This study represents a digital mapping approach to identify the potential for establishing centreline rumble strips on arterial two-lane highways in rural New Brunswick. Right-hand side rumble strips are employed on four-lane highways in New Brunswick, but the province currently does not employ any centreline rumble strips on its arterial two-lane network. This project employed TAC centreline rumble strip guidelines, in concert with GIS mapping, Google Maps, and collision data to estimate the number of kilometres (by route number) that would be eligible for centreline rumble strips and, by extension, the number of collisions that may have been prevented.
There are a total of 1257 km of arterial two-lane highway in New Brunswick, with 466.6 km and 11.5 km falling outside of municipal boundaries (i.e. away from urban areas and communities) and on bridge decks respectively. Based on estimates of passing/no-passing zones on select arterial highways, approximately 273 km of centreline rumble strips would be needed. A total of 135 head-on and opposite-direction sideswipe collisions (where vehicles crossed the centreline) were recorded between 2007 and 2012 on the two-lane arterial highway network, and research suggests that up to 30% of such collisions may be prevented by centreline rumble strips. Due to the relatively low cost of rumble strip installation, in concert with prospective benefits of reduced collisions, centreline rumble strips have considerable potential in New Brunswick and should be considered for installation.
