AbstractTwo-lane rural highways represent the absolute majority of road networks globally, but there is a noticeable lack of research on this type of road for traffic planning purposes. This paper ...

In the first phases of study and design documentation of rural roads, one of the key parameters to determine in the analyses is the Design Hourly Volume (DHV). The required level of service and the feasibility of the project depend to a large extent on a properly established DHV. Essentially, the problem is to determine the value of the K-factor for a certain nth highest hour of the year. This paper points to the need for additional analysis of existing databases of long-term automatic traffic counting, from which the necessary guidance for planners and designers can be derived, enabling them to understand and apply the K-factors in a clearer and more detailed way. Using specific data examples, characteristic sections of rural roads with different functions and types (seasonal variations) of traffic demand were selected to show significant differences in the values of the K-factors for the same selected nth highest hour of the year. Several guidelines (BiH, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Serbia) were analysed beforehand to get a better understanding of how the K-factor or DHV is explained and used in different countries. The main objective of the article is to show that, on the basis of the existing databases of continuous automatic counting in these countries, with additional analyses presented in this paper or in a similar form, significant regularities in determining the DHV can be achieved, eliminating difficulties of application in engineering practice. As all guidelines practically recommend the use of HCM in capacity analyses, specific examples are selected to show the difference between the definition of HCM for a route with dominant recreational traffic and our route with dominant tourist traffic (recreational versus tourist).

Before choosing an intersection project design, an important step is to examine the justification of the construction on the basis of defined criteria. One of the key criteria is the analysis of capacity. Large numbers of roundabout capacity models are present in the world, most of them adapted to the conditions of the country they originate from and they need to be calibrated for local conditions. Key parameters for calibration are critical headway and follow-up headway. Follow-up headway can be measured directly in the field, while critical headway cannot be measured, but is estimated. Many critical headway estimation methods exist (over 30) and each of them provides different values. Different values of critical headway result in different capacity estimation values. This raises the question which method provides more realistic estimations under certain conditions. In this paper, four most frequently used critical headway estimation methods (Raff, Maximum likelihood method, Wu, Logit) were selected to be tested by comparison of theoretical capacity models and actual measured capacity at a small urban roundabout.

This paper describes a rational approach to improve the existing guidelines for road design in the regions of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia in order to determine the carriageway crossfall in curves. In these guidelines there are certain shortcomings in determination of crosfall in comparison to some other European countries guidelines. During the last decades, worldwide and in Europe specifically, significant studies have been conducted on the issue of the operating speed and its implementation into the design process. Most European countries have been implementing this concept. The new German guidelines went a step further and introduced a new concept of a self-explaining class road. Using the results of research carried out in Croatia, this work focuses only on a determination of the carriageway crossfall based on operating speed, separately observing new and existing roads. Whereas the new road segments require implementing the principle of a consistent route, an existing road network can be safely improved only by introducing the criteria of the determination of crossfall in curves based on the operating speed.

Walking is classified as the oldest transport mode with the least impact on the environment. It is frequently one of the intermediate transport modes. Generally, while designing exclusive walking transit areas or structures with high human traffic volumes and considering different scenarios, it is advantageous to be able to foresee the congestion conditions and the relative problems. The study of pedestrian trajectories, which are strictly related to the characteristics of the walkers, is necessary and preliminary for the purposes of an in-depth analysis linked to the habits of populations and cultures. Often areas crowded by tourists run, of limited size such as bridges, must be considered in advance for emergencies. This article focuses on an old footbridge of Mostar located in a confined area with an increasing tourist flow. The peculiarity of the bridge lies in the double-flight geometry with elements that generate discontinuity in the trajectory as well as the steps. This analysis was carried out obtaining the traffic data from video cameras and analyzing different scenarios on holidays and weekdays. Also, the possible presence of obstacles on the bridge was taken into account, such as some areas not walkable for temporary work or the presence of obstacles. These scenarios have been calibrated and simulated through the definition of O/D matrices, arcs and nodes (or areas) through the pedestrian simulation tool Viswalk. This comparison is useful for understanding the variation of LOS (Level of Service) during the daily or emergency situations and the results can provide help to local authorities to plan and design an appropriate action plan. Therefore, this research work aims to compare scenarios under critical flow conditions in the order to define preventively possible actions that can guarantee an optimal LOS value during the bridge crossing and the surrounding areas.

Two-lane rural roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina take up the highest percentage of the national road network and thus carry almost the entire heavy traffic. That is why long platoons are often formed on such roads, vehicle speed is low, and traffic density is high. In order to improve the quality of traffic, it is necessary to determine the level of service for the existing situation and for alternatives involving reconstruction of critical elements along this road network. The percent-time-spent-following is studied in this paper as it is an appropriate measure for determining efficiency of two-lane rural roads.

Abstract Purpose Recently, authors have determined varieties in the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within Europe. This chapter examines similarities and differences in sustainability and related CSR developments in two contrasting European countries, namely Germany (industrialized society) and Croatia (transitional society). It has been argued that sustainable development is an industrial phenomenon common among Western European countries and the USA, often marked as post-industrial societies, and usually not observed in post-socialist and transitional societies which are confronted with an inner need for economic, political, and overall (re)structuring. Concerning differences within Europe, the concept of sustainable development in general and CSR concepts, in particular, have been described in the literature as less advanced in Eastern European countries than in Western European countries. Taking into account socio-cultural influences on the way CSR is understood and practiced, this study discusses this assumption and also addresses the question whether CSR is differently developed and not implicitly less developed. Design/methodology/approach As an illustrative example, a small empirical study was conducted to examine whether consumers in Croatia are actually less prepared for CSR, and, on the other hand, whether they just focus on different dimensions of CSR than consumers in Germany. In more detail, it examined differences in participants’ attitudes, social norms, and perceived level of control with regard to sustainable fashion consumption between German and Croatian consumers. Findings The study’s findings support the assumption of previous studies that consumers’ lack of interest in CSR and knowledge deficits in this regard are likely to be a barrier for CSR development in Croatia. Yet, it also illustrates that the CSR development in Eastern European countries should not automatically be seen as less advanced but in some parts just as different. Findings from the study on differences with regard to the importance of different sustainability dimensions, namely the social and environmental dimension of CSR, support the assumption that the way CSR is understood and practiced differs due to socio-cultural differences. Research limitations/implications As the understanding and development of CSR seem to depend on the socio-cultural context, further research is needed to examine which concepts are present in Croatia concerning sustainability and CSR. Practical implications The findings provide information on the current status of CSR development and sustainable development in two differently governed nations of the EU, namely Germany and Croatia. Resulting practical implications for CSR strategies of companies and interventions to support CSR development and sustainable consumption patterns in both countries are discussed. Originality/value Comparative CSR studies, especially within Europe, are in general rare and in particular, this study is one of a so far very limited number of studies on CSR in Eastern Europe.

The regulations determine the minimum length of passing sight distance as the function of design speed. Researches have confirmed that passing sight distance has a positive impact on capacity for relatively low traffic volume. Recent researches show that the definition of passing capabilities as percentage of zones with forbidden passing (no passing zone) does not describe sufficiently well the real state. In this paper are presented the results of the research on the section of the main road (Vr = 80 km/h), which show that the minimum lengths of passing zones (passing sight distances) have very little effect evan at very low traffic flow rate. The basic parameter of the capacity analysis is PTSF (percent time spent following). By increasing the length of the passing distances, the positive impact increases significantly to a certain limit (optimum length). A further increase loses meaning (does not give a significant effect). The obtained results indicate that additional research could provide design guidance on optimum lengths of passing zone as the function of speed and traffic flow rate.