Overview
From 2005 to 2007 we installed approximately 110 miles of new cable guardrail on highways across Washington to help prevent crossover and head-on collisions.
 | Improves Safety
Cable median barrier helps prevent cars from crossing the median, decreasing the amount of potentially fatal 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 this barrier greatly improves driver safety.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s (AASHTO) conducted a benefit/cost analysis of median cable barrier. Their findings showed that cable barrier projects yield among the highest benefit/cost in preventing fatal and disabling head-on collisions when compared to other safety investments.
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Partnerships & Cooperation
Before installing median barrier, 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; community and driver input, collision trends, history, traffic speeds, traffic volume, road grade, available median and shoulder space and slope of the median.
We use three general types of highway barriers; 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 meet federal and state guidelines.
Funding
This project is funded by the following sources:
- 2005 Gas Tax (Partnership Funding) - $2,100,000
- 2003 Gas Tax (Nickel Funding) - $190,000
- Pre-existing funds - $2,670,000
- Total Funding Available From All Sources - $4,960,000
Contact Us
Snohomish County
Communications Meghan Soptich
15700 Dayton Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98133
Phone: 206.440.4704
Email: SopticM@wsdot.wa.gov
or
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
Olympic Region
Communications Lisa Copeland
5720 Capitol Blvd.
Tumwater, WA 98504
Phone: 360-357-2789
E-mail: copelal@wsdot.wa.gov
Eastern Washington
Communications Mike Westbay
2809 Rudkin Road
Union Gap, WA 98903
Phone: (509) 577-1617
E-mail: WestbaM@wsdot.wa.gov
or
Communications Jeff Adamson
WSDOT North Central Region
P.O. Box 98
Wenatchee, WA 98807
Phone: (509) 667-2815
E-mail: AdamsonJ@wsdot.wa.gov
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