Safety Edge (SM) Paving Provides Added Margin of Safety
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is using innovative paving techniques to save money and improve safety.
When people think of what they rely on PennDOT for, perhaps paving is one of the most important missions the state transportation agency delivers.
In its efforts to be as innovative as possible, PennDOT embraced the Safety Edge SM paving technique. This approach minimizes vertical drop-off at the pavement edge, making it easier for vehicles that drift off the road to return safely.
“PennDOT implemented Safety Edge SM as part of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts Round 1 (EDC-1). PennDOT agreed to pilot it, which began in 2011, then implemented it on a statewide level soon after. Currently, it has widespread use across the state and is part of the standards and specifications,’ said Garth Bridenbaugh, District 9 construction services engineer.
The edge is installed with a shoe that easily attaches to existing paving equipment.
Safety Edge SM is now included in the PennDOT Design Manual and is to be used as a standard pavement edge treatment for bituminous pavements and shoulders, except in urban areas with curbs and sidewalks.
Safety Edge SM is one of the innovations that was championed by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council.
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