Requiring the construction and maintenance of rumble strips on certain highways

Description

House File 2344 requires that rumble strips be constructed and maintained by any governmental entity that exercises jurisdiction over a highway under Iowa Code section 306.4. The rumble strips are required in advance of all stop signs and traffic-control signals located on a highway where the highway enters or crosses a primary highway. This excludes segments of highways that:

• Are not paved.
• Are inside the limits of any incorporated city.
• Are within 200 yards of a person’s bona fide residence dwelling.
• Have a speed limit of less than 55 miles per hour.

The applicability of the Bill applies to:

• Highways constructed on or after the effective date of the Bill.
• Highways built before the effective date of the Bill, if the segment of the highway would require a rumble strip under the Bill, and is part of a planned improvement project that commenced on or after the effective date of the Bill.

Background

A rumble strip is defined in the Bill as a series of rough-textured, slightly raised or depressed grooves along the surface of a roadway used to alert motor vehicle operators about upcoming road conditions. Rumble strips are currently in use across the State of Iowa, though there is currently a statutory provision that requires the construction and maintenance of rumble strips in Iowa.

Under current law, Iowa Code section 25B.2, subsection 3, moneys from a political subdivision from the Road Use Tax Fund shall pay for the State cost of requiring compliance with any State mandate that is included in the Bill. All of the funding-related requirements of Iowa Code section 25B.2 shall be met by the Bill, and no other funding source shall be necessary to implement the Bill.

Assumptions

• There are currently 537 locations that will require the construction of rumble strips under House File 2344. The required rumble strips include:
• 195 rumble strips required at 3-leg intersections.
• 202 rumble strips required at 4-leg intersections.
• 140 rumble strips required at interchanges.
• The construction of a rumble strip is estimated to cost $1,860 per location, plus a standard contingency for unquantified bid items.
• The construction of the new rumble strips under the Bill will be spread over five years.

Fiscal Impact

House File 2344 is expected to cost $260,000 per year, over the next five fiscal years, and will impact the Primary Road Fund (PRF) and county road budgets.

Sources

• The Contracts and Specifications Bureau
• Center for Transportation Research and Education
• Iowa County Engineers