Traffic Safety Pilot Project
Milled Rumble Strips

[ COMMENT FORM ]

Public Works has applied milled rumple strips at 14 locations. The proper application of these milled rumble strips, along with signage, is part of an ongoing effort to increase driver awareness and decrease the number of potential accidents.

Recognizing the need for safety improvements at problem intersections, along corridors, at spot locations and resulting bike and pedestrian conflicts with vehicle traffic, the following methods are used:

• Milled rumble strips at approaches to stop signs where other methods have not reduced running-through-the-intersection collisions.
• Milled rumble strips where run-off-road and/or cross-over-centerline collisions have occurred on undivided two-lane roads.
• Milled rumble strips along edge striping where bicycle routes are designated and there is adequate paved shoulder width.
• Edge striping specific to bike routes that inform the public.
• Advisory signing to assist separation of vehicle and bike/pedestrian traffic, or to warn motorists of potential conflicts.
• Informational signing, striping and media to promote the traffic safety pilot program and get feedback from the public.

The application of rumble strips along freeways has been ongoing for some time. Recently, rumble strips have been applied to two-lane roadways along centerlines approaching and along curves, with success at reducing-cross- over collisions. Applying rumble strips along edge stripes of paved shoulders of two-lane roads has also been done successfully in other areas.

Centerline run-off-road locations:

• NE Columbia Street
• SE North Street from Long Lake to Stevens Court
• Southworth Drive at Harper Dock curve
• Central Valley Road at Anna Road curve

Intersection locations for stop-ahead warnings:

• SW Pine Road at Sidney (eastbound and westbound)
• Little Boston at Hansville/Eglon (eastbound)
• Chico Way (northbound) just before Newberry Hill Road
• Lider Road approaching Sidney
• Pine Road approaching Bethel-Burley
• Wildwood Road approaching Glenwood
• West Kingston Road approaching Miller Bay Road

Corridor location (for stop-ahead warnings):

• Silverdale Way northbound approach to Byron

Approaches to problem curve locations:

• Central Valley Road at northbound approach to Anna Lane, just before curve
• Perry Road at Riddell curve, both approaches to the curve

Proposed Bike Route Application

There will be a limited test application of milled rumble strips along Bike Route 31 (Bremerton to Old Town Silverdale, to Silverdale Way, to Viking Way and the city limits of Poulsbo).  The selection of milled rumble strip type and designs, proper placement within the shoulder and proper installation are critical to being effective in creating a bicycle friendly rumble strip.  Following these parameters, the application will keep the bicycles and pedestrians to the "right" and away from the travel lane:

• The minimum finished shoulder width after milled rumble strips will be four feet from the edge of pavement o nearest edge of rumble strip.
• The shoulder pavement depth must meet minimum finished depth to qualify for rumble strip ground out, and when in doubt, core samples will be taken to verify pavement depth.
• Where widened edge stripes are employed, the vehicle lane width will be maintained by shifting paint application.  In all applications where an edge stripe is used along with a milled rumble strip, the paint stripe is placed adjacent to the vehicle lane with the milled rumble strip on the shoulder side.
• Test treatments will be applied on Bike Route 31 only at this time.  After one year, final treatment types will be selected for urban and/or rural Bike Routes.

COMMENT FORM

Staff Contact:  Bill Zupancic

Kitsap County Public Works
The Open Line
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
openline@co.kitsap.wa.us