Road barriers are one of the safety features that need to be on a road to protect vehicles, pedestrians, and construction workers. These barriers prevent vehicles from going off the roadway and can perform other functions like guiding traffic or protecting areas from errant vehicles that are a bit vulnerable. The following are details to know all about road barriers, their types, and what they perform.
Types of Road Barriers
They are classified according to the design, material, and some specific applications. Some of the most common types:
- Guardrails: These are often made of steel and are designed to prevent a vehicle from exiting the roadway and striking obstructions such as trees or steep embankments. They are very vital in locations where the physical landscape poses a threat to road users.
- Jersey Barriers: A modular concrete or plastic barrier that is placed in areas of traffic to control flow according to design. They serve to separate lanes of traffic and manage traffic flow. They can be filled with either water or sand for added stability.
- Cable Barriers: These are made up of steel cables that are tensioned among the posts. This is flexible, with the ability to absorb and change the energy of a vehicle that may run into it. It is mostly used in areas where the typical guardrails are considered to be very rigid.
- Pedestrian Barriers include Bollards and Fences: The barriers are used to separate pedestrian walkways from moving vehicles, thus improving pedestrian safety in urban environments and along busy streets.
- Work Zone Barriers Temporary Barriers: These are barriers that are constructed in work zones and are made of rather lightweight materials for easy movement and are high visibility so as accidents can be avoided with road work.
Functions of Road Barriers
There are different important roles that road barriers play, including:
- Safety: Road barriers protect road users and prevent crashes into trees, steep slopes, and bodies of water.
- Traffic Management: They assist in managing traffic, especially at construction sites or in cases of road closure, by ensuring that the movement of vehicles is along the desired route.
- Protecting Sensitive Areas: Barriers help protect sensitive areas, such as school zones, pedestrian paths, and fuel storage locations, from vehicle encroachment.
- Collision Management: Through cushioning and diverting the force in the case of a crash, they moderate the level of collision, hence reducing the number of injuries to the accident victims.
Applicability of Regulatory Standards to Road Barriers
Safety standards on the issue of road barriers have been determined in the United States by the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). In Europe, there are a few European countries that apply the standard EN 1317 regarding the performance criteria of safety barriers. These criteria establish the containment levels that should be considered in connection with the relevant dynamic deflection measures.
Conclusion
The significance of the road barrier as part of the road network is reflected in the following: They will ensure not only driver and pedestrian safety but also enable proper traffic control that pertains to management. A comprehension of the different kinds of barriers and their specific application is necessary for road safety planning.
