Thus, the field surveys needed to gather the factual data could be classified as fact gathering or planning surveys. Phase one of highway planning comprises
- Determination of the area’s needed road length
- Creation of a master plan that demonstrates how the strategy will be phased in over either five or annual plans
The planning surveys consists of the following studies
- Economical Studies
- Financial studies
- Traffic or road use studies
- Engineering studies.
Economic Studies:
Estimating the needs, costs, and economic justification for the proposed highway improvement programme is made possible by the information that will be gathered during economic studies. It is crucial to initially gather all information regarding the current facilities, any shortcomings, potential trends, and the expected cost of improvements.
The following are some of the various details that need to be gathered for economic studies.
- Distribution of the population.
- population growth trend
- Agricultural and industrial items, as well as their region-based classification.
- Future trends and industrial growth
- Per capita income
- Existing educational, medical, and recreational facilities.
Financial studies
The many financial issues, such as income sources and potential methods of raising funding for the project, must be studied through financial studies, which are crucial.
The following information has to be gathered:
- Revenue sources and projections from road transportation and taxes.
- Living conditions.
- Locally accessible resources, toll fees, vehicle registration fees, and fines.
- Proposed financial aspects trends.
Traffic or road use studies
Before taking any action, every aspect of the current traffic, including its volume and flow pattern, must be known.
There is potential for improvement.
The following information has to be gathered:
- The number of vehicles on the road each day and peak hourly traffic.
- Research on origin and destination.
- The movement of traffic.
- Infrastructure for mass transit.
- Accidents, their causes, and a cost analysis.
- Increased traffic volume and future trends.
- An increase in passenger travel and a trend in mode selection
Engineering Studies
Before taking any action, every aspect of the current traffic, including its volume and flow pattern, must be known.
There is potential for improvement.
The following information has to be gathered:
- The number of vehicles on the road each day and peak hourly traffic.
- Research on origin and destination.
- The movement of traffic.
- Infrastructure for mass transit.
- Accidents, their causes, and a cost analysis.
- Increased traffic volume and future trends.
- An increase in passenger travel and a trend in mode selection
