DelDOT drifts off spec with Newark's first rumble strips

"Bicycle-friendly" rumble strips that showed up recently along Route 4 in Newark are the correct width and depth to accommodate bicycling. They have the proper escape breaks to allow entering and exiting the shoulder as needed. But as we've come to expect so often with DelDOT, critical parameters were ignored or somehow missed. In this case, the offset from the white line is double the 6" specified in the drawings, that advocates hoped would put an end to this issue once and for all. To make matters worse, there was no sweeping of the resultant debris, leaving the remaining shoulder space a hazard in several places.

The latest round of Rumble Strips, found here along Route 4 in Newark near the University of Delaware, have an offset of 2x what is specified in DelDOT's newly adopted Bicycle-Friendly Rumble Strips guidelines.

As described above, the design of the rumble strip itself is critical. But when it comes to safety, its position relative to the lane is at least as important - if not more important. Bicyclists will still prefer to ride in the shoulder, behind the rumble strip. But the more offset it is from the white line, the less debris-free space remains. This will prompt more experienced bicyclists to ride in the offset, or take part of the lane (or the whole lane in this case) instead, to avoid tire puncture or loss of vehicle control.

Edge line rumble strips, or "rumble stripes" are the overwhelming
favorite among recreation and transportation bicyclists. The above
photo was taken in rural Pennsylvania.

It is not clear why DelDOT keeps insisting on such a large offset - in this case, a foot or more. By the time a motorist senses contact with the rumble strip, they are well off into the shoulder and could be on their way to striking a bicyclist or other non-motorized user (pedestrians often walk in shoulders when no sidewalk is present). Some DelDOT officials have mentioned that edge-line rumble strips generate greater noise from more frequent contact, and thus, are disturbing to nearby housing developments. This is difficult to rationalize, however, given America's penchant for fake vehicle noise. Delaware's roads are disturbingly loud now, given what seems like every other vehicle having some type of illegal exhaust system. The police rarely - if ever enforce such noise, fines barely register, and it's not something people really complain about or it would be a recognized issue.

In summary, we again thank DelDOT for revising the guidelines and giving us a much safer rumble strip. This is critical should bicyclists unintentionally ride into one, or need to exit the shoulder for any number of reasons. But we will not stop advocating that they sharply reduce or eliminate the offset, thus maximizing safe available shoulder space. To achieve compromise, the only thing we ask is that they follow the guidelines set forth in their newly released rumble strip design guidance, as they did here on Route 896 south of the C&D Canal.

First bicycle-friendly rumble strips spotted south of the C&D Canal

Just as Maryland's State Highway Administration worked with Delaware advocates on safer rumble strip design guidance, DelDOT also came through recently, as promised. 1st State BIKES advocates, as well as bicyclists from the Sussex Cyclists bicycle club were the first to discover the original design, which destroyed miles of usable shoulders. They were even placed in a few bike lanes. Once alerted, DelDOT dispatched crews to repair the damage in areas where the rumble strip reduced the shoulder to less than 4' wide.

We sincerely thank the officials from both states who immediately acknowledged the problem, and acted quickly to revise the manuals and guidelines to include a much safer design. A huge tip of the helmet to Michael Jackson (MD DOT), Anthony Aglio (DelDOT Planning), Mark Luszcz (DelDOT Traffic), and several others who worked with 1st State Bikes advocates to make it all happen!

Above/below: The new design, while not perfect, is a huge improvement. These rumble strips are shallower, narrower, and offset about 6" from the edge line. They also have regular breaks, allowing bicyclists to escape without hitting them. Even so, crossing this rumble strip is not nearly has dangerous or bone jarring as the original design.

The offset is clearly visible here. Despite our sincere gratitude for this design in the spirit of compromise, we will continue to advocate that rumble strips be placed at the white line, or as part of it, leaving maximum space for bicyclists to avoid debris and other hazards that sometimes appear in the shoulders or bike lanes.

This is the design that was first implemented by Maryland's SHA, and then DelDOT. These were an absolute terror for bicyclists, being deep and wide and sitting exactly where bicyclists need to ride to avoid shoulder debris.

