Project Facts
- In 2008-2009 we will install over 12 miles of cable median barrier across the state.
- We install cable median barrier because it helps keep motorists safe. Severe injuries and fatalities often result when a car crosses the median and collides with oncoming traffic.
- Cable barriers have been used on the nation’s highways since the 1930's. The modern system, which uses three cables supported by steel posts, was developed in the 1960's and is now used in several states.
October 2008
- We released the 2008 Cable Median Barrier Report in September.
- Visit our photo site to see photos of recent collisions involving cable median barrier.
- In summer 2009 we will begin work to install concrete barrier along a 10-mile stretch of I-5 in Marysville.
- We released the cable barrier report on July 2, 2007. Governor Chris Gregoire requested the detailed review after the Feb. 13 fatal collision in Marysville.
- On May 30, cable barrier stopped a vehicle on northbound I-5 in Marysville.
- We've received several letters from drivers telling us that cable barrier saves lives. These letters began arriving shortly after we finished installing cable barrier in several specific locations vulnerable to crossover collisions.
Overview
In 2008 and 2009, we will install over 12 miles of cable median barrier in Whatcom, King, Cowlitz, Kittitas and Benton counties.
Why is WSDOT
installing cable guardrail?
We install cable guardrail because it helps keep motorists safe. Severe injuries and fatalities often result when a vehicle crosses the median and collides with oncoming traffic. We install barriers in highway medians to help prevent injuries and save lives.
Before installing barrier in medians, our engineers carefully consider whether barrier would enhance safety, and if so, which type of barrier would work best for each location. They consider a wide array of factors:
- accident trends and history
- community and driver comments
- traffic speeds and volume
- road grade, angle and curve
- available median and shoulder space
- slope of the median
- barrier characteristics
- installation and maintenance costs
We use three general types of highway barrier: cable, guardrail and concrete. All of these barriers are designed to protect drivers, though they do so in different ways. All of our newly-installed barriers must meet federal and state guidelines.
The End Result
Cable median barrier helps prevent cars from crossing the median and potentially causing deadly head-on collisions. According to statewide statistics, 95 percent of cars that hit the cable barrier are stopped from crossing the median. No barrier can stop every mishap every time, but cable barrier greatly improves safety for drivers.
Project Benefits
Safety
- Our goal is to help prevent the worst kind of collisions - head-on collisions caused by drivers crossing the median and entering oncoming traffic.
- Cable barrier significantly reduces the number of fatal and disabling accidents.
- The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) benefit/cost analysis of cable median barrier showed such projects to be among the highest benefit safety investments to prevent fatal and disabling accidents.
What is the project timeline?
- I-5 near Kelso: Construction is scheduled for 2008-2011
- I-82 south of Prosser: Construction is scheduled for 2008
- I-90 just west of Cle Elum: Construction is scheduled for 2008
- I-5 near Bellingham: Construction is scheduled for 2009
- I-90 near Issaquah: Construction is scheduled for 2009
- SR 599 in Tukwila: Construction is scheduled for 2009
Public Involvement
For more information about cable median barrier projects across the state, please contact:
Snohomish County and Marysville - Meghan Soptich or Dave McCormick
Skagit, Whatcom and Island Counties - Dustin Terpening
Benton, Kittitas, Yakima and Franklin Counties - Mike Westbay
Pierce and Kitsap Counties - Lisa Murdock
Cowlitz County - Sylvia Ross
Environmental Protection
WSDOT makes every effort to assess and minimize environmental impacts from our projects. When we designed these projects, we worked to reduce the effects on wetlands, creeks and rivers that could be in the project area.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental
Services Web site for more information.
Increasing safety is one of our priorities
We track, log and categorize collisions along our highways. We use this collision history to develop and prioritize a list of locations that show the strongest need for median barrier. Our goal is to fix the highest priority locations first. Statistics show that after we install cable median barrier, the number of disabling and fatal collisions decreases significantly.
Our first priority is to help drivers stay safely on the roadway. We design and operate our highways, ramps, and interchanges to help achieve this goal. Examples include providing room for drivers to merge, pavement stripes, reflectors, rumble strips, highway shoulders, speed limits, and applying deicers and sand in the winter.
Will this project impact tribal resources?
As we planned and developed these projects, we investigated and found that they do not affect tribal resources.
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.
To learn more about the tribal consultation process please visit WSDOT's Tribal Liaison page, where you'll find links to WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan and WSDOT's Tribal Consultation Policy (adopted by the Transportation Commission on February 19, 2003).
Financial Information
The costs for installing cable barrier for each of the projects can be found below. These projects were all funded with existing funds:
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Snohomish County
Communications Meghan Soptich
15700 Dayton Ave. N
PO Box 330310 MS: 103
Seattle, WA 98133-9710
Phone: (206) 440-4704
E-mail: sopticm@wsdot.wa.gov
Asst. Regional Administrator for Maintenance
and Operations Dave McCormick
15700 Dayton Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98133
Phone: 206.440.4656
Email: McCormD@wsdot.wa.gov
Skagit, Whatcom and Island Counties
Communications Dustin Terpening
1043 Goldenrod Road, Suite 101
Burlington, WA 98233-3415
Phone: (360) 757-5997
E-mail: terpenid@wsdot.wa.gov
Benton, Kittitas, Yakima and Franklin Counties
Communications Mike Westbay
2809 Rudkin Road
Union Gap, WA 98903
Phone: (509) 577-1617
E-mail: westbam@wsdot.wa.gov
Pierce and Kitsap Counties
Communications Lisa Murdock
5270 Capitol Blvd S
Tumwater, WA 98504-6703
Phone: 360-357-2789
E-mail: murdocl@wsdot.wa.gov
Cowlitz County
Communications Sylvia Ross
11018 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682
Phone: 360-905-2058
E-mail: rosssy@wsdot.wa.gov
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