Next round of rumble strips coming soon

Over the next several weeks, the Virginia Department of Transportation will install rumble strips along nine primary highways and six secondary routes to reduce crashes caused by drivers straying from their lane.

When driven over, rumble strips create noise and vibration to alert drivers to correct their course, and according to the Federal Highway Administration, can reduce related crashes by 30 to 60 percent. Studies show they are most effective with crashes caused by distracted or drowsy driving, reporting a 40 to 80 percent reduction in those crash types.

In late 2017, VDOT installed rumble strips on rural portions of eight primary highways in Albemarle, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Madison and Rappahannock counties as well on Route 29 from Ruckersville to the Prince William county line.

Beginning March 20, segments of these routes will be addressed:

• Route 3 in Culpeper County
• Route 15 in Orange, Fluvanna and Louisa counties
• Route 22 in Louisa County
• Route 29 in Albemarle, Culpeper and Fauquier counties
• Route 33 in Greene County
• Route 53 in Fluvanna County
• Route 208 in Louisa County
• Route 230 in Greene and Madison counties
• Route 522 in Culpeper and Orange counties
• Route 600 (South Boston Road/Paynes Mill Road) in Fluvanna County
• Route 601 (Flat Run Road) in Orange County
• Routes 601, 614 and 676 (Garth Road) in Albemarle County
• Route 616 (Union Mills Road) in Fluvanna County
• Route 618 (Lake Monticello Road) in Fluvanna County
• Route 654 (Barracks Road) in Albemarle County

Where these routes are two lanes wide, rumble strips will be installed along the road’s centerline to mitigate head-on collisions and over-correcting. On four-lane routes, installation will be on the shoulders. Use caution and expect minor delays during this work.

Culpeper District’s goal is to add rumble strips on all primary highways over the next several years, as funding and paving schedules allow. The district serves nine counties: Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.