos Stamatiadis Adam Kirk Laura Wright University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky Hermanus Steyn Mary Raulerson Jennifer Musselman Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Portland, Oregon Subscriber Categories Highways • Design • Planning and Forecasting Research sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Ofcials in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration

NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM Systematic, well-designed, and implementable research is the most effective way to solve many problems facing state departments of transportation (DOTs) administrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local or regional interest and can best be studied by state DOTs individually or in cooperation with their state universities and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transporta- tion results in increasingly complex problems of wide interest to high- way authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research. Recognizing this need, the leadership of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in 1962 ini- tiated an objective national highway research program using modern scientific techniques—the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). NCHRP is supported on a continuing basis by funds from participating member states of AASHTO and receives the full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), United States Department of Transportation, under Agree- ment No. 693JJ31950003. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was requested by AASHTO to administer the research program because of TRB’s recognized objectivity and understanding of modern research practices. TRB is uniquely suited for this purpose for many reasons: TRB maintains an extensive com- mittee structure from which authorities on any highway transportation subject may be drawn; TRB possesses avenues of communications and cooperation with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, univer- sities, and industry; TRB’s relationship to the National Academies is an insurance of objectivity; and TRB maintains a full-time staff of special- ists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of research directly to those in a position to use them. The program is developed on the basis of research needs iden- tified by chief administrators and other staff of the highway and transportation departments, by committees of AASHTO, and by the FHWA. Topics of the highest merit are selected by the AASHTO Special Committee on Research and Innovation (R&I), and each year R&I’s recommendations are proposed to the AASHTO Board of Direc- tors and the National Academies. Research projects to address these topics are defined by NCHRP, and qualified research agencies are selected from submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of research contracts are the responsibilities of the National Academies and TRB. The needs for highway research are many, and NCHRP can make significant contributions to solving highway transportation problems of mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, however, is intended to complement, rather than to substitute for or duplicate, other highway research programs. Published research reports of the NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx Printed in the United States of America NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1022 Project 15-72 ISSN 2572-3766 (Print) ISSN 2572-3774 (Online) ISBN 978-0-309-68761-4 Library of Congress Control Number 2022948766 © 2022 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trade- marks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the FHWA; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or speci- fications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.

e National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. e National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. e National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. e three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. e National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. e Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. e mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. e Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. e program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S CRP STAFF FOR NCHRP RESEARCH REPORT 1022 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs, and Manager, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Sid Mohan, Associate Program Manager, Implementation and Technology Transfer, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Christopher T. McKenney, Senior Program Officer Robert Turner II, Senior Program Assistant Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications Margaret B. Hagood, Senior Editor NCHRP PROJECT 15-72 PANEL Field of Design—Area of General Design DeWayne David Carver, Florida Department of Transportation, Tallahassee, FL (Chair) Martha G. Baker, Maryland Department of Transportation, Hanover, MD Frederick C. Dock, P & D Consulting, Washington, DC Tara B. Goddard, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX Tim Mitchell, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul, MN Diane L. Patterson, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD Peter Swift, Swift and Associates, Boulder, CO Amutha Vijayakumar, New Jersey Department of Transportation, Trenton, NJ Karen Whitaker, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Philadelphia, PA Fleming A El-Amin II, FHWA Liaison Phillip Burgoyne-Allen, AASHTO Liaison

NCHRP Research Report 1022: Context Classification Application: A Guide presents a guide to assist state, regional, and local planners in identifying the appropriate context classification(s) for an area or a transportation project. The development of the guide was based on a methodology that included a survey of state and local agencies to develop a concise approach that uses readily available quantitative and qualitative data to identify a context. This report will be of immediate interest to traffic safety and planning engineers. NCHRP Research Report 855: An Expanded Functional Classification System for Highways and Streets served as a key reference informing the seventh edition of AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book). The new Green Book introduces a change in guidance for state transportation officials by introducing a broader set of land-use context classifications (i.e., rural, rural town, suburban, urban, and urban core). These context classifications provide a mechanism for better targeting design solutions to specific contexts while providing needed flexibility to address planning and design needs. The AASHTO Committee on Design has begun planning for the eighth edition of the Green Book and envisions a major restructuring. This includes organizing design guidance by the context classifications listed in the seventh edition with the addition of a new context classification, industrial, warehouse, or port roads. NCHRP Project 15-77, “Aligning Geometric Design with Roadway Context” will be drafting these chapters. Many state, regional, and local transportation and planning agencies are interested in applying the new context classifications in their jurisdictions. The existing research and guidance, however, does not point to specific methodologies or parameters for implement- ing these context classifications. Research was needed to help agencies proceed efficiently and consistently. Under NCHRP Project 15-72, “Identification of AASHTO Context Classifications,” the University of Kentucky was asked to: (1) review the six context classifications planned for inclusion in the eighth edition of the AASHTO Green Book; (2) identify what are the context(s), how those context(s) change (spatially or temporally), and what are the impli- cations for the various travel modes; and (3) develop an inventory of data sources and tools that could be applied to context classification decisions. The conduct of research that documents the entire research effort and the contractor’s final report, which details the research activities and methods, are available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) and can be found by searching for NCHRP Research Report 1022: Context Classification Application: A Guide. F O R E W O R D By Christopher T. McKenney Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

1 Chapter 1 Context Classification System Overview 1 1.1 Introduction to Context Classification 3 1.2 Context Classification Application Overview 8 Chapter 2 Context Classification Implementation 8 2.1 Statewide Implementation 14 2.2 Regional Level 15 2.3 Project Level 16 2.4 Adapting to State and Regional Areas and Calibration 19 2.5 Implementation Through Project Development Process 21 2.6 Implementation Issues 27 2.7 Modal Implications 30 2.8 Implications of Road Type 30 2.9 Environmental Implications 31 Chapter 3 Rural 31 3.1 Definition 31 3.2 Transportation Expectations 33 3.3 Examples 35 Chapter 4 Rural Town 35 4.1 Definition 35 4.2 Transportation Expectations 37 4.3 Examples 39 Chapter 5 Suburban 39 5.1 Definition 39 5.2 Transportation Expectations 42 5.3 Examples 46 Chapter 6 Urban 46 6.1 Definition 46 6.2 Transportation Expectations 48 6.3 Examples 50 Chapter 7 Urban Core 50 7.1 Definition 50 7.2 Transportation Expectations 51 7.3 Examples 54 Chapter 8 Special Contexts 54 8.1 Why Special Context 54 8.2 Natural 55 8.3 Industrial/Port/Warehouse 56 8.4 Other C O N T E N T S

57 Chapter 9 Case Studies 57 9.1 Case Study on Application 67 9.2 Use of Context Classification to Develop Transportation Expectations 72 9.3 Case Study of a Special Context 76 References Note: Photographs, figures, and tables in this report may have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the web at nap.nationalacademies.org) retains the color versions.