Newly revised bicycle-friendly rumble strips installed south of Middletown

Anthony Aglio, the best friend advocates could possibly ask for in a State Bicycle Coordinator, just reported that DelDOT has moved quickly on the rumble strip re-design and already has it on the ground for bicyclists to test out.

According to Anthony, we need at least a few cyclists that can ride Route 71 south of Middletown and report back with comments - positive or negative.

In making your assessment, it is important to understand the original design that is 16" wide with a 1' offset from the shoulder line. They were also deep enough to compromise bicycle control. Both designs are illustrated below,

DelDOT's original rumble strip, above, robbed some of the most valuable space in the shoulder - destroying some entirely. Unfortunately, a number of good roads have already been damaged with this design, but thankfully, DelDOT crews were quick to assess the damage and make repairs in several areas that were rendered very dangerous or unridable.

The all new design, above, is superior to the original. This strip is less than half the width, is much closer to the white line (6"), and shallow to where a bicycle can safely cross over it.

Comments can be emailed to Anthony at: Anthony.Aglio@state.de.us

Open For Comment: Proposed Rumble Strip Redesign

Back in the early Spring, bicyclists from New Castle and Sussex Counties were dismayed to find Rumble Strips now occupying long stretches of shoulders and bike lanes. Some were installed on roads that had no option to route around. Folks without alternative transportation found themselves riding in the high speed lane of traffic, with cars whizzing by inches away.

One thing was certain; miles of rumble strip can be cut through smooth asphalt seemingly overnight, and cyclists had no idea where, or how many more roads were being targeted. This made planning club rides and cycling routes very difficult. Among the first to notice the rumble strips were cyclists on club rides with the Sussex Cyclists, who found their familiar roads in potentially dangerous condition. Roads that were once reasonably safe to ride on were now potentially life threatening. Advocates - most notably John Kurpjuweit, President of the Sussex Cyclists, and Amy Wilburn, Chair of the Delaware Bicycle Council - were in touch with DelDOT immediately, trying to halt the destruction.

The Delaware Bicycle Council, Delaware Bikes, and Sussex Cyclists kept the issue at the forefront, prompting a swift response from DelDOT. Mark Luszcz, Chief Traffic Engineer, halted any further installation of rumble strips and called an emergency meeting to investigate the issue. Also participating was Anthony Aglio, Bicycle Coordinator for Delaware. A plan of action was taking shape.

It became immediately obvious that the offset specs in the current Design Guidance for the Installation of Bicycle-Friendly Rumble Strips were not being followed. Bicyclist's feedback would be necessary to locate and repair those sections of road where at least 4' of asphalt remained between the rumble strip and the rightmost edge of the shoulder. This would at least bring what's already out there in accordance with the design guidance.

By mid-June, with the help of bicyclist's feedback, a map highlighting all known errant sections was created. But before repair could take place, a suitable method for patching and smoothing over the rumbles had to be found. After a few experiments with continued public feedback, a suitable method was discovered and crews went to work immediately on miles of errant rumble strips.

Help us to help you. Please email your comments!

According to DelDOT, all sections of non-compliant  rumble strip were meticulously patched and smoothed over. Anthony Aglio, Bicycle Coordinator with DelDOT Planning, was then assigned to collect design guidance from other States, especially those that score consistently well in the League of American Bicyclist's Bicycle-Friendly States program. It is from his data that the proposed revision below was agreed upon:

The above drawing presents an enormous improvement over the current design guidance. At less than half the width and half the offset from the white line, these rumble strips would make life a lot safer for bicyclists. In fact, they could now be used effectively as an incursion alarm (motorist lane drift from distracted driving).

Please submit your comments on the above design to Anthony Aglio, Delaware's Bicycle Coordinator with DelDOT. Anthony.Aglio@state.de.us

The above photo was taken a few years ago on Route 213 in Maryland, just South of Elkton. With the help of Michael Jackson (Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access with MDOT), Delaware Advocates scored an out of state victory with guideline changes there as well.

