This course offers students the opportunity to learn how to evaluate and design the "Forgiving Roadway" through minimizing roadside hazards, which reduces the potential for death, injury, and property damage crashes involving the roadway user.

Instruction focuses on the best practices in the evaluation and design of roadside structures, such as guardrails, concrete barriers, crashworthy end terminals, drainage structures, and breakaway sign and lighting supports. The course is based on the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide, the Caltrans Traffic Safety Systems manual and Standard Plans, and the newer Manual for Accessing Safety Hardware (MASH) crash testing criteria; including, the Midwest Guardrail System.

Particular emphasis is placed on the determination of the Clear Zone, and the proper guardrail Length of Need (LON) mandated design calculations. Also covered, is the proper installation, inspection, and maintenance of existing barrier systems.

Additional course detail is provided in the sections below.

• Course Topics
  • Identification of potential roadside hazards
  • Determination of the clear zone
  • Traversable drainage structures
  • Breakaway sign supports and lighting structures
  • MASH crash test compliant barrier systems, including crashworthy end terminals
  • Design of LON for barrier systems
  • Installation and maintenance criteria for barrier systems
  • Introduction to advanced traffic management systems
• Course Outline

  SECTION ONE

  • Introduction
  • The “Forgiving Highway” Concept
  • Clear Zones
  • Side Slopes and Ditches
  • Drainage Structures
  • Breakaway Sign and Lighting Structures
  • Barrier Crash Test Criteria

  SECTION TWO

  • Metal Beam Guardrail Barriers
  • Guardrail Approach Terminals
  • Barrier Length-Of-Need (LON) Design

  SECTION THREE

  • Concrete Barriers
  • Bridge Rail
  • Impact Attenuators
  • Guardrail Field Problems
  • Guardrail Installation
  • Guardrail Maintenance Criteria
• What you will learn

  How to properly evaluate and identify roadside hazards, select proper mitigation solutions, design roadside solution or proper barrier systems, properly install barrier systems, and maintain existing barrier systems.

• Who should attend

  This class is intended for engineers, public works inspectors, maintenance supervisors, and administrators responsible for safety and risk management.

• Course Prerequisites

  [no prerequisites identified]

• Course Instructors

  David Royer, TE, CE, Consulting Traffic and Highway Engineer, Retired Principal Engineer, LADOT

  David Royer is a licensed Civil Engineer and Traffic Engineer. He's been a valued instructor and course developer at Tech Transfer for 40 years. His teaching and development include the Work Zone Safety Program, Roadside Safety & Barrier Systems, and the Maintaining Retroreflectivity at Required Levels course. Mr. Royer also served as an LTAP Field Agent during the period that Tech Transfer served as the California LTAP Center. In 2018, he was the first to receive the Technology Transfer Program's Instructor of the Year award.

  He retired at the position of Principal Transportation Engineer from LADOT after 32 years of service, and for the past 23 years, he has been a consulting traffic and highway engineer. Because of his extensive experience and teaching in the field of work zone safety, he voluntarily represents Tech Transfer on the WATCH Manual Committee and on the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Part 6 of the MUTCD).

• Registration Information

  Registration for this course occurs at the TechTransfer training host site. Use the button to the right to directly access the course page and registration portal. You will be asked to create a user account as part of the registration process.

  A confirmation email will be sent to you within two business days of TechTransfer receiving your paid registration.

  If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the TechTransfer Registrar at (510) 643-4393 or registrar@techtransfer.berkeley.edu.

• For more information

  To learn more about TechTransfer courses and credits, see their FAQ (https://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/faq-page).

  To learn more about TechTransfer's cancellation, refund, and substitution policies, see How to Enroll (https://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/enrollment/how-enroll).

  Cancellation Policy:

  The cancellation fee for this course is $75. At TechTransfer, there are no refunds for classes with registration fees of $75 or less. For all other classes, you may cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your registration fee less $75, provided they receive your written request to cancel at least 5 full working days before the class is scheduled to begin. In lieu of canceling your registration, you may (1) transfer your registration to another TechTransfer class, (2) receive a tuition credit for the full amount, useable toward a future class, or (3) send a substitute in your place.

  Note: TechTransfer recommends you discuss any possible problems or online security issues with your IT person before you register for any online classes. If you are worried about connectivity issues, please contact the online training coordinator the week before the class to schedule a time to test your system. If you do not test your system and you have technical issues during a live online class, we will not provide a refund.