congestion
Today, congestion, traffic queues and delays are an acute problem. Concrete step barrier will help to mitigate the effects of ever-increasing road use.
Unlike steel, concrete step barrier is maintenance free. This means that lane closures due to barrier maintenance work will become a thing of the past. Installed by a single machine served by concrete mixers, barrier construction is rapid and can be undertaken within single lane closures or when planned road surface repairs are undertaken, which again means less congestion for motorists.
Concrete step barrier lasts 50 years. During this period steel barrier has to be replaced at least twice. What is more, the need for accident repairs is virtually eliminated by the use of concrete step barrier. It all adds up to fewer lane closures and less traffic congestion.
With steel barrier, even minor accidents inevitably lead to major congestion. Not so with concrete step barrier. Surveys on the M25 showed that there were 70% fewer reported accidents alongside the concrete step barrier compared to steel.
This indicates that minor accidents against the concrete step barrier do not affect traffic flow to the same extent. The soft ground alongside steel barriers means that any collision has repercussions way beyond the accident itself. Any damage to the steel barrier has to be reported and subsequently repaired. This can mean lane closures and severe speed restrictions in both directions.
However, in the event of a minor impact against concrete step barrier, even from a truck, the step design will usually allow the vehicle to continue travelling and the incident does not have to be reported. Paint and tyre marks show that concrete step barrier can be hit frequently without inflicting any damage, eliminating the need for reporting and repair.
Accidents in which vehicles cross from one carriageway to the other can all too often result in complete road closure in both directions. Subsequent traffic diversions can quickly bring trunk roads and local feeder roads in the area to a standstill. concrete step barrier can virtually eliminate crossovers and the congestion they can cause around the local road network.