In Summary, we commend DelDOT for recognizing the current design as problematic in that it created conflicts between drivers and cyclists. Switching to the proposed guidelines above will encourage bicyclists to ride in the correct position on the shoulder and facilitate cooperation between all user groups. Further, it will allow bicyclists to ride behind the rumble strips instead of at the white line, as well as move safely into the lane when cars are turning in front of them or to avoid debris. Visit our Rumble Strips category to revisit years of persistent advocacy on this safety issue.

DelDOT unable to patch dangerous rumble strips

Cross-posted from Bike Delaware

On Thursday, DelDOT contractor Safety Improvements LLC made a second try at fixing improperly installed rumble strips.

The second test took place on the eastbound side of Route 9, west of Lakeview Boulevard near Lewes (map). 

Several weeks earlier, Safety Improvements made a first try at fixing the bad rumble strips on Route 24 near Robinsonville Road (see image at right). Bike Delaware evaluated the fix and, reluctantly, reported back to DelDOT that it was a failure. The patch material formed mounds that were not flush with the surrounding pavement and was, as a result, effectively unrideable.

For the first test on Route 24, DelDOT’s contractor used a hand-operated, gas-powered tamper to fill in the rumble strips. For the second test on Thursday, the contractor used a roller. [Full story ...]

So far, all the attention has been focused downstate. The same hazardous rumble strips were also cut on several roads in New Castle County, including  Route 72 (above).

Poster's note: Delaware Bikes first reported on this issue well over a month before it drew Bike Delaware's attention away from Trails and Pathways. We are encouraged to see this rare and unexpected interest in road advocacy.

Rumble Strip repairs are underway in Sussex County

By Mark Luszcz, DelDOT's Chief Traffic Engineer -- As requested at the Bicycle Council meeting last week, attached is a map of locations that need to be repaired due to residual shoulders/bike lanes being less than 4 feet wide. Approximately 2 miles out of 70 installed need to be repaired.

The test section of the patching repair on SR 24 near Robinsonville Road was installed yesterday.  A photo is attached.  For those of you in Sussex, any comments on the patched section would be appreciated.

     

Several sections in New Castle County also need repair, as seen here on Route 72 in Bear.

Poster's note: We truly appreciate Mark's investigation and quick response in getting this problem addressed. We are looking forward to revised Rumble Strip guidelines, that place them at the shoulder line instead of offset by 1' or more. For a full history of this problem, visit our section on Rumble Strips.

Cape Gazette: Cyclists say new rumble strips unsafe

This rumble strip has destroyed the shoulder and bicycle
safety in the process. It should never have been installed.
(photo by Ron MacArthur)

Cape Gazette -- Some cyclists are about ready to rumble over new safety strips installed on Cape Region roads, saying the strips have made the roadways unsafe. Meanwhile state transportation officials are scrambling to find a way to remedy the problem.

Since March, more than 70 miles of rumble strips have been placed along Sussex County roadways, including strips on Route 24 and Route 9 and along the Route 1 corridor.

Mike Tyler, a bicycling advocate from Lewes, said strips in some sections of routes 9 and 24 make the bike lanes so narrow they are not safe to ride. “We hate them,” Tyler said. “They ought to be removed and put closer to the white line.”

This week, Delaware Department of Transportation officials admitted the contractor improperly installed strips along some sections of the two roads, resulting in shoulders and bike lanes less than 4 feet wide, the acceptable safe minimum width on state highways.

Correctly designed rumble strips hug the white
line, and maximize shoulder space for bicyclists.

Mark Luszcz, DelDOT's chief traffic engineer, called the problem a glitch in the contract. Luszcz said two possible remedies are under consideration: to patch or pave over a total of about 1 mile of rumble strips along the two roads. One of those sections is the eastbound lane of Route 9 in front of Lewes Landing, where the shoulder is less than 3 feet wide.

