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Aurora Bridge bus accident

Started by Bruce, September 24, 2015, 08:00:57 PM

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Bruce

As you may know, there was a collision between a "Ride the Ducks" amphibious tour vehicle and a charter bus on the Aurora Bridge today. 4 dead, several critical injuries and a real tragedy all around.

The accident has sparked some talk of fixing the Aurora Bridge, which has very narrow lanes and no median barrier.

The best suggestion I've seen so far is to reduce the lanes to 5 and slightly widen the existing lanes as well as installing a barrier, leaving an extra lane on the side for exit lanes approaching each end of the bridge.


Bruce

#1

jakeroot

Quote from: Bruce on September 24, 2015, 09:06:33 PM
With Aurora Bridge closed, SDOT has converted a lane on Westlake Avenue into a temporary bus lane:

I'm sure drivers are loving that. But the buses have places to be, so that's the way it is.

As far as a fix goes, I think we should shrink the center two lanes down to 8.5 feet, install a center barrier, and post signs overhead that read "LARGE VEHICLES MAY USE TWO LANES". 8.5 feet seems narrow, because it is, but I think most experienced drivers can handle it. If drivers aren't comfortable, they shouldn't be in the passing lane.

kkt

NTSB will investigate.  That's good, we'll get a better investigation than emerges from the liability suits.

Alps

Quote from: jakeroot on September 24, 2015, 11:02:13 PM
Quote from: Bruce on September 24, 2015, 09:06:33 PM
With Aurora Bridge closed, SDOT has converted a lane on Westlake Avenue into a temporary bus lane:

I'm sure drivers are loving that. But the buses have places to be, so that's the way it is.

As far as a fix goes, I think we should shrink the center two lanes down to 8.5 feet, install a center barrier, and post signs overhead that read "LARGE VEHICLES MAY USE TWO LANES". 8.5 feet seems narrow, because it is, but I think most experienced drivers can handle it. If drivers aren't comfortable, they shouldn't be in the passing lane.
Nope. Nope. 9 foot lanes you can go about 35-40 mph, and that's pushing it. 10 foot lanes get you about 50-55 mph.

Big John

And AASHTO has 9' as the minimum allowable lane width.

kkt

I'm confused about the geometry.  The Seattle Times says the lanes from curb to center are 10 feet, 9 feet, and 9 1/2 feet, and reversed the other direction.  But wikipedia says the bridge overall is 70 feet wide.  Are the walkways more than 5 feet each side?

I'm also surprised all the lanes weren't built 10 feet wide, that was typical for major bridges on US routes in the early 1930s.

jakeroot

Quote from: Alps on September 26, 2015, 04:35:33 PM
Nope. Nope. 9 foot lanes you can go about 35-40 mph, and that's pushing it. 10 foot lanes get you about 50-55 mph.
Quote from: Big John on September 26, 2015, 04:39:25 PM
And AASHTO has 9' as the minimum allowable lane width.

People go about 50-55 over this bridge (people in Seattle actually drive really fast). But nonetheless, I understand both your points (particularly Big Johns) and I concede that my idea may not be so well thought out.

Quote from: kkt on September 26, 2015, 08:17:02 PM
I'm confused about the geometry.  The Seattle Times says the lanes from curb to center are 10 feet, 9 feet, and 9 1/2 feet, and reversed the other direction.  But wikipedia says the bridge overall is 70 feet wide.  Are the walkways more than 5 feet each side?

That '70' number might be including the railings and suice



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