PIARC Releases Roads-Related Electronic Manuals

The World Road Association (PIARC) has released three roads-related electronic manuals available as free PDF downloads on its website.

The Road Safety Manual (RMS) is an important tool for road planners, policy makers and engineers to fufill road safety objectives. The digital manual includes new thinking on road safety and offers a comprehensive argument on why adopting a safe system approach is crucial. This approach aims for a more forgiving road system that takes human fallibility and vulnerability into account and promotes shared responsibility for road safety outcomes among all stakeholders.

Designed to assist countries at every stage of infrastructure development to advance road safety and fulfil key objectives in the United Nations’ Global Plan, the RMS:

• outlines the full scope of the global road safety problem and examines strategic issues involved in developing a management system
• presents strategies for delivering targeted improvements and detailed guidance on how to plan, design, prioritize, implement and manage these interventions within a country’s road network
• demonstrates the safety impacts and value created by adopting global strategies

The Road Tunnels Manual operates as an electronic encyclopedia comprised of two principal parts. The part “Transverse aspects” contains five chapters that consider general aspects of road tunnels. The part “Operational and Safety Requirements” of the Manual contains four chapters and addresses particular elements of tunnels taking these requirements into consideration. The Manual ends with a Glossary which describes 200 terms and definitions translated into twenty languages.

Aimed at keeping up with the fast development of design to operation techniques, this manual is the ideal reference for all road tunnel professionals and is updated regularly via the Technical Committee, along with comments and suggestions from its readers.

The Snow and Ice Data Book (2014 edition) helps engineers and professionals involved in managing, designing and administering winter road maintenance understand how other jurisdictions are handling cold weather conditions, and how to apply their learning to their own road network.

Become a PIARC Member

Canadians interested in learning more about PIARC, or becoming members, should visit the World Road Association page of the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) website.  TAC currently serves as secretariat for the Canadian National Committee (CNC) of the World Road Association, and individuals or organizations interested in PIARC membership join through the CNC. 

Transportation professionals can also create a free account on the PIARC website, to access many PIARC technical resources, including:

• articles, publications (from sources such as the “Routes/Roads” magazine) and technical reports, organized by knowledge base such as risk management;
• technical reports produced by one of the 20 PIARC technical committees;
• documents and proceedings from past international seminars and workshops;
• past Congress general reports; and
• a PIARC newsletter subscription.

PIARC was established in 1909 as a non-political, non-profit organization that aims to develop international cooperation and foster progress in the area of roads and road transport. The organization brings together the road administrations of 120 governments and has members – individuals, companies, authorities and organizations – in more than 140 countries.

If you have questions or comments, please contact us at CNC-PIARC Secretariat, 2323 St. Laurent Blvd, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4J8 or call 613-736-1350 x226.