Press Release: Bids Being Taken for Roadway Improvement Project

Submitted by David Barrow

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that bids will be taken on Oct. 27 for a project that is designed to improve safety on roadways in the Baton Rouge area.

Work on the estimated $1 million to $2.5 million project will involve installing centerline rumble strips on over 186 miles of state highways in DOTD District 61, which includes Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. James, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.  In Central, these centerline rumble trips will be installed on Greenwell Springs Rd from Magnolia Bridge Rd to the northern parish line.  They will also be installed along Hwy 64 from Liberty Rd to Plank Rd.

The city of Central has a similar project scheduled for 2011 through the cooperation of DOTD and the Local Road Safety Program from a grant submitted by the city.  This will involve the installation of centerline rumble strips along sections of Lovett Rd, Devall Rd, Denham Rd, and Frenchtown Rd.

Centerline rumble strips are grooved patterns that are grinded into the center of a roadway. They work by producing a noise and vibration that alerts drivers that they are beginning to leave their travel lane. Installing centerline rumble strips is a way to prevent head-on collisions and opposite-direction sideswipe crashes on two-lane roadways. According to the 2010 Highway Safety Manual published by the American Association of State and Transportation Officials, installing centerline rumble strips can reduce these crashes by 15%.
"The safety of the traveling public is the number one priority at DOTD," said DOTD Secretary Sherri. H. LeBas. "Installing centerline rumble strips is yet another way that we can help to prevent crashes and increase safety on Louisiana’s roadways."

Work on the project should begin in early 2011 and finish in summer 2011. The project is being funded using Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program Funding at a cost share of 90% federal funds and 10% state matching funds.

This project is part of a statewide safety initiative to install centerline rumble strips on over 2,100 miles of state highways. DOTD will accept bids for all of the projects by the end of the year.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email [email protected], or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.