The combined application of centerline and shoulder rumble strips is intended to reduce the frequency of crashes by alerting drivers that they are about to leave the traveled lane. To date, this combination treatment has not been rigorously evaluated with a multistate database. To fill this void, this study evaluated treated two-lane rural road locations in three states. To account for potential site selection bias, an empirical Bayes (EB) before-after analysis was conducted. The combined results for all states indicate statistically significant crash reductions for all crash types analyzed. The crash type with the smallest crash modification factor (CMF) (i.e., the greatest crash reduction) is head-on with a CMF of 0.632 (i.e., a crash reduction of 36.8%). For run-off-road, head-on, and sideswipe-opposite direction crashes combined (i.e., lane departure crashes), the estimated CMF is 0.733. Benefit:cost (B:C) ratios were estimated to range from 28.2 to 67.7, depending on the treatment cost and service life assumption.
Safety Effectiveness of Centerline Plus Shoulder Rumble Strips on Two-Lane Rural Roads
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Technical Papers
Safety Effectiveness of Centerline Plus Shoulder Rumble Strips on Two-Lane Rural Roads
Abstract
Authors
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Ryerson Univ., 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 2K3 (corresponding author). E-mail: bpersaud@ryerson.ca
Principal, Persaud and Lyon, Inc., 663 Gainsborough Ave., Ottawa, ON, Canada K2A 2Y9. E-mail: craig.lyon@rogers.com
Safety Practice Leader, VHB Engineering NC, P.C., 4000 WestChase Blvd., Suite 530, Raleigh, NC 27607. E-mail: keccles@vhb.com
Transportation Engineer, VHB Engineering NC, P.C., 4000 WestChase Blvd., Suite 530, Raleigh, NC 27607. E-mail: JSoika@VHB.com
Received: March 24, 2015
Accepted: September 30, 2015
Published online: January 22, 2016
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers