The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeks to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries (FHWA, 2025). Achieving this goal requires reducing vehicle crashes, particularly roadway departure crashes, which account for approximately 55% of all fatal crashes and 66% of fatal crashes on rural two-lane highways. Common countermeasures include centerline rumble strips (CLRS) and shoulder rumble strips (SRS), which help prevent lane and roadway departures and help reduce fatalities, injuries, and property damage. However, their use also raises concerns about the safety of other road users, including bicyclists.

NCHRP Research Report 1186: Impacts of Rumble Strips on Driver Behavior and Bicyclist Safety, produced by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, provides guidance on the application of CLRS and SRS on high-speed, two-lane highways, with a focus on their effects on bicyclist safety. The report examines the safety impacts of CLRS and SRS on bicyclists traveling on rural high-speed, two-lane roadways and characterizes motorists’ behavior during interactions with bicyclists on roads where these treatments are present.

Infrastructure Assets: Highway Assets
Resource Types: Research Report
Capabilities: Tools & Technology
Management Processes: Performance Based Planning & Programming