Road Markings, Barriers & Workzone Protection

Developments in barrier technology continue to make roads safer for drivers - Mike Woof writes. Innovative new barrier technology is helping make roads safer for drivers. Key developments have been made in barrier design, helping ensure road and highway infrastructure is more passively safe. New barrier designs ensure that errant vehicles are redirected into the roadway, with reduced risks for occupants and also other road users. Continuously slipformed concrete barriers reinforced with steel are now widely

3i Traffic, a division of 3i Innovation, had its iiiLEVEL road marking installed last year in the Terrace Tunnel, the busiest in the New Zealand city of Wellington. The inductively powered system comprises flush-mounted iiiLEVEL road markers, with uni-/bi-directional light direction and red and white LEDs. The intelligent iiiLEVEL road markers are said to provide dimming functions for day and night time adaption as well as emergency functions with all sides (light directions) on. A previous Terrace Tunnel o

An Innovative road marking system helping to boost public transport in a major South American city, and road marking analytic technology robust enough to withstand damage in heavy rain are among products examined by Guy Woodford . DEGAROUTE Methacylate (MMA) cold plastic area markings from Evonik Industries are being used as part of efforts to improve the public transport system in Santiago, Chile. By adding red pigment to the DEGAROUTE binder, distinctive and long-lasting red-coloured bus lanes are being c

A contractor in the US has used a slipformer from Power Curbers to carry out a barrier installation project. The firm, Wisconsin-based Choice Construction, used slipforming machines from Power Curbers for the project. The worksite was located along Wisconsin State Highway 41, between Oshkosh and Green Bay along the west side of Lake Winnebago. The project entailed widening the highway from two to three lanes and adding barrier wall between the north and southbound lanes. Because the job has a number of di

Various developments are affecting the market for highway barriers - Mike Woof writes The global market for highway barrier products continues to see the introduction of new products and new standards. Some standards for barriers are also eagerly awaited and clarification is still required of the regulations surrounding motorcycle-safe barrier types. In recognition of the issues concerning bad weather on Europe’s roads in winter periods, a new amendment has been made to the EN1317 standard for safety barrie

The European Road Federation (ERF) has voiced its concern that roadside barriers in Europe may have to be upgraded According to the ERF, the recent decision of the European Commission to allow cross-border movement of longer and heavier trucks, it is keen to raise awareness of the important implications such a move may have for road barriers. ‘Road safety barriers are designed and tested according to the maximum weight of vehicles circulating on Europe’s roads. The current European Norm (EN 1317) allows for

New lane control solutions from major roadmarking companies have been installed on highways across the world over recent months. Guy Woodford reports on some of them. Clearview Traffic Group (CTG) recently clocked up the installation of over 70,000 Astucia active flush and surface mounted road studs in the UK. CTG has been involved in numerous road stud installation projects on motorways and other road types in the UK and many other countries worldwide. Its UK installations include over 4,500 Astucia road s

The latest road marking systems have been used to reduce potentially fatal wrong-way driving and promote the recent EURO 2012 football tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Guy Woodford reports According to statistics quoted by leading road marking firm Geveko, a total of 1,753 people were killed in the United States in wrong-way driving accidents from1996-2000. Wrong-way driving is also a significant issue across Europe and other parts of the world. Work to combat the potentially lethal activity took place re

Contractor Tarmac has carried out major works on the UK’s M5 motorway after recycling around 30,000tonnes of concrete and providing 8,000m3 of new concrete for new slip-form central barrier works. The project, between Junctions 3 and 4a of the M5, was delivered as part of an eight-week scheme to install 13km of new concrete safety barrier. Approximately 30,000 tonnes of concrete were excavated and then crushed into Type 1 and 6F5 aggregates at Tarmac’s recycling site in Ettingshall, Wolverhampton. Over 14,0