Cyclists Report That Second Try’s the Charm for Rumble Strip Patch

(Left) 1st test of patch for bad rumble strips on Route 24 near Robinsonville Road. (Right) 2nd test of patch for bad rumble strips on Route 9 near Lakeview Boulevard (Phote credit: Cape Gazette).

Local cyclists are reporting that a 2nd patching test by DelDOT contractor Safety Improvements LLC (SI) is rideable.

“Our opinion is that the repair is acceptable,” said Sussex Cyclists’ President John Kurpjuweit,  “and better than being forced into heavy traffic.”

An earlier test by SI to fix the improperly installed rumble strips, on Route 24 near Robinsonville, failed.  The patch material formed mounds that were not flush with the surrounding pavement and was, as a result, effectively unrideable. For this first test on Route 24, SI used a hand-operated, gas-powered tamper to fill in the rumble strips. For the second test, on Route 9 west of Lakeview Boulevard, SI used a roller.

Rumble strips, also known as sleeper lines, rumple strips, audible lines and growlers are a safety countermeasure for preventing “run-off-road” (“ROR”) motor vehicle crashes. They are recommended by the Federal Highway Administration.

Safety Improvements improperly installed rumble strips along approximately 2 miles of Route 24 and Route 9 in Sussex County, resulting in road shoulders where the remaining rideable pavement is now less than the minimum of 4 feet wide required by state policy. DelDOT’s chief traffic engineer Mark Luszcz called the problem a glitch in a $1.3 million statewide contract.

Safety Improvements will use a roller to fix the remaining bad rumble strips.

DelDOT spokesman Greg Layton said that “DelDOT has approved using rollers to fill in the two miles of misplaced rumble strips in Sussex County. After inspecting a test of each material on Route 9, and evaluating feedback from bicyclists, the department has determined that either Aquaphalt or FloMix may be used to fill the gaps. The contractor, Safety Improvements, LLC, is expected to complete the repair work by mid-August.”

While acknowledging that the 2nd patch test indicated that SI could create an acceptable shoulder surface for cyclists, Sussex Cyclists’ Kurpjuweit indicated concern about the the patch’s durability. “Our fear is that once these patches are made, what happens if they start to fall apart? I know that this is high-tech material that is supposed to be permanent, but the winter snow and ice and the summer’s hot, humid weather can cause even the best surfaces to deteriorate. I guess we must just wait and see.”

RELATED:

• Tests underway to patch rumble strips (Cape Gazette)

• DelDOT Contractor Makes 2nd Try at Fixing Bad Rumble Strips

• DelDOT Says It Will Fix Improperly Installed Rumble Strips

• DelDOT admits bumpy bands were improperly installed (Cape Gazette)

• Statewide Rumble Strip Installation Contract (DelDOT)

• Rumble Strip Brochure (DelDOT)

• Rumble Strips and Stripes (FHWA)

• DelDOT’s Bicycle-Friendly Rumble Strip Policy (DelDOT)