Last week FHWA sent out new guidance to the states regarding rumble strips (see attached). These guidelines replace the Roadway Shoulder Rumble Strips from December 2001. Essentially it talks about the effectiveness of rumbles and then advises states on a number of issues, with one issue being that states should use mitigation strategies for rumbles in instances where a shoulder is less than 4'. It practically mirrors the standards that TDOT adopted last year.
Jessica L. Wilson, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
This is an excellent document explaining the current status of rumble strips. It also validates what TDOT is doing. It is not necessarily so good for cyclists in that it amends the no rumble strip unless four feet of usable shoulder remains to advising amelioration techniques where less than four feet remains. As before, these are only guidelines.
ReplyDeleteMy recent ride on TN 62 from Monterey to Wartburg included sections recently rumbled with the new standards. It was not the absolute misery of the old rumbles but was still a nuisance. Of particular surprise to me was the benefit of having about ten feet of rumble always followed by about ten feet of non rumble. That did allow for escape from or to the travel lane to avoid overtaking traffic or hazards in the shoulder. Contrary to the document's statement that rumbles did not lead to early deterioration of the roadway, we encountered numerous instances where the shoulder had crumbled only at the rumbles. Perhaps faulty paving as there were also plenty of cave ins where there was no rumble.
The FHWA is now internally consistent on this issue.
Bruce