LCC analys av 2+1- och 2+2-vägar : -arbetsmiljö och samhällskostnader

Sammanfattning: We have been traveling on roads for hundreds of years and the development during those years has led to safer roads. Barriers between the two traffic lanes have been one of the most important measures to prevent cross-median collisions. In 1998, the world's first cable barrier was arranged and ever since, there have been discussions held about the cable barrier’s function and maintenance cost. This report shows, like many before, that the cable barrier is more expensive in maintenance costs from a life cycle perspective than the steel beam is. The 2+1 road's working environment is considered to be a problem for operating contractors, rescue personnel and others who may be working on the road. The road itself is quite narrow and the surrounding traffic passes close by the workers. This could be avoided with an extra traffic lane, like a 2+2 road. The costs to society, caused by traffic delays and fatal and severe injuries, would probably also decrease, while statistics proves less accidents due to driving into the midbarrier on a 2+2 road, than a 2+1 road. Similarly to this, statistics also indicates that the 2+2 road would provide a smoother traffic flow and a higher traffic safety. LCC is an abbreviation for Life-Cycle Cost and is a method for calculating and comparing different investment options. The two main alternatives calculated are the 2+1 road with cable barrier and the 2+2 road with steel beam. A third alternative, 2+1 road with steel beam has also been compared in this report. The results show the 2+2 road’s top layers with steel beam barrier included, is less expensive over years, than the 2+1 road’s top layers with cable barrier or with steel beam barrier. The maintenance costs have been calculated over a period of 30, 40 and 60 years, in order to analyze the cost variations over different periods. The initial cost of the 2+2-road is of little importance in relation to the probable increased road safety, the safer work environment and hopefully the lower society costs. Especially when the 2+2 road is less costly after already 20 years.