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Summary of Recommendations Prepared for the North Carolina Board of Transportation
William L. Hall and David L. Harkey University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center - November, 1999
In 1997, the NC Department of Transportation contracted with the University of North Carolina Highway Safety
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This evaluation of the on-road behavior of 16-ft mobile homes as compared to 14-ft homes showed that the 16-ft mobile homes are different in terms of their positioning on the roadway with other traffic present and that the other vehicles do react to the added width. In general, the differences indicate that the added width has significant potential for adversely affecting the safety of the other vehicles they may encounter. The decision of whether or not to expand the current 16-ft mobile home pilot program in North Carolina, and if so how to implement it in the safest manner possible, must take these differences into consideration. To maximize safety, the following recommendations from the final report should be considered if the decision is made to expand this program and thus allow more widespread transportation of 16-ft mobile homes within and through North Carolina(1):
• Multi-lane roadways should be selected over two-lane roadways for transporting all mobile home units regardless of width. At the same time, the total paved width (travel lane and paved shoulders) should be at least 17 feet for the 16-ft units and 16 feet for the 14-ft units. There should also be a clear zone distance (from the center or lane line to the nearest roadside obstruction of 20 feet for the 16-ft units and 18 feet for the 14-ft units. It should be noted that a 1992 study conducted for the State of Michigan derived almost identical recommendations(2).
• The system for determining routes should be modified to identify alternative routes based on roadway geometries, current traffic conditions, and other factors (e.g., work zones). Routing decisions should include input from all concerned parties and final route designations should be made as close to the actual shipment as possible.
• Continue the use of single trip permits for shipment of all 16-ft mobile homes to enhance the flexibility of assigning a final route as close to shipment as possible and the ability of enforcement officers to readily determine compliance.
• The requirement for front and rear escorts for the 16-ft homes on all roadways should be continued. Consideration should be given to requiring at least one escort vehicle for 14-ft mobile homes on all roadways.
• Allowable times of travel (9:00 am - 2:30 pm, Monday through Thursday) and speed (10 mph less than the posted speed limit) should remain the same.
• Enact stronger sanctions for permit violators. Due to enforcement problems, the sanction itself should be the deterrent.
• Manufacturers and transporters should implement/modify driver selection procedures and driver training/monitoring programs to ensure transport by the best/safest drivers.
(1) Hall, WL; Luxenberg, SR; Harkey, DL; Stewart, JR; and Hamlett, CW. Evaluation of the On-Road Behavior of Sixteen-Ft Wide Mobile Homes in North Carolina: Final Report. Chapel Hill, NC: UNC Highway Safety Research Center. November 1997.
(2) MacAdam, C; Streff, F; Christoff, C; and Karamihas, S. Final Report to the Michigan State Legislature and Steering Committee Regarding the 16-ft Wide Mobile Home Study. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, 1992.