Compliance Testing of Iowa's Skid-Mounted Sign Device
REPORT NUMBER
TRP-03-086-99
AUTHORS
Karla Lechtenberg (Polivka), Ronald Faller, John Rohde, Jim Holloway, Dean Sicking
PUBLICATION DATE
1999-07-23
ABSTRACT
A wide variety of traffic control devices are used in work zones, some of which are not normally found on the roadside or in the traveled way outside of the work zones. These devices are used to enhance the safety of the work zones by controlling the traffic through these areas. Due to the placement of the traffic control devices, the devices themselves may be potentially hazardous to both workers and errant vehicles. The impact performance of many work zone traffic control devices is mainly unknown and to date limited crash testing has been conducted under the criteria of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350, Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the safety performance of existing skid-mounted sign supports through full-scale crash testing. Two full-scale crash tests were conducted on skid-mounted sign supports to determine their safety performance according to the Test Level 3 (TL-3) criteria set forth in the NCHRP Report No. 350. The safety performance evaluations indicate that these skid-mounted sign supports did not perform satisfactorily in the full-scale crash tests. The results of the crash tests were documented, and conclusions and recommendations pertaining to the safety performance of the existing work zone traffic control devices were made.
KEYWORDS
Highway Safety, Work Zone Safety, Roadside Appurtenances, Crash Test, Skid-Mounted Sign Support, Compliance Test