DEVELOPMENT OF A SELF-RESTORING CHANNELIZING DEVICE

DUE TO THE DETERIORATION OF THE U.S. HIGHWAY SYSTEM'S PAVEMENTS AND BRIDGES, CONSTRUCTION REHABILITATION HAS BECOME A LARGE SCALE EFFORT. ONE OF THE SAFEST AND MOST EFFICIENT TECHNIQUES FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL DURING REHABILITATION OF DIVIDED HIGHWAYS IS TWO-LANE TWO-WAY OPERATION (TLTWO). IN THIS TECHNIQUE, ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY IS CLOSED OFF FOR REPAIR WHILE THE OTHER IS PUT INTO TLTWO WITH CHANNELIZING DEVICES TO SEPARATE TRAFFIC. CURRENT CHANNELIZING DEVICES ARE A MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY PROBLEM DUE TO FREQUENT DISPLACEMENT, KNOCKOVERS AND FAILURES. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A CHANNELIZING DEVICE THAT WILL SELF-RESTORE WHEN HIT AND KEEP THE CENTERLINE WELL MARKED DURING EXTENDED PERIODS OF TRAFFIC FLOW. THE PROPOSAL PRESENTS THREE CONCEPTS AND DESCRIBES A METHODOLOGYTHAT WILL BE USED IN DEVELOPING AND TESTING A PROTOTYPE CHANNELIZING DEVICE. DEVELOPMENT OF ANCHORING AND REMOVAL TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS WILL ALSO BE ADDRESSED IN THE PROPOSED PROJECT.