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Stage 2 of Transfund New Zealand's research project on assessing passing opportunities builds on initial work that investigated ways in which improved passing opportunities can be provided and analysed. The main objectives of this research were:

• to assess measures of driver frustration resulting from inadequate passing opportunities
• to determine the crash reduction potential of passing lanes in New Zealand
• to develop a simplified system for assessing the provision of passing lanes
• to assess optimum data requirements to calibrate TRARR for New Zealand conditions.

A tangible willingness to pay for passing lanes due to frustration was determined. A number of factors were found to have an effect on passing lane crash rates, including crash type, crash location, and passing lane length. A simplified model for assessing the optimum location of passing lanes was developed. A comparison of both this model and TRARR with 'before and after' field data was made.

Keywords: rural highway, two-lane, passing lanes, overtaking, driver frustration, safety, simulation, TRARR, project evaluation, New Zealand