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Title:

Field Implementation and Verification of Directional Rumble Strips to Deter Wrong-Way Freeway Entries

Accession Number:

01660511

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

This paper summarizes the results of Phase II of a research project developing a novel design utilizing directional rumble strips (DRS) to deter wrong-way entries onto freeway off-ramps. In Phase I of this project, five concept designs of the DRS were developed to generate elevated sound and vibration to warn against wrong-way driving (WWD) and to generate normal sound and vibration to slow down the right-way (RW) traffic. After initial field tests in Phase I, three final conceptual DRS designs were selected for further implementation and verification, specifically Patterns C, D3, and E. Pattern C was designed based on traditional transverse rumble strips (TRS), but the spacing between the strips was changed to generate different rhythms of sound and vibration. Pattern D3 had increasing thickness and length for each strip, which also visually warned potential wrong-way (WW) drivers. Pattern E was a right-angled triangle with a different length for the side cross-section which produced the most recognizable sound and vibration from the WW direction among the three patterns. The objective of this paper is to document the field verification results of the final three patterns and to develop an implementation guideline for applying them on off-ramps. Overall, the field verification results indicated that the tested DRS can generate recognizable interior sound and a moderate amount of vibration to affect driver behavior. An implementation guide was also developed for transportation agencies to identify proper locations for installing these patterns to achieve the best performance based on length and type of off-ramps.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB50 Standing Committee on Traffic Control Devices.

Report/Paper Numbers:

18-03773

Language:

English

Authors:

Xue, Chennan
Zhou, Huaguo
Xu, Dan
Liu, Pan

Pagination:

13p

Publication Date:

2018

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Photos; References; Tables

Subject Areas:

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-03773

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Jan 8 2018 10:56AM