Benefit Cost Analysis of Brifen Wire Rope Safety Fence on Lake Hefner Parkway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if the Brifen Wire Rope Safety Fence (Brifen WRSF) on Lake Hefner Parkway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has been an effective and economical safety treatment to reduce the number of cross median crashes. To determine the effectiveness of the Brifen WRSF an incremental benefit cost analysis was completed using the FHWA Comprehensive Crash Costs and ASSHTO Roadside Design Guide crash costs separately. Two analyses were conducted; one involving all cross median crashes and one with semi-trucks, which exceeded the design limits of the safety device, removed from the analysis. If the Brifen Wire Rope Safety Fence has been a good economical choice, the incremental benefit cost ratio will be 1.0 or higher. e Brifen WRSF has been an effective and economical safety treatment for Lake Hefner Parkway. The number of severe injury and fatal crashes has been greatly reduced after the Brifen WRSF installation. Using FHWA crash costs and including all types of crashes, the B/C ratio was 9.70 and increased to 11.52 when semi-trucks were removed from the analysis. Using AASHTO Roadside Design Guide crash costs, the B/C ratio was 5.58 and 6.37 respectively. Both methods show that the Brifen WRSF has been a highly effective and economical safety investment, since costs for installation and maintenance has been substantially less than the benefits from reduced crash severity.