Developing an Effective Shoulder and Centerline Rumble Strips/Stripes Policy to Accommodate All Roadway Users

Lane departure crashes including single-vehicle-run-off-road crashes, opposite direction sideswipe and head-on crashes are considered the most severe crashes and are often dominated by sleep deprivation/fatigue, and distracted driving. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 53 percent of annual fatal crashes are attributed to lane and road departures. In Wyoming, lane departure crashes comprised 72 percent of all severe crashes for the years 2008 – 2010. While lane departure crashes are mostly driven by drivers‘ errors, reduction of the frequency and severity can be achieved by more forgiving roadside and specific countermeasures. Rumble strips/stripes are used by many states as a relatively low cost proven safety countermeasure to reduce or prevent lane departure crashes through providing a vibrotactile and audible warning to inattentive motorists. Although the advantages of rumble strips were generally found to outweigh the disadvantages, several issues and concerns have been identified regarding the implementation of rumble strips; noise, maintenance, and the adverse effects on bicyclists and motorcyclists are among the most recognized concerns. This study demonstrated that despite the fact that rumble strips have been used for many years, there are no standardized practices used in the U.S. A significant number of states are still working on updating their rumble strips policies; their main goal is to enhance motor vehicle safety while accommodating all road users to the highest practical extent. The information provided in this report and the companion Expert System that was developed as part of this study may provide the necessary background for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and other transportation agencies when it comes to updating or developing an effective all road users‘ friendly rumble strips policy.

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• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/29526
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Wyoming, Laramie

  Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering
  1000 East University Avenue
  Laramie, WY  United States  82071

  Wyoming Department of Transportation

  5300 Bishop Boulevard
  Cheyenne, WY  United States  82009-3340

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Ahmed, Mohamed
  • Sharif, Mirza A
  • Ksaibati, Khaled
  • 0000-0002-9241-1792
• Publication Date: 2015-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 205p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Center lines; Cyclists; Expert systems; Literature reviews; Motorcyclists; Policy; Road shoulders; Rumble strips; State departments of transportation; State of the practice; Surveys
• Geographic Terms: Wyoming
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01580255
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-WY-15/02
• Contract Numbers: RS04(214)
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 2 2015 9:18AM