OVERALL GOALS
- Reduce the chance of head-on collisions
- Improve employee safety
- Enhance traffic management system for the bridge
MOVEABLE MEDIAN BARRIER
A state-of-the-art moveable median barrier was installed in 1993
as a permanent fixture on the San Diego-Coronado Bridge as a safety measure to reduce
the chance of head-on collisions. It is also part of the overall strategy to manage traffic
on the bridge. The barrier consists of a series of safety shaped concrete segments, three feet
in length, and joined together with metal pins. Special made vehicles move the barrier to the
left or right to the required location as they move along at 5 miles per hour from one end of
the bridge to the other. As the vehicles move forward, guided by a wire buried in the pavement,
the 1400 pound barrier segments are raised a few inches above the pavement, moved sideways through
a transferring device within the vehicles, then placed at the desired location.
TRAFFIC
In the year 1999, the annual traffic volume was 24,955,258 Veh. The Average
Daily Westbound (toward Coronado) was 33,354 Veh. (paid and carpool). The Average Daily Eastbound was 34,283 Veh.
The bridge was constructed to carry a maximum of five traffic lanes. At the present time,
the lane configuration is three lanes in the direction of peak volumes, with two lanes in
the off peak direction. The vehicles change lane configuration twice a day to accommodate for this.
A 10-year accident summary reveals a total of 591 accidents on the bridge resulting in 360 injuries
and 8 deaths. There were 28 head-on collisions, prior to the placement of the barrier.
FUNDS
The entire cost of the project was funded by state toll bridge monies.
