EN
The purpose of the study was to determine the importance of various parameters of forest roads used by heavy goods vehicles for transporting timber based on the research conducted among drivers and employees working on the road infrastructure of a forest district (road managers). The study analyzed the road parameters presented in the site plan, its vertical structure and type of surface (material). A questionnaire was sent by post to all (430) forest districts in Poland, which resulted in the receipt of 296 correctly completed surveys. Additionally, individual questionnaire interviews (82) were conducted with drivers of heavy goods vehicles (trucks with dolly or semi−trailer, and trucks with trailer). The questionnaire used an analogue scale, where respondents marked a point corresponding to the intensity of their assessment. Non−parametric tests were used (Friedman ANOVA and Kendall compatibility factor, U Mann−Whitney) in the statistical analyses. According to drivers, the most important road parameters in the site plan are the width of intersections (widened sections in the form of arcs that facilitate turning onto a perpendicular road), the proper location of log−yards, widened curves and the roadway width. Forest district employees pointed the width of intersections and the roadway as the most important. The road elements in the situational plan are regarded as more important by drivers of vehicles with dolly or semi−trailer compared to the drivers of vehicles with a trailer, which is caused by the differences in the parameters of these vehicles (turning radius). The most important road parameter in terms of the vertical structure is its gradual course (no steep ascents and descents). The respondents attach great importance to the significance of the type of road surface used, and indicated bituminous and crushed stone pavements as the most useful on transport routes in the forest. The importance of road parameters was rated significantly higher by drivers of high tonnage vehicles. However, it should be emphasized that despite the differences found, the answers of forest district road managers also indicate that they attach great importance to having the transport roads in the forest meet specific design requirements. In general the respondents considered the parameters of all analyzed road elements important – the importance of individual parameters was evaluated to from 5 to 6.5 out of 7 pts.