USE OF RUMBLE STRIPE TO REDUCE MAINTENANCE AND INCREASE DRIVING SAFETY INTERIM REPORT

A RUMBLE STRIPE IS A TEXTURED HIGHWAY PAINT STRIPE. THE STRIPE IS CUT IN CONCRETE HIGHWAYS. IT CONSISTS OF A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE PATTERN CUT THE LENGTH OF A REGULAR PAINT STRIPE AND TRANSVERSE CUTS WHICH ALLOW DRAINAGE AND PROVIDE A RUMBLE EFFECT. THE GROOVED AREAS ARE PAINTED WITH REGULAR TRAFFIC PAINT. THE RUMBLE AS THE NAME IMPLIES SHOULD PRODUCE A RUMBLE NOISE. BECAUSE THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO RUMBLE PRODUCED, DEPENDING UPON DESIGN AND TRANSVERSE CUT WIDTH, THE RUMBLE STRIPE, CONTRARY TO THE IMPLICATION OF ITS NAME, IS VIRTUALLY PERFORMING AS A VISIBILITY STRIPE. THIS REPORT IS LIMITED TO THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE VISIBILITY STRIPE. AN EVALUATION OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE VISIBILITY STRIPE TOWARD DECREASING MAINTENANCE COSTS IS IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS TIME. THE REASONS ARE THAT THE STRIPE WAS PAINTED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WITH TEMPORARY PAINT BEING USED. THE MAINTENANCE PART OF THIS STUDY WILL START AFTER THE HIGHWAY IS PAINTED LATER THIS SUMMER. THIS INVESTIGATION THUS FAR HAS SHOWN THAT THE VISIBILITY STRIPE IS SUPERIOR TO THE REGULAR STRIPE IN VISIBILITY, ESPECIALLY DURING A RAINSTORM BOTH AT NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY. THE VISIBILITY STRIPE INCREASES DRIVING SAFETY AND SHOULD HAVE APPLICATION TO MANY HIGHWAYS. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Hpr, 901
• Corporate Authors:

  Utah State Department of Highways

  757 West Second South
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84104

  Bureau of Public Roads /US

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Farrimond, K D
• Publication Date: 1968-7

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Detectable warning surfaces; Highway safety; Maintenance management; Pavement grooving; Pavements; Road marking materials; Road markings; Striping; Traffic paint; Visibility
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Grooves; Rough textured warning pavement; Traffic marking; Traffic marking materials
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219711
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bureau of Public Roads /US
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 5 1994 12:00AM