Construction Barrel
Encyclopedia
Construction barrels are traffic control devices used to channel motor vehicle traffic through construction sites. They are used primarily in the United States
, but are occasionally used in Canada
and Mexico
.
Until the late 1980s, construction crews typically used 55-gallon steel drums
to guide traffic through construction areas. They were painted orange and white and filled with sand or water to keep them in place. Because the drums were steel and weighed down with sand or water, extