Proceedings of the Annual Convention (Volume 22)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ...of a traffic count on Fifth Avenue into numbers and classes of vehicles moving north and south would be difficult and of doubtful value in studies affecting the selection of a pavement for this street. On the other hand, in the case of some market roads leading into a city, the selection of a roadway surface might be materially affected by the fact that the units of traffic follow each other closely in single lines for short periods near the beginning and end of each day as is quite frequently the case. (c) The average abilities of the observers usually available will affect the decision as to the form of record of traffic to be attempted to be secured. Such records are seldom if ever made personally by engineers capable of appreciating the minor differences, and are usually made by low salaried employes. It is obvious that the form of records should not be such as will conduce toward inaccurate or misleading figures. The foundation on which the ultimate solution rests and from which deduction after deduction must be made, will be at best too narrow and imperfect to justify any chances being taken toward its further weakening by confusion or inaccuracy during its construction. At best, comparisons of existing traffic are purely relative and demands on the future traffic necessarily more so. Refinement and extreme accuracy in the matter will for a long time be impracticable if not impossible, but great improvement unquestionably can be had by general agreement tending toward greater uniformity and, ultimately perhaps, providing a fair degree of standardization. In making comparisons and determining relative values, such an agreement as to a form for traffic records will be of the greatest possible assistance to highway authorities for a better...