# PROGRESS *IN MOTION*

## YOUR LINK TO KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR TODAY'S TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration Southern Resource Center - VOLUME 1,
ISSUE 1

MAY 2002

**2 FOR THE ROAD**

**A DOUBLE SAFETY SOLUTION**

The 2000 Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported that 52 percent
of the fatal crashes in Mississippi were single vehicle \"Run-Off-Road\"
(ROR) crashes. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that
fatigue or drowsiness is a significant factor in ROR crashes. Other
factors contributing to ROR crashes include driver inattention, wet
pavement, and poor visibility. Therefore, the need for the highway
community is clear; focus efforts on developing countermeasures that
will provide the driver with positive guidance and an effective warning
of a departure from the roadway.

![](media/image1.png){width="2.0104166666666665in"
height="2.78125in"}The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)
is making a great effort to reduce the crashes and fatalities in their
state. \"Safety is always on the forefront in everything we do\" said
MDOT\'s James Kopf, Deputy Executive Director/Chief Engineer. MDOT\'s
assertive efforts to test different rumble strip designs in combination
with striping, places them on the cutting edge in developing
countermeasures to ROR crashes.

The initial reviews at night during the heavy rains of southern
Mississippi have indicated an enhanced performance for the striping when
applied on the rumble strips. The vertical face of the rumble strips
provides a raised texture that enhances the retroreflective performance
of the striping material. Following a complete evaluation of this
countermeasure, MDOT will determine the extent and the best approach of
deployment. If fully implemented, this countermeasure could have
significant safety results in Mississippi since it addresses the needs
of both attentive drivers with positive guidance and alerts the
inattentive drivers with vibration and noise.

Over the course of several months, MDOT\'s District 6 in Hattiesburg led
by Richard Lee, District Engineer, placed several different rumble strip
test markers that will help them determine the best rumble strip
application. Test sections of rumble strips were placed on I-59, south
of Hattiesburg, ranging from 6\" to 16\". Some sections utilize paint
striping on the milled rumble strips and others apply thermoplastic on
the milled rumble strips.

***\"Safety is always on the forefront in everything we do\"***

![](media/image2.png){width="2.5in" height="1.3125in"}

**FIGURE A FIGURE B**

For example: Figure A shows the 16\" rumble strip offset 12\" from the
edge of pavement. Figure B also shows 16\" rumble strip, but with 6\" of
this rumble strip placed on the edge of pavement, while the remaining
10\" will be cut into the shoulder. The 6\" thermoplastic strip was
placed on the inside 6\" of the rumble strip. MDOT had experimented with
one of the proprietary textured striping products and found that the
combination rumble strips/striping treatment could be installed for
approximately 36% of the cost, plus this treatment provided the extra
benefits of the rumble strips.

MDOT is testing Figure B on an upcoming two-lane highway project to
monitor results. The typical section is twelve-foot lanes with two foot
paved shoulders. After the treatment has been evaluated, MDOT will
consider whether to use it as the standard application for two lane
roads.

![](media/image4.png){width="2.3645833333333335in"
height="1.4583333333333333in"}

*The reviewing team that participated in*

*MDOT's rumble test areas. Left to right:*

*Hari Kalla, Rudy Umbs, Frank Julian,*

*Teresa Pace, Jim Willis, James Kopf,*

*Steve McMahen, Richard Lee, Andy Hughes,*

*Todd Jordan*

The test sections were reviewed by MDOT\'s James Kopf, Deputy Executive
Director/Chief Engineer, Federal Highway Administration. (FHWA)
Mississippi Division\'s Andrew Hughes, Division Administrator, and
Safety CBU\'s Rudy Umbs and Southern Resource Center\'s (SRC) Safety
Team Leader, Frank Julian along with other participants this past
January. They were all equally pleased with the quality. MDOT is
planning to closely monitor the effects of this treatment on I-59 and
will release a detailed evaluation later this year.

The FHWA has developed a Rumble Strip Website/CD-ROM designed to put
technical information on rumble strips at the user\'s fingertips. The
website address is:

**http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/rumble.htm**

For more information, please contact:

Richard Lee, MDOT, District Engineer

\(601\) 544-6511

Teresa Pace, FHWA-Safety Engineer

\(601\) 965-4217 or

Frank Julian, FHWA-SRC, Safety Engineer Team Leader (404) 562-3689