[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23770-23771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11726]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket No. FHWA-2009-0054]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection, Titled: Reports, Forms and 
Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day 
public comment period on this information collection on February 26, 
2009. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by June 19, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket ID Number FHWA-
2009-0054 by any of the following methods:
    Web Site: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Granda, PhD, Team Leader, Human 
Centered Systems, Office of Safety Research and Development, HRDS-07, 
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, Federal Highway 
Administration, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101, tel. 202-493-
3365 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays, or Paul J. Tremont, PhD (same address) at 202-493-
3338.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements.
    The FHWA invites public comments on our intention to request the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a total of 30 field 
and laboratory research studies that will include collections of 
information from the general public. These studies will be conducted 
over a period not to exceed 3 years with an annual burden of 
approximately 1000 hours and a grand total burden of approximately 3000 
hours. These collections are integral to the performance of various 
analytical, field, and laboratory human factors research projects that 
FHWA intends to conduct in support of its mission of improving safety 
and increasing mobility on our Nation's highways through National 
Leadership, Innovation, and Program Delivery.
    The field and laboratory research FHWA conducts usually involves 
observations of driver behavior. In the field, these studies are often 
completely non-intrusive. However, some field research studies require 
that interview data be collected from individuals in the field. For 
example, if drivers are participating in a research study on a novel 
intersection, interview data might be acquired from a subset of drivers 
to determine what they observed while driving or how they made their 
decisions. In these cases the interview will be brief (10-15 minutes). 
The same procedure may be used with laboratory studies.
    The vast majority of laboratory and field studies that FHWA 
conducts acquire data on human performance in controlled experimental 
settings. For example, FHWA may be interested in drivers' reactions to 
the visibility of signs of differing reflectivity.

Research Areas and Associated Collections

    The FHWA Office of Safety Research and Development intends to 
conduct analytical, field, and laboratory research projects focused on 
highway safety that will require acquisition of data from small samples 
of the general public. This research is directed at human factors 
issues within the following broad program areas: (A) infrastructure 
design including innovative intersection configurations and signage and 
roadway markings; (B) highway operations; (C) intelligent 
transportation systems, including traffic management centers; (D) 
driver-vehicle and infrastructure-vehicle interfaces; (E) older and 
younger driver programs; and (F) pedestrian and bicyclist concerns. 
Given that the focus of the research in the above areas is on human 
factors issues, it will require that data be collected on a few key 
demographic variables such as age, gender, and driving experience. The 
data collected will not be linked to personal identifying information. 
Before any study is conducted under this approval request, a thorough 
review will be undertaken to ensure such data is not currently 
available, and that the proposed study does not duplicate other work.

Situations that Require Collections of Information--Examples from Each 
Category

    Category A Infrastructure Design. An example from Category A would 
be a study designed to test an innovative intersection design such as a 
Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). This is a highly efficient 
intersection design, but if not properly implemented, it could 
potentially cause confusion. In a DDI, drivers cross over to the left 
side of the highway, with the result that opposing traffic is placed on 
their right side. When testing a DDI, FHWA will need to know whether 
drivers perceived any ambiguity in the signage, if they had any 
orientation problems seeing opposing traffic on their right, and if 
they have any suggestions for improving the overall ease with which 
such an intersection could be driven. Other innovative intersection 
designs would also benefit from similar information acquired from 
drivers. Roadway departure is another problem area that could benefit 
from individual driver data. For example, it would be helpful to know 
how drivers perceive their interaction with the infrastructure led to 
or prevented roadway design.
    Category B Highway Operations. One of the many challenges 
confronting highway engineers is designing a signal system that 
maximizes throughput and minimizes delay. Excess delay can have the 
unintended consequence of encouraging drivers to run red lights. This 
problem can be examined by

