Highway debris represents a traffic safety problem that requires a prompt response from state or local transportation agencies. The most common practice for debris removal currently is for agency personnel to leave their vehicles and remove the debris by hand in the case of large debris (tires, lumber, freight loss, rock fall) or to sweep travelled lanes, shoulders, or intersections in the case of crashes, mechanical failure, or embankment erosion. This exposes agency workers to safety risks, especially on high-speed and/or high-volume roadways. Currently, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has no widely distributed formal guidelines for safely and effectively removing debris from the roadway. Equipment modifications and innovations have been developed that can remove debris from highways without exposing agency workers to moving traffic. Innovative equipment has been introduced to the market which allows for high-speed debris removal, such as the Gator Getter®. Through a combination of field observations, interviews with CDOT personnel, equipment manufacturers, and other state DOTs, the research concluded that the Gator Getter is very effective for collecting tire treads on smooth (asphalt) pavements where operating speeds can be maintained above 45 MPH. The effectiveness of the Gator Getter decreases when operating speeds drop below 45 MPH and on rougher pavements such as shoulders or tined concrete pavements. Both the safety and effectiveness decline when the Gator Getter is used on mixed debris, scattered or longitudinal debris, and low visibility conditions. The Gator Getter should not be used on segmented pavements, bridge decks, or railroad tracks, and should not be used to collect rocks, concrete fragments, or metal objects. (Author/publisher)
Abstract