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Rumble in the regions

Regional Roads Victoria continues to upgrade the safety of rural roads and is undertaking an extensive rollout of rumble strips across the state's south-west.

Because rumble strips can interfere with bike riders’ preferred positioning on some roads, Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) has been consulting with bike groups to ensure that there are no unintended negative consequences on popular riding routes.

When some of the first such treatments were applied in South Gippsland, contractors inadvertently placed the bulbs right in the middle of the rideable shoulder.

Since then Bicycle Network has provided input into a set of criteria for the placement of rumble strips so that rideable shoulders remain useable at the same time as the edge-lining, rumble strips and reflectors are in place to keep drivers on the straight and narrow.

The treatment is being placed on selected roads across Victoria with speed limits of 80km/h or higher.

The specifications for installation are:

  • Where the sealed shoulder is less than 300mm no rumble strips will be installed
  • Where the sealed shoulder is around 300mm rumble strips will be installed on the white edge line
  • Where the sealed shoulder is greater than 300mm, rumble strips will be installed 50mm behind the white edge line

This allows for a rider to have a sealed shoulder to ride on uninterrupted by rumble strips while still help preventing run-off-road collisions.

A design note, still in development, is available that gives more details.

Significantly the note advises that a major consideration for bike riders is that "the sealed area that is provided should be kept clear of debris and in good condition.”

It also suggests that where a sealed shoulder is being widened for bike riders, the desirable width is 1.5m, desirable minimum is 1.0m and absolute minimum is 0.7m

An interactive map of where the treatments will be installed is here.

Click here for a list of the roads where rumble strips will be installed.

An example of how rumble strips should be installed to leave rideable space on a shoulder.

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