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2010 Research & Innovation Presentation Series
To request alternative format of any information provided in documents or in video presentations, please call 651-366-4718 or e-mail bruce.lattu@state.mn.us. From Greater Minnesota you may call toll free 1-800-657-3774 and asked to be connected to 651-366-4718. For accessing Minnesota Relay please dial 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
2010 Research & Innovation Presentation Series
What are Rumble Strips? 
Rumble Strips are groves or rows of indents in the pavement, designed to alert inattentive drivers—through noise and vibration—and reduce the number of accidents.
What are Rumble StripEs?
Rumble stripEs are longitudinal rumble strips that have a pavement marking stripe installed on top of them. In addition to warning drivers that they have left the travelled lane, rumble stripEs are much more visible in rainy and wet conditions.
Types of Rumple Strips and StripEs
Shoulder Rumble Strips are longitudinal rumble strips installed outside of the edgeline (the yellow or white line that separates the travel lane from the left or right shoulder.) The intent of shoulder rumble strips is to notify inattentive drivers that they are leaving the travelled lane - with the goal of reducing run-off-the-road crashes. They are also useful during snowy conditions to help the driver keep the vehicle in the travelled lane.
- Edgeline Rumble StripEs when installed to separate the travel lane from the shoulder(s).
- Centerline Rumble StripEs when installed to separate opposing traffic on undivided highways. The goal of these is to reduce head-on and opposite direction side-swipe crashes.
Rumble StripEs can be either:
Transverse Roadway rumble strips are placed across the travelled lane to alert drivers approaching a change of roadway condition or a hazard that requires substantial speed reduction or other maneuvering.
Draft Tech Memo: Rumble StripEs and Strips for Rural High Speed Trunk Highways
MnDOT has completed a draft Technical Memorandum that includes standards for the installation of all longitudinal rumbles. This draft Tech Memo has been developed and approved by MnDOT’s Traffic Engineering Organization Executive Committee, which consists of staff from the Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology as well as District Traffic Engineers.
A working group will be created from the various districts and functional areas to make appropriate modifications to the draft as part of the Tech Memo review process.
A webinar was held on Tuesday, July 20, to gather feedback on the draft from Mn/DOT employees.
Rumble Strips and Rumble StripEs
Comparison of Dual-Phase and Static Changeable Message Signs to Convey Airline Information on Interstate Freeways
The objective of this study was to conduct a driving simulation experiment to determine whether messages displayed on dual-phase Changeable Message Signs (CMSs) that the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) has proposed for use on the Trunk Highway approaches to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) airport, are as effective in influencing driving behavior as messages displayed on static CMSs. To achieve this objective, we determined the accuracy of driver responses—i.e., whether or not the drivers took the appropriate highway exit—when airline information was displayed on either a dual-phase or two static CMSs. In addition, we also evaluated whether or not the CMSs caused the drivers to reduce their driving speed.
What are Changeable Message Signs?
Changeable Message Signs (CMSs) are traffic control devices designed to display messages that can be varied. They are also known as Variable Message Signs (VMSs), Dynamic Message Signs (DMSs), and Electronic Message Signs (EMSs). For the sake of consistency, throughout this report they are referred to as Changeable Messages Signs (CMSs)—which is the way that the Federal Highway Administration’s “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” (MUTCD, 2007) refers to them.
The two types of CMS investigated in this study were as follows:
- A static CMS—which displays information on a single CMS. This is the way that CMSs are most commonly used on U.S. roads.
- A dual-phase CMS—which displays information in two phases, sequentially, on a single CMS. This type of CMS is used when the information to be displayed does not all fit into the dimensions of a single static CMS.
The study compared the effectiveness of using a single dual-phase CMS to display the same airline information as was displayed on two static CMSs.
Tuesday, January 26
11:30am - 12:30pm
Presenters
Kathleen Harder - Director, Center for Design in Health, University of Minnesota
Introduction by Cassandra Isackson
2-page project Technical Summary: 201002TS (PDF)
Click here to view a recording of the presentation (99MB .wmv)
Right-click and select "Save Link/Target As..." to save video - Left-click to play video with your default .wmv (Windows Media Video) player
After the presentation opens in Windows Media Player, right-click on the video to see options for increasing or decreasing video size - You will need computer speakers in order to hear the presentation
For more information
Jake Akervik, 651-366-3738, jake.akervik@state.mn.us
ADA Requests
To request an ASL interpreter, please call 651-366-4720; to request any other reasonable accommodation(s) please call 651-366-4718. To connect either of these numbers, you may call the Minnesota Relay Service toll free at 1-800-627-3529 (TTY, Voice or ASCII) or 711. You may also e-mail your request to ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us. Adequate notice required.
Related Research
Changeable Message Signs
The Effectiveness and Safety of Traffic and Non-Traffic Related Messages Presented on Changeable Message Signs: Phase II
Researchers evaluated how reducing the complexity and ambiguity of CMS messages would affect driver behavior and traffic flow, and learned that clarifying message content could lead to significant improvements in CMS safety and effectiveness.
Technical Summary: 200827TS (PDF) | Full Report: 2008-27 (PDF)
“This study provided valuable information to validate our operating procedures, the way we structured the new messages and the fact that the content of the CMS messages is more important than their location.”
– Todd Kramascz, Operations Supervisor, Traffic Operations Section, MnDOT Regional Transportation Management Center
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