Those flexible bollards...

[MCRoads]

What are those flexible bollards that are used to separate lanes called?
Does CO use them at all?
Are they a wast of money?
Why are they used so frequently in some areas, and other areas have none?
And do they damage your car if you hit them? Do they fly everywhere, or just fall of the mounting?

[UCFKnights]

What are those flexible bollards that are used to separate lanes called?
Does CO use them at all?
Are they a wast of money?
Why are they used so frequently in some areas, and other areas have none?
And do they damage your car if you hit them? Do they fly everywhere, or just fall of the mounting?

They're supposed to pop right back up after being hit, and not damage any vehicles. i95 in south florida uses them to seperate express tolled lanes from regular lanes, and people drive over them all the time, to the tune of about 4000 a month failing and needing replacement (they can only be hit so many times, they've been upgrading them to ones that can take more hits before failing, supposedly 200 hits now).

[roadfro]

I've heard the term "candlestick dividers", but I think flexible bollards might be the actual name...

Yes, they can damage your car if hit the right way, or if they strike vulnerable things in your undercarriage. They sometimes fly off of their supports when struck, or can also break into smaller pieces which can strike other vehicles.

I view these as a more temporary traffic separating device or for use in constrained locations. For permanent separation of things in highly trafficked roadways, like HOT from general propose lanes, a more permanent barrier should be used whenever possible.

[SectorZ]

What are those flexible bollards that are used to separate lanes called?
Does CO use them at all?
Are they a wast of money?
Why are they used so frequently in some areas, and other areas have none?
And do they damage your car if you hit them? Do they fly everywhere, or just fall of the mounting?

They always reminded me of the object used in this scene of Animal House...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIZoVO8ZyyQ

[MCRoads]

I've heard the term "candlestick dividers", but I think flexible bollards might be the actual name...

Yes, they can damage your car if hit the right way, or if they strike vulnerable things in your undercarriage. They sometimes fly off of their supports when struck, or can also break into smaller pieces which can strike other vehicles.

I view these as a more temporary traffic separating device or for use in constrained locations. For permanent separation of things in highly trafficked roadways, like HOT from general propose lanes, a more permanent barrier should be used whenever possible.

They are on numerous roadways I've been on, pI-495 HOT lanes, San Fran bay bridge toll plaza, and on numerous roads as juts a lane separator, so you can't turn left on an undivided highway. I personally think that "bump slab"  medians* could work, but may not be as effective as they look like they can be driven over without harm. For split-lane controls, I've seen them a lot.

* "bump slab"  median: a small bump up in between lanes, usually about 3in high. I've noticed them a lot in Boise, Idaho.

[US 89]

This is how I see them used most.

I view these as a more temporary traffic separating device or for use in constrained locations. For permanent separation of things in highly trafficked roadways, like HOT from general propose lanes, a more permanent barrier should be used whenever possible.

I don't think a permanent barrier would be the best idea for a HOT lane, because there needs to be a way in and out of the lane in emergency situations and for emergency vehicles. I really wish these could be used to separate the HOT lanes on I-15 in Salt Lake, but there is only a double white line which people cross all the time. Supposedly the reason for this is snow removal (obviously not an issue in Miami, where they are used on I-95).

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

What are those flexible bollards that are used to separate lanes called?
Does CO use them at all?
Are they a wast of money?
Why are they used so frequently in some areas, and other areas have none?
And do they damage your car if you hit them? Do they fly everywhere, or just fall of the mounting?

They always reminded me of the object used in this scene of Animal House...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIZoVO8ZyyQ

Dirty, dirty, dirty

[jakeroot]

As a method for separating toll and GP lanes, I think they're brilliant. They still allow emergency maneuvers, but no sane person would drive over them just to get a few cars ahead (often the case here in Seattle). I can see why snow removal might be an issue. Obviously not the case here on the 91 in Orange/Riverside counties...

[UCFKnights]

As a method for separating toll and GP lanes, I think they're brilliant. They still allow emergency maneuvers, but no sane person would drive over them just to get a few cars ahead (often the case here in Seattle). I can see why snow removal might be an issue. Obviously not the case here on the 91 in Orange/Riverside counties...

Are you calling the people of Miami insane? Considering they claim the bollards are supposed to last being hit about 200 times, and they're replacing about 4000 a month, my simple math says vehicles are making contact with the flexible bollards about 800,000 times a month, or 9.6 million times a year. Of course, the same vehicle is hitting a bunch of them every single time, as they've gone from every 20 feet to every 10 feet to every 5 feet now, so each person who hits them is probably hitting at least 10 of them.

[jakeroot]

As a method for separating toll and GP lanes, I think they're brilliant. They still allow emergency maneuvers, but no sane person would drive over them just to get a few cars ahead (often the case here in Seattle). I can see why snow removal might be an issue. Obviously not the case here on the 91 in Orange/Riverside counties...

https://i.imgur.com/RiiaQxG.png

Are you calling the people of Miami insane? Considering they claim the bollards are supposed to last being hit about 200 times, and they're replacing about 4000 a month, my simple math says vehicles are making contact with the flexible bollards about 800,000 times a month, or 9.6 million times a year. Of course, the same vehicle is hitting a bunch of them every single time, as they've gone from every 20 feet to every 10 feet to every 5 feet now, so each person who hits them is probably hitting at least 10 of them.

Yikes. I hope those are inflated numbers. Certainly a person who isn't paying attention could easily hit them; the same could be said for a jersey barrier. They're still a good investment IMO, as the speed variation between toll and GP lanes can be very large, so illegal lane changes need to be discouraged as much as possible. A vehicle travelling at 80 rear-ending a car going 10 is not going to end well. Bollards won't stop everyone, but it will stop most who don't want to scratch their cars.

FDOT appears committed to the bollards: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/traffic/article168641872.html

[ColossalBlocks]

Their technical term is "lane delineators". They're basically a permanent version of traffic cones.