RESEARCH PAYS OFF--CALTRANS TRIMS FOOTING AND COSTS FROM MEDIAN BARRIERS

The time-consuming process of installing barriers on existing highways caused traffic delays and had the potential for causing construction-related accidents. On the recommendation of value engineers, test barriers were constructed and crash-tested, and the standard plan for concrete median barriers was amended to eliminate the footings. The redesigned barrier could be shipformed directly on top of the pavement or on a compacted aggregate base in one operation. The barrier remains connected to bridge decks by means of dowels. The barriers were installed more quickly and with less disruption of traffic than were the old barriers. Caltrans estimates that the average savings for barriers without footings to be $5 per linear foot. In a 3-year period, Caltrans built over 292,000 linear feet of barrier for a savings of over $1,460,000.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn111.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Publication Date: 1984-3

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 8-9
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 111
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826
  • Serial URL: https://doi.org/10.17226/895

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Building; Costs; Design; Dowels; Facilities; Footings; Installation; Median barriers; Savings; Slip form pavers; Traffic delays
• Old TRIS Terms: Slip forms
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00386679
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 30 1984 12:00AM