Removable Orange Rumble Strips

A previous evaluation of this product found that the ease of application and removal represented a significant advantage over traditional asphalt rumble strips, but that a single thickness was insufficient to be reliably perceptible by drivers. The orange color of the strips was found to cause a reduction in mean speed, even though little or no sound or vibration was generated. This evaluation was conducted as a followup to explore four issues: 1) the effectiveness of the strips installed in a double thickness, 2) the persistence of the speed reduction due to the orange color (i.e., is this a novelty effect), 3) the quantified sound and vibration generated inside the vehicle compared to asphalt strips, and 4) the durability of the strips as installed per manufacturer’s specifications. A rural two-lane highway was identified where bridge repairs were to require a lane closure and installation of a temporary signal. KDOT standards require two sets of rumble strips on each approach whenever a temporary signal is used. Traditional asphalt strips were used on one approach to the site, while on the other approach the removable strips were used for the most upstream set of strips. Vehicle speeds were monitored on both approaches for several weeks, installation and removal time was measured, and sound and vibration inside the vehicle were measured for both the orange rumble strips and the asphalt rumble strips. The double thickness of this strip was found to be effective, generating similar sound and vibration to the asphalt strips. They are more expensive than asphalt strips, and reuse is not recommended by the manufacturer. The shorter installation times to imply safety benefits, although these were not quantified. The orange color of the strips was responsible for a reduction in mean speeds, but the reduction dissipated over time.