Operational Effects of Transverse Rumble Strips on Approaches to High-Speed Intersections

The objective of this study was to determine whether the application of transverse rumble strips was an effective warning device for drivers approaching high-speed intersections. Performance was evaluated for attention-getting characteristics, driver speed choice, and braking behavior. Five intersection approaches on US-280 in Alabama were selected and monitored during both daytime and nighttime conditions. Acoustic and tactile signatures were measured by a specially equipped passenger car under different speed ranges. To examine effectiveness on speed changes, vehicle mean speeds were recorded by radar measurements along the approach to the intersections: 400 ft (122 m) upstream of the transverse rumble strips, right before the transverse rumble strips, and right after the transverse rumble strips. Video cameras were also in place to survey the brake lights of vehicles driving over the transverse rumble strips to quantify driver behavior. An analysis of variance F-test and Tukey’s honest significance test revealed that the strips created a recognizable amount of interior noise and vibration when an automobile crossed over the transverse rumble strips. The installation of transverse rumble strips generally produced statistically significant (p ≤ .05) reductions in approach speeds. During daytime and at night, drivers drove at lower speeds through the intersections compared with the initial upstream speed. The transverse rumble strips also exerted certain effects on driver braking behavior.