Luszcz said beginning in early June, contractor Safety Improvements LLC of Kennedyville, Md., will test a new patching product along a 200-foot section of road. “If that doesn't work, we will do the more expensive process of milling out and paving over the rumble strips,” Luszcz said. “We will fix them as soon as possible.”

When completed, the $1.3 million project will cover 310 miles; so far, rumble strips have been installed along 140 miles of roadway.

Tyler said cyclists were caught off guard by new rumble strips over the past few weeks. “I was dismayed that they even put them down,” he said. “I can't believe any forethought was given or review done about what is appropriate.”  [Full article ...]

Read prior posts on this issue, including a call to action.

ACTION ALERT: Tell DelDOT to Save Our Shoulders

Rumble strip in a Sussex County bike lane. Photo by Mike Tyler

By Amy Wilburn -- Recent Rumble Strip applications have reduced valuable shoulder space along roads throughout Delaware. The presence of usable shoulders is often all that stands between allowing our citizens to bike for transportation and recreation and forcing them to either leave their bikes at home or rack the bikes up and drive to a trail for a short, recreational ride. It is entirely unacceptable for the nation’s fourth most bike friendly state to discourage active transportation and encourage added motor vehicle congestion on our roadways.

Inappropriately placed rumble strips have already been installed on several roads throughout the state, including Route 72, Route 24 and Route 9. The positioning of the rumble strips on these roads is in violation of DelDOT’s guidelines. It is also not in agreement with best practice, including federal guidelines. Furthermore, placement is not even consistent. The rumble strips are being cut anywhere from directly on the white line (Route 1 south of Dartmouth Road in Lewes) to several feet to the right of the white line. On Route 72, cyclists are forced to either ride in debris or in the travel lane. On Route 24, narrow sections of shoulder that were still viable for biking have now been almost or completely obliterated by the rumble strips, forcing cyclists into the travel lane. Just east of Banks Road the shoulder is completely occupied by the rumble strip in a high crash area. On Route 9 in Sussex County, rumble strips have been installed inside the bike lane. All three of these routes are important roads for bicyclists. 

In a promising development, Mark Luszcz is leading a DelDOT team that will review and update the current policy on rumble strips. In addition, Mark informs us that no additional rumble strips are planned at the current time. However, that something this egregious could happen in the first place does not bode well. We need to ensure that the damage is corrected immediately, that the policy is updated and that it considers cyclists’ needs, that policy is consistently applied and that oversight is provided to ensure quality control at the various stages of a project, and that DelDOT begins to consistently consider the needs of bicyclists in all projects except on limited access highways where bicycling is prohibited. We should not have to constantly do damage control or fight for every single facility. 

Above: Other states, including South Carolina (among the least bicycle-
friendly states) puts their rumble strips at the white line, a safer choice
for all road users.

Installing rumble strips in a bike lane is not some trivial mistake. It is instead a monumental error that demonstrates that our needs are not taken into account, barely on the radar. It is disappointing that DelDOT does not consistently consult the cycling community or even the state bicycle coordinator before making decisions that seriously impact bicyclists, and that might even result in a life or death situation. Some DelDOT employees are certainly stellar and should not be faulted, and some projects are certainly appropriate, even excellent. But we need to ensure that all DelDOT departments and employees take our health and well-being seriously. We are, after all, members of the travelling public.

So what can you do? Attend the Delaware Bicycle Council meeting on Wednesday June 4 at 5 PM in the DelDOT Administration Building in Dover (map/directions). Mark Luszcz will be at that meeting to discuss the rumble strips. If a dozen members of the cycling public attend this meeting, our voices may very well be heard. You can also contact DelDOT by other means to express your concerns. Report poorly positioned rumble strips (or any other problems) under “Report a Road Condition”, or contact Anthony Aglio (Anthony.Aglio@state.de.us) and Mark Luszcz (Mark.Luszcz@state.de.us) to express your concerns about the recent developments. Anthony and Mark are working to address this problem, but it can’t wait. Let them know that you support efforts to solve the problem now, before any more bike lanes and shoulders are made unbikeable. Insist that the bike lanes and shoulders that have already been ruined by the rumble strips are repaired. This is one of the most critical problems we face as cyclists. If we want our needs addressed, we need to speak up and not rely on others to represent us or on DelDOT to figure out what it is that we need and want. Please take action now.

