Follow Bicycle Safety Standards for Rumble Strip Installation
State Departments of Transportation
We’re not willing to compromise on bicyclists’ safety when it comes to rumble strip installation, and transportation officials shouldn’t either.
Yet they continue to install rumble strips on popular bicycle routes and roads with minimal or no shoulder. The national guidance provided by federal agencies specifies that rumble strips are only safe for bicyclists when there is a clear, four-foot minimum shoulder available to the right of the rumble strip. This is the standard that should be followed by every state.
Many agencies assume, with limited data, that bicyclists aren’t riding these roads and that rumble strips don’t contribute to bicycle crashes. We know this isn’t true, but we need your voices - the voices of the Adventure Cycling community - to tell them to do better.
Signing this petition allows us to show transportation agencies and elected officials that the cycling community supports prioritizing bicycle safety when installing rumble strips. Once you sign, we’ll send you safety action alerts so you can stay engaged on these issues in your state.
Learn more at www.adventurecycling.org/advocacy/safety-advocacy/rumble-strips/.
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To:
State Departments of Transportation
From:
[Your Name]
As a member of the bicycle travel community, I am calling on my state department of transportation to follow bicycle safety best practices and standards when installing rumble strips on all roads that are legal for bicycle use. At minimum, rumble strips should not be installed on roads with less than four feet of rideable shoulder space to the right of the rumble strip.
I am aware that rumble strips are an effective countermeasure for run-off-the-road crashes; however, when installed without at least four feet of clear shoulder space, rumble strips force bicyclists to ride in the lane with high speed traffic. With rising cyclist fatalities and increasing distracted driving behavior among motorists, the increased risk of a crash resulting in cyclists’ injury or death is unacceptable.
Rumble strips can increase safety for bicyclists if they are installed according to bicycle safety design standards from AASHTO or FHWA’s guidances. These standards are also illustrated in Adventure Cycling Association’s resource, "Solutions for Making Rumble Strips Safer for Bicyclists: Best Practices for Transportation Decision Makers."
I ask you to revise your rumble strip policy and/or design manual to include these recommended standards and processes to ensure that cyclists are safely accommodated with all future rumble strip projects.