Rumble Strip Implementation Fact Sheet: Bicycles

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Safety
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Rumble strips
  • Plan implementation
  • Bicycles
  • Bicycle safety
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-SA-15-031
• Resource Type:
  Brief
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Safety
• Abstract:
  Center and edge line or shoulder rumble strips are extremely effective in reducing severe roadway departure crashes at a low cost. Rumble strips use both noise and vibration to alert the driver that he or she is leaving the appropriate travel path. On undivided highways, rumble strips may be installed on the roadway shoulder or edge line and on the center line. The strategic placement of rumble strips, especially those on the shoulder or edge line, is important as practitioners balance safety effects for motorists and bicyclists. There are several options for adjusting rumble strip dimensions, location, and offset that an agency can consider to better accommodate bicyclists. These options can be implemented through policy and through flexible design practices at specific locations. Modifying the design of a rumble strip may reduce its safety effectiveness for motorists. However, even a smaller, quieter rumble is more likely to improve safety along a corridor than no rumble at all. Bicyclists' safety is also a concern of transportation safety practitioners. Although the exact impact of rumble strips on bicycle crashes is unknown, we do know that rumble strips can negatively impact bicyclists' ability to ride if not properly mitigated.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/49420/dot_49420_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 253.48 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Highway Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f73fbd0e72be6796f4fba18c57d2470467c824e91707bffc65c36de0f89765c7f817346e1eca2316bf1bd65d97b009d7759031da2e0eb33f506fc95a569b7511