Benefits and Evaluation

State transportation departments across the nation that have installed cable median barriers report a decrease in fatalities and in the severity of this type of crash. Click on In-Service Evaluation to review State DOT product evaluation presentations and reports.

Below are links to some States' information on their own background with Cable Median Barrier

North Carolina Information

Washington Information

Ohio Information

Texas Information

FHWA Information

Other States' Information

North Carolina Information

General Information

• NC Lives Saved Estimate - 011007

• NC Presentation on In-Service Evaluation

• NC Across Median Analysis - September 1998

• NC Median Barrier Article - Spring 2006

• WRAL Article - 072506

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Washington Information

Reports/Evaluations

• Washington State In-Service Evaluation Report

• WSDOT 3-07 GNB Cable Artlice (Service Evaluation)

• http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/CableBarrier/Report2007.htm

Folio/Handout

• Washington State Cable Median Handout (1-2004)

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Ohio Information

General Information

• After an extensive 3 year In-Service Performance Evaluation, Ohio DOT found its first high-tension cable installation to be performance very effective
• 354 accidents were logged with the installed cable :
  215 were Property Damage Only accidents
• Only 39 reported any injury, 13 of those were noted as being possibly severe
• No fatalities
• Location of interchanges did not have impact on barrier placement
• 79 of the accidents had crossed the median center ditch line and impacted the cable from the back side (only feet from opposite direction traffic)
• But the most telling of all the statistics:

Presentations

• Ohio Presentation on 3 Year Evaluation (2006)

Reports/Evaluations

• Ohio 1 Year Evaluation of Brifen (1-2005)
• Ohio 2 Year Evaluation of Brifen (11-2005)
• Ohio 3 Year Evaluation of Brifen (12-2005)
• Ohio Final Crash Inventory from 3 Year Evaluation
• Ohio Final Crash Summary from 3 Year Evaluation
• Ohio Field Visits to CMB Projects (2005)

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Texas Information

General Information

• There have been many hits since the cable barrier sections were placed

• Does not know of any penetrations to date

• On one section – 18 hits and no penetrations

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FHWA Information

General Information

• Many State DOT’s were unable to identify across median crash locations

• Information FHWA Knows

  Ø Many cross-median crashes occur on medians over 30’ wide

  Ø Median encroachments are likely to increase with higher traffic volumes

  Ø Cross-over crashes are severe

  Ø Median barriers can significantly reduce cross over crashes

  Ø Barrier selection and placement are critical for optimal performance

• Information FHWA is Working on

  Ø What median width/ADT combinations result in cost-effective warrants?

  Ø How should crash history be considered?

  Ø How will cable, metal-beam or concrete median barriers perform when struck by a vehicle coming up a slope into the barrier?

  Ø When will new warrants be adopted by AASHTO?

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Other States' Information

General Information

• USA Today Article - 072006
• USA Today Article - 090806
• Stateline Dot Org - 090106
• Public Roads Article - January-February 2005

Reports/Evaluations

• INDOT Evaluation
• Oregon 3 Cable Barrier Final Report (1998)

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