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Take a drive down the highway, and you will notice the concrete barriers lining the off-ramps. These barricades are a normal part of everyday life that you probably only think about it when avoiding it as you drive.
You might even notice them being used as flood-walls when hurricanes and flash floods occur throughout the country. These jersey barriers even helped protect buildings from any further incidents during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Now, event planners often use them to facilitate concerts and other large gatherings better.
What you might not know is the history of the concrete jersey barrier, its name, capabilities, and other details. Jersey barriers first made an appearance over 74 years ago on the California interstate. A lot has changed since then, but the main function of the concrete barrier remains the same.
Let’s discuss the history of the jersey barrier so you might understand whether it is the right barricade for any of your future projects.
America is the birthplace of many things—democracy, the Internet, and the jersey barrier. This concrete barrier came on the scene in 1946 on the California mountain highway. However, the concrete formation used today wasn’t created until the 1950s in New Jersey. Why the discrepancy then? Let’s discuss.
In 1934, the state of California reconfigured the “Grapevine Grade,” a hazardous portion of the CA interstate that included the original “Deadman’s Curve.” The Grapevine consists of a curving 6% descent that linked Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley. Estimates found that nearly 6,5000 vehicles used the stretch of highway daily.
At the time, the Grapevine only had wooden beams separating the lanes going in the opposite direction. These beams did a decent job but were often damaged by drivers who used them for braking and brushed them from time to time.
Unfortunately, the Grapevine Grade had a higher than average incidence of fatal head-on collisions, which prompted the California Division of Highways to install temporary concrete median barriers in 1946.
These concrete barriers were similar to the ones you know today. They were 26-inch-high, 28-inch-wide, 10-foot-long sections weighing 3,000 pounds each. Unlike the ones of modern society, they were hollow inside with steel reinforcements. The barriers also included iron anchors that hold them to the ground and reflectors that helped drivers navigate.
The project received national attention and praise for decreasing collisions. Engineering News-Record, a widely read publication of the time, covered the feat. It wasn’t until 20 years later that the design popularized throughout the nation when New Jersey engineers inspired by the California project developed barriers for the state’s transit system.
After that, the New Jersey highway officials spent 15 years developing the concrete jersey barrier design used throughout the country to this day.
Today’s jersey barrier is a portable concrete barrier that separates lanes of traffic. These specifically designed barriers help minimize vehicle damage in cases when cars hit incidentally. Instead, the wall redirects the vehicles into further head-on collisions.
Jersey barriers can also reroute traffic and protect pedestrians during highway construction. The main advantage of using these rather than other concrete barrier types is that they are modular and easier to move. In fact, it’s well-known among the transportation industries that jersey barriers or K-rail are temporary concrete traffic barriers.
The design of the jersey barrier appears simple, but it is actually highly sophisticated. Engineers and manufacturers have tweaked the design for decades to ensure optimal driver safety. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the most commonly used version of the jersey barrier is the F-shape barrier. This design has the same 3-inch-high base as the original design, but slopes 10 inches above the pavement to better absorb proportional impacts and prevent a rollover.
Other versions of concrete barriers are available, including constant slope, single slope, and vertical that pass crash tests administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Harper Precast is one of the leading concrete jersey barrier manufacturers in Utah and the Intermountain West. Our prefabrication abilities allow us to design jersey barriers customized to fit your needs. Along with our jersey barrier products, you can select from an assortment of concrete traffic road barriers and other concrete products.
Whichever option you choose, our team is here to help you get the right structure for your project. Trust us to determine the exact specifications needed by considering the project’s location, traffic expectations, and other project requirements. Harper Precast also offers customized concrete barrier block designs.
Browse our selection of concrete barriers by visiting the Harper Precast website today.
