Centerline Rumble Strips (CLRS)

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will begin to deploy Centerline Rumble Strips (CLRS) on rural roads with 500 or higher Average Daily Traffic (ADT) in order to further prevent head-on and sideswipe crashes.

The SDDOT will also evaluate routes and horizontal curves with less than 500 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) to determine if centerline rumble strips should be installed. CLRS are a proven countermeasure demonstrating a nearly 60% reduction of these deadly crash types in South Dakota and nearly 50% nationwide.

A common misconception may be that roads will need to be dug up to install rumble strips. That is not the case, a grinding machine is used to grind in grooves into existing pavement. This step would be taken when a surfacing project is complete, and others would be ground earlier.

Once included in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), nearly 2,000 miles of pavement could be improved with the installation of CLRS. Roads with pavement in good condition would have CLRS installed in the next several years. Roads with older pavement would be done with future resurfacing projects.