Recent posts on this issue:
New rumble strips pose major safety threat for Delaware bicyclists
Bad timing for Rumble Strips on Route 72

Did DelDOT forget to turn on the vacuum?

Several of our followers recently notified DelDOT of the atrocious debris conditions on Route 72. Within a week, a sweeper was dispatched to clear the shoulders of loose debris, most of which was left over from the carving of rumble strips. However, on the southbound side, it would appear that instead of aspirating the debris, most of it was swished around into rifts and pools, and the brushes themselves didn't even cover the rightmost quarter or third of the shoulder.

A thick ridge of gravel still lines the middle of the shoulder, after the sweep operation was completed.

Sandy Schreiver, a new commuter this year with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in Glasgow, still manages to put on a smiling face despite the hazardous conditions.

The northbound direction was much cleaner, and safer to ride further to the right to avoid the dangerously positioned rumble strips. I know little about how a sweep truck operates, but perhaps the vacuum function was malfunctioning or not turned on? To find out how a street sweeper works (or is supposed to work), visit Ezine Articles HERE.

New rumble strips pose major safety threat for Delaware bicyclists

Recent Rumble Strip applications have reduced valuable shoulder space along New Castle County roads. According to DelDOT guidance as of 2011:

"To accommodate bicyclists, a minimum effective clear shoulder width of 4 feet should be provided from the outside edge of the rumble strip groove to the outside edge of the paved shoulder, or 5 feet from the outside edge of the rumble strip groove to the front face of barrier (including curb) or guardrail. Rumble strips should be discontinued 50 feet before and started 50 feet after when adjacent to guardrail where there is less than 5 feet between the outside edge of the rumble strip and the face of the guardrail."

According to DelDOT, nearly 50% of fatalities in Delaware are roadway departure crashes. A new initiative requires systematic safety upgrades (in this case, rumble strips) to the types of roads that certain crashes are occurring on, rather than focusing on individual crash hot spots. DelDOT's construction section and the contractor have gotten off to a fast start on this project and have already installed rumble strips on many miles of roadway. So far, the results are a degradation to the comfort and safety that our uniquely shouldered roads have to offer bicyclists, that untold thousands have enjoyed for many, many years in Delaware.

Why has this happened, despite DelDOT's choosing of "Bicycle-Friendly" Rumble Strips? It's all in the consideration of placement and design. Below, in pictures, we will make the case for why we believe the design guidance must change. Failure to do so might cost Delaware its prestigious Top-10 ranking as a Bicycle-Friendly State.

This recent application on Route 72 in Bear violates the guidance, in terms of 4' feet remaining between the rumble strip and the outside shoulder edge. DelDOT has acknowledged that errors have been made, and this will be repaired.

The current DelDOT guidance calls for a 1' wide rumble strip, as well as a 1' offset to the white line. Effectively, this removes 2' of comfort zone from the shoulder, which may not be a big issue in rural areas that have wider shoulders and significantly less traffic. However, in New Castle County - where debris collection is a chronic issue - the safest position is usually the left half of the shoulder. This creates a dilemma for bicyclists, especially those with road bikes trying to protect their tires from sharps. The 1' offset to the left of the rumble strip, or the lane itself will likely become the more attractive option, placing them immediately adjacent to high speed traffic.

This very unbike-friendly rumble strip on Route 273 in Cecil County - with no escape breaks - has many bicyclists now riding in the offset or in the lane, instead of in the shoulder. At the behest of Delaware advocates, Maryland's State Highway Administration moved quickly to revise its guidelines, to ensure this design is not repeated. A history of that advocacy effort can be seen HERE.

