Research Spotlight
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION Bureau of Field Services Michigan Department of Transportation Research Spotlight Cable median barriers: Project Information REPORT NAME: Study of High- A cost-effective means Tension Cable Barriers on Michigan Roadways to save lives START DATE: October 2011 Median-crossover crashes are among the most hazardous events that can occur on freeways, often leading to serious injury or death. In recent REPORT DATE: October 2014 years, high-tension cable median barriers have emerged as a cost- RESEARCH REPORT NUMBER: effective alternative to conventional barriers in preventing such crashes. RC-1612 MDOT began installing them on state freeways in 2008. This research TOTAL COST: $223,895 project confirmed that cable median barriers are effective at reducing crossover crashes and improving freeway safety in Michigan, produced COST SHARING: 20% MDOT, 80% guidelines to help identify the best locations to install them, and FHWA through the SPR, Part II, developed content for public outreach materials explaining their benefit. Program MDOT Project Manager Problem Carlos Torres, P.E. Freeway median barriers made of concrete, steel Geometric Design Unit guardrail or high-tension Design Division cable are all effective at Michigan Department of preventing crossover Transportation crashes, but they can be 425 West Ottawa Street costly to install and main- Lansing, MI 48909 tain. Cable median barriers [email protected] have lower installation costs 517-335-2852 than concrete or guardrail Since their installation on selected Michigan highways beginning in alternatives, though they 2008, cable median barriers have reduced crossover crash rates in are more easily damaged these highway segments by 87 percent. by vehicle strikes, leading to higher maintenance and repair costs. over 300 miles of cable barriers on state In addition, while cable barriers minimize highways. Research was needed to evaluate crossover crashes, their close proximity to whether cable barriers have proven to be the roadway can lead to an increase in less a successful, cost-effective treatment in severe crashes. Michigan, accounting for unique factors Based on successes in other states, in such as the significant snowfall that some 2008 MDOT began an initiative to install areas of the state receive. (continued) ments fell by 87 percent, and the barriers Value “This project confirmed successfully contained 97 percent of the This study confirms that cable median that cable median bar- vehicles that hit them. barriers are a cost-effective treatment for riers are saving lives in Cable barriers have improved overall reducing crossover crashes, fatalities and safety at the locations where they have been Michigan by preventing serious injuries in Michigan. The guidelines installed. The most serious crash types—fa- developed through this research give crossover crashes. The tal and severe injury crashes—decreased by MDOT a framework for determining where increase in minor, proper- 33 percent after cable median barriers were cable barriers are likely to have the greatest installed, according to rigorous statistical ty-damage only crashes is positive impact and return on investment analysis. Since their installation, cable based on crash data and site characteristics a small tradeoff compared barriers are estimated to have saved 20 lives specific to Michigan. MDOT is reviewing with the life-saving ben- and prevented over 100 serious injuries in these recommendations for possible efits of cable barrier.” Michigan. incorporation into future updates to the As expected, low-severity crashes department’s median treatment design Carlos Torres, P.E. increased following the cable barrier instal- guidelines. Project Manager lation; crashes involving only property To help educate drivers about the damage or minor injuries increased by safety benefits of cable median barriers, 155 percent. Researchers’ analysis showed Research the researchers also developed content for that placing the cable barrier farther from public outreach messaging, including an For each highway segment where cable the roadway (toward the center of the update to MDOT’s 2011 brochure on cable median barriers were installed, researchers median) would result in fewer low-severity median barriers. conducted a detailed review of crash crashes, but this can be impractical because reports in the years before and after instal- of soil conditions, slope grade, drainage lation. They performed statistical analyses characteristics, or increased installation Research Administration to obtain the most accurate estimate of the and maintenance costs. barriers’ effects on crash frequency and Overall, cable median barriers were severity. They also compared the safety slightly more prone to penetration by Principal Investigator performance of cable median barriers, a vehicle than thrie-beam guardrail or Peter T. Savolainen, Ph.D., P.E. thrie-beam median guardrails and concrete concrete barrier, but they were the most Wayne State University median barriers. effective in preventing redirection back into Detroit, MI 48202 Researchers examined the effects of the travel lanes. Other findings include: several site-specific factors on the cable [email protected] • Motorcycles: Cable barriers did not 515-294-3381 barriers’ performance, including annual significantly impact motorcycle crash snowfall, traffic volume, median width trends. Contact Us and road geometry. From these analyses, • Winter roadway conditions: Crash PHONE: 517-636-4555 they developed guidelines to help MDOT frequency increased in times of adverse E-MAIL: [email protected] identify and prioritize locations best suited weather and road conditions, but the cable WEB SITE: www.michigan.gov/ for cable barrier installation, where the barriers continued to contain vehicles as mdotresearch return on investment would be greatest. intended. Finally, the researchers conducted • Rollovers: Median rollover crash rates This final report is available an economic analysis to assess the cost- decreased by 50 percent after cable barriers online at effectiveness of the cable barrier system, were installed. www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/ considering installation and maintenance Researchers found that cable barrier RC1612_474931_7.pdf. costs as well as safety benefits. is a cost-effective median treatment in Michigan. Factoring in both installation Results costs and maintenance costs, they calcu- Cable median barriers have been highly lated a time of return—the time needed for effective at reducing crossover crashes in expected benefits to equal costs—of 13.4 Research Spotlight produced by Michigan. After the barriers were installed, years. Cable barrier has a design life of 20 CTC & Associates LLC. crossover crash rates on those highway seg- to 25 years..