Pedestrian Safety: A Cost-Benefit Analysis and Report

Get Your Assignment

You are an Office Assistant for a City Council member. A group of citizens has expressed concern about a busy intersection, and is asking your council member to have a traffic signal installed there to improve safety. The councilmember's Office Manager assigns you to review all the materials on the intersection and produce a cost-benefit analysis of the various options. The council member will use the report to decide what action, if any, might be taken. She will also use your report to discuss her decision with constituents. Your report must carefully weigh the different needs and concerns of all the interested parties.

The files below contain information and visuals that you may use in your analysis.

Read Your Files

File 1: Concerned Citizens

• Letter from parent of child at Play Zone Preschool
• Petition from patrons of Southbend Senior Activity Center
• Letter from principal of Washington Junior High School

File 2: Intersection of Manchaca and Prather

• Scale diagram and description of the intersection
• Photos of the intersection, vehicular and pedestrian traffic

File 3: Requirements for Traffic Signals

• MUTCD warrants
• Warrant 1 and results
• Warrant 4 and results
• Warrant 5 and results
• Warrant 7 and results

File 4: Recommendations

• Engineer's report
• Cost estimates

About these files

The individuals, and organizations listed in files 1, 2, and 4 are entirely fictional. We have created these documents so that you may learn how to use sources effectively and appropriately before conducting original research of your own.

The publication referenced in File 3, the MUTCD, is authentic, however. The file cites the source from which we have drawn this information.

Manchaca Road and Prather Road are real streets in Austin, Texas.

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