Rumble strips are being grounded into roads and highways across the country. The rumble strips grab the attention of motorists who might be otherwise distracted and are drifting off the travel lane and into a ditch.These roadside rumble strips might be helpful to vehicle traffic on the open road, but they can be annoying and dangerous to people riding bicycles.
That's why three bicycling advocacy groups (Adventure Cycling Association, Alliance for Biking and Walking and the League of American Bicyclists) are publicly thanking the US Federal Highway Administration for issuing guidelines this month to advise crews to consider bicyclists when installing the strips. For instance: standard milled rumble strips, installed as close to the edge line as practical, should be used when a 2.4 m (8-foot) clear shoulder width remains available after installation of the rumble strip. The final guidelines should be complete this summer.
