How important is the Roadside Design Manual?

[gornellig]

I've spent a lot of money purchasing books for this exam and two weeks out just realized this is probably a book I will need. How important is this book? I have the CERM, All-in-One for the morning, and various practice exams. For the afternoon I have the transpo six minute solutions, Green Book, HCM, and MUTCD. Is the Roadside Design Guide really THAT necessary? I have already dropped 500+ on books I will probably never open again and it would pain me to spend more. I've seen mixed thoughts on how necessary this book is. If I'm confident enough in the other material, is it really worth it to have just for a few problems?

 

[John QPE]

Only you can decide if winging 1-2 problems without this is worth it to you.

 

[ptatohed]

Moving this to the appropriate forum.

It's called the Roadside Design Guide.

It's up to you. You know from the NCEES syllabus the RDG could be used for 2 of the 4 topics in item V, right?

https://cdn.ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Civ-Tran-April-2015-1_Combined.rev1_.pdf

So you have to decide if the cost is worth it for those potential ~2 questions.

Your CERM, 6MS, and AI1 may cover some of the RDG concepts.

 

[Road Guy]

It's worth trying to borrow from work, but there's going to be a guaranteed minimum of one question from it, same for the muTCD

 

[John QPE]

Buy it and return it. You're close enough to the exam to pull that off

 

[ptatohed]

Buy it and return it. You're close enough to the exam to pull that off

I did that with my extra calculator. But I never opened it. Also, you could buy used and sell used and just take a little hit.

 

[Atharaenea]

I wouldn't try selling/returning the books until after you find out if you passed (or not). You might be close enough to return it, but by the time we get our results it'll probably be too late.

I've spent well over $1600 on this exam too. It sucks, but I plan on reselling the books if I pass, and hopefully get at least some of that money back. I figure if I'm spending $350 on a test, I better not take any risks and buy everything I need so I don't have to take it again.

And as far as I've read, the most important books to have are MUTCD, HCM, the Green Book, and unfortunately the Roadside Design Guide. I made sure to get those 4 first.

 

[InternetUser]

There were questions from MUTCD, HCM, Green Book and Roadside Design Guide as well as at least 1 question from ADA reference that on the list.

Not all my reference books were updated, so it didn't help me.

 

[ptatohed]

There were questions from MUTCD, HCM, Green Book and Roadside Design Guide as well as at least 1 question from ADA reference that on the list.

Not all my reference books were updated, so it didn't help me.

What didn't help you?  Help you with what?

 

[InternetUser]

What didn't help you?  Help you with what?

Having outdated reference material. Otherwise I used all books I had with me. During AM I only used CERM and notes from School of PE (it was not enough I thought), and during PM other reference material.

 

[ptatohed]

Having outdated reference material. Otherwise I used all books I had with me. During AM I only used CERM and notes from School of PE (it was not enough I thought), and during PM other reference material.

I am still confused with the point you are trying to make but it's probably just me, sorry.  The Transpo Depth references didn't really change all that much from the previous editions.  Really only the HCM changed significantly (2000 --> 2010).  Of course it's always recommended to have the latest exam references but I think with sufficient preparation, most Transpo PM questions can be answered even with an older edition reference. 

 

[ASchmidt]

My opinion, definitely bring the RDG.

 

[John QPE]

My opinion, if you're going to take this exam, and take it seriously, bring every reference they tell you to bring. Not an old edition, not the current edition which isn't required by NCEES, the book that is on the NCEES list.

 

[ptatohed]

My opinion, if you're going to take this exam, and take it seriously, bring every reference they tell you to bring. Not an old edition, not the current edition which isn't required by NCEES, the book that is on the NCEES list.

I agree for the most part but NCEES went ape $#!+ with all of the recommended asphalt and concrete books.  I skipped on each and every one of those.