Washington State Cable Median Barrier

Abstract

In the mid-1960s, the New York State Department of Transportation developed a three-strand cable barrier that has several desirable characteristics as compared with other roadside barriers. This system was crash tested in accordance with the NCHRP Report 350 crash test criteria as a roadside barrier. In the roadside barrier, all three cables are placed on the traffic side of the posts. Since 1988, the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide has contained information on a cable median barrier design in which the middle cable is mounted on the opposite side of the posts so that it can contain and redirect vehicles that strike the system from either side. In the early 1990s, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) became interested in using this design for medians that are more than 10 m wide. WSDOT sponsored crash tests to evaluate the performance of this barrier, in accordance with NCHRP Report 350 criteria, with a small car and a pickup truck. In both tests, the vehicle was contained and brought to a stop. The occupant risk values were within the preferred limits set by NCHRP Report 350, and the damage to both vehicles was relatively minor.