Smart Roads Classification

Traditionally, road network classification systems have focused on two fundamentally opposite dimensions: mobility and accessibility. These classification systems have been adapted to the variable circumstances of countries or regions. However, with Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) coming into play, the situation has become quite more challenging than before. Current CAVs consist of diverse Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that assist humans in the driving task. The automotive industry [...]

Disaster Management: The Effects And Management Of Covid-19 Whilst Looking To The Future - Briefing Note

No matter what the disaster is, no matter what the pandemic is, we as road administrators must minimize the disaster impacts to our transportation infrastructure. To share the experiences of disaster management amid COVID-19, PIARC TC 1.5 “Disaster Management” of PIARC and TRB AMR00(2) “Transportation Emergency Management Practices and Innovations Subcommittee” organized a joint webinar on June 30, 2021. The webinar invited six speakers from all over the world. All the presenters reported [...]

Automated Vehicles - Challenges and Opportunities for Road Operators and Road Authorities - Technical Report

Vehicle Automation – at SAE levels 3, 4 and 5 – is still in a testing phase in most countries. Many tests at level 3 have been performed successfully on open roads without any changes to the road infrastructure and without any observed impacts on congestion. There are various situations which necessitate that a driver takes control of the vehicle – a fall-back solution that is still allowed at level 3, but not at level 4 or 5. It is likely that some support from the infrastructure will be [...]

COVID-19: Survey of Impacts and Responses from the Global Roads and Transport Sector - Briefing Note

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic took hold across the world, creating massive impacts and challenges for multiple sectors, including roads and transport. PIARC took action rapidly, forming a COVID-19 Response Team and initiating a programme of knowledge-sharing webinars.  The Response Team also launched a global questionnaire survey. The intention was to assess how road and transport agencies, operators and other organizations were coping with COVID-19 pandemic and to identify responses and [...]

COVID-19: initial impacts and responses to the pandemic from road and transport agencies - Technical Report

The road transport sector, and the organisations and professionals who manage it, is an essential service and PIARC recognized the potential for COVID-19 to cause severe disruption to the road transport sector early on. In mid-March 2020, PIARC moved to establish a formal PIARC COVID-19 Response Team to explore the rapid sharing of knowledge and practice between PIARC members in terms of pandemic impacts, associated economic and social crisis and the relevant responses. Activities were rapidly launched [...]