[[Page 23771]]

observing drivers' behavior under differing signaling conditions. 
However, direct verbal reports of drivers are often needed to determine 
why drivers are making their decisions. For example FHWA may learn from 
questioning drivers that they would be less likely to speed up when 
approaching a signal if they knew the signal system would recognize 
this behavior and respond accordingly. One way this might happen is by 
advising the motorist earlier of the impending signal change. Driver 
interviews performed under this study area can provide information on 
many key issues including behavioral adaptation, decision making, and 
reaction times to signal phases and changes. This kind of information 
could lead to improvements to signal controllers that increase mobility 
and improve safety. Speed management is another area that could benefit 
from interview data. For example, lower speed limits in construction 
zones are difficult to enforce, and interview data with drivers can 
provide information on better methods of restraining driver speeds in 
these hazardous situations.
    Categories C and D (Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), 
including Driver-Vehicle and Driver-Infrastructure Interfaces and 
Traffic Management Centers). One ITS safety countermeasure being 
studied by FHWA is a system to protect the potential victim of a red 
light runner at a signalized intersection. ITS affords the capability, 
via wireless communication and advanced sensing technologies, to warn a 
driver if another driver is about to run a red light and a collision is 
imminent. This warning can be given in the car or from special signals 
placed in the infrastructure. FHWA is interested in determining how 
drivers respond to these new warnings that tell them to slow down or 
stop. Information acquired in interviews with drivers is needed to 
clarify their understanding of the purpose of various special signals, 
as well as aspects of their behavior not readily detectable, such as 
whether they checked their rear view mirror before braking, and whether 
they would have proceeded through the intersection had the signal not 
come on. Such information will assist FHWA in designing intelligent 
infrastructure systems to benefit highway safety and operations.
    Category E (Older and Younger Drivers). The opinions of these two 
high risk groups are needed for almost all FHWA safety related studies. 
For example, data on the ease of use expressed by older drivers with 
respect to an innovative design informs the engineer which aspects of 
the new design present potential safety problems and may be in need of 
modification. In contrast, young drivers present a separate set of 
challenges for highway engineers. Their ability to negotiate a new 
design may be less of a concern, however; it is necessary to understand 
how these drivers regard the conflict points presented by new designs. 
This is of particular importance as some younger drivers may be willing 
to take extra risks in situations where ambiguity exists. Gathering 
verbal feedback from younger drivers will help engineers determine 
areas of potential ambiguity in design and modify these areas as 
necessary to ensure they are not introducing safety hazards.
    Category F (Pedestrians and Bicyclists). Research related to 
pedestrians and bicyclists arises from the need to determine the most 
effective ways to accommodate these infrastructure users. While overt 
pedestrian and bicyclist behavior can be directly observed fairly 
easily, it is sometimes necessary to collect user opinions and 
reactions. For example, when a new intersection design is being 
introduced (e.g., a triple lane roundabout) it is especially 
advantageous to acquire data that provides insights into the needs and 
challenges that pedestrians and bicyclists face as they negotiate such 
an intersection. The needs of disabled pedestrians are also considered 
when researching new intersection treatments, and in these efforts FHWA 
works closely with the U.S. Access Board to ensure that novel 
intersection treatments accommodate their needs. Another example of 
research in this area is determining bicyclists' reactions to such 
treatments as separately marked bicycle lanes, signage, and overall 
roadway configuration.

Description of How Field and Laboratory Study Participants Will Be 
Acquired

    Samples for research studies will be acquired by advertisement in 
local papers, by the distribution of flyers, or by postings to the 
internet. Typically, interested parties contact FHWA and they are asked 
a few questions to determine whether they qualify for the study. These 
questions involve such issues as age, driver familiarity with the 
location or scenario being used, number of miles driven per year, and 
gender.

Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting From These Information Collections and Requests for Comments

    Frequency: This approval request is for 30 studies over a 3-year 
period.
    Individual Respondent Burden: FHWA estimates data acquisition from 
persons participating in research will average about 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The maximum burden for any 
single field study with in-person interviewing will be (200*10)/60 or 
33 hours. The maximum burden for any single research study (including a 
short interview of approximately 10 minutes) will be (200*60)/60 or 200 
hours. The grand total of burden hours under this approval request is 
3,000 hours (30 studies, at 1 hour per study). Since this burden will 
be over a three-year period, the total annual burden becomes 1,000 
hours. Respondents will not incur any reporting or record keeping cost, 
or any record keeping burden as a result of these collections.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
these information collections, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collections are necessary for FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burden; (3) ways for FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
FHWA will respond to your comments and summarize or include them when 
requesting clearance from OMB for these information data collections.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on May 14, 2009.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. E9-11726 Filed 5-19-09; 8:45 am]
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