Comprehensive Evaluation of Guardrail Delineation Systems

In: Public works management & policy: a journal for the American Public Works Association, Band 11, Heft 1, S. 49-62

Abstract

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) sponsored a controlled evaluation of guardrail delineators. Candidate delineators were compared relative to durability, conspicuity, maintainability, and cost. Guardrail delineator samples from six manufacturers in various shapes, dimensions, and colors were evaluated. The study found no significant differences among the samples based on the environmental and mechanical degradation tests. However, installation and wear issues were observed and noted for one of the candidate systems. Current GDOT standard specifications call for 75-foot guardrail delineator spacing. The conspicuity tests indicate that 100-foot spacing will provide satisfactory conspicuity under certain conditions. Use of 100-foot spacing could lead to significant cost savings if the longer spacing is found to be acceptable in a broad range of situations.