If they were to cut rumble strips on Otts Chapel Road in Newark, bicyclists would either ride in the debris, ride in the offset, or be forced to take the lane. And this is a very fast road, with speeds in access of 60 mph. You can clearly see where the cleanest section of shoulder is; the leftmost 1/3 or 1/4. Not all roads are this bad, but varying debris in the middle to right portion of the shoulder is common, and unsafe to ride in. Quite possibly, not having rumble strips is what has allowed us to forego sweeping, because the area that will now be occupied by rumble strips is generally clear.

The Solution? 

If they are going to commit folks to bicycling in the shoulder - which is normally the case when riding on higher speed arterial roads - then the full width of the shoulder must be maintained. A possible compromise involves placing the rumble strip as part of, or on the white line. A number of other states, including South Carolina (below), Minnesota and Ohio already incorporate this design.

Rumble strip placement 1' outside the white line robs critical space needed to ride clear of debris, whereas placing it at the white line (as seen above in S. Carolina) preserves most of the shoulder.

Another example of a white line rumble strip (whereabouts unknown). Further examples can be found in the MN and OH links above.

In summary, rumble strips are here to stay, to serve the role of "lane police". They are charged with keeping drivers in their lane, largely because cell phone laws are toothless and go unenforced. That's not set to change anytime soon, therefore, we must work toward the middle ground and find solutions. While all rumble strips reduce the rideable area of a shoulder, placing them correctly - as part of the white line - could be acceptable for all road users:

• White line rumble strips have an advantage for motorists, in that they give early warning and also increase the visibility of the edge line in dark or stormy conditions.
• Many bicyclists have adapted to bicycle-friendly white line rumble strips, citing their presence as an audible incursion warning system.

Motorist lane drift is readily apparent to anyone who bikes for transportation in this era of electronic devices and lax law enforcement. White line rumble strips should begin to sound as the motorist drifts from the shoulder, not after. This 1' offset that DelDOT currently employs (between the white line and rumble strip) is enormous; by the time a car begins to traverse them, they are already well in the shoulder and could strike a bicyclist of pedestrian.

We strongly encourage DelDOT to re-think its current rumble strip policy and guidelines, to preserve maximum shoulder space while helping to protect the vulnerable from vehicle roadway departures. According to the FHWA, rumble strips with no offset are most effective at reducing crash rates.

Bad timing for Rumble Strips on Route 72

Clearly, this could have waited
 
It's not often that we see Rumble Strips cut in a road that's in imminent need of rehabilitation, but that's exactly what just happened along Route 72/Sunset Lake Road in Bear. Even though DelDOT uses a more bicycle-friendly Rumble Strip allowing cyclists to exit and enter through breaks, bike safety has been compromised in several areas because the shoulder is in very poor condition. It is also thick with debris from potholes and crumbling blacktop, and several stretches require a mountain bike - or entering the lane of high speed traffic to circumvent. A "Report a Road Condition" on-line request was submitted a few months ago for one bad section near Reybold Road, but so far there has been no repair activities.

Route 72 between Old Baltimore Pike and Route 40 was last resurfaced in 2004, ten years ago. It was milled (the process by which the old existing road surface is removed by machine to expose the road base) to a depth that exposed the dirt under the shoulders. Once paved, the new surface started out smooth, but began deteriorating within a few years given the soft ballast.

The freshly cut Rumble Strip is plainly seen in the picture above. Deterioration is especially bad along the seam between the traffic lane and shoulder, narrowing available space and creating a safety hazard.

A view showing the brand new Rumble Strip following directly into a large area of potholes.

The view facing south on Route 72/Sunset Lake Road. This stretch, just south of Reybold Road, is quite challenging - especially for those on road bikes.

Though it is seldom cited, distracted and inattentive driving are largely what's behind lane departure crashes.

Unfortunately, Rumble Strips are little more than "lane police", or a way of keeping drivers in their lane, because cell phone laws are toothless and go unenforced. Engaging in a phone conversation - or worse, texting - has been proven at least as dangerous as DUI. Sadly, this is largely ignored because the vast majority of drivers - including the police themselves - engage in this deadly activity. The result? Vulnerable road users end up paying the ultimate penalty - with their lives.

Related: Are more cyclists getting hit from behind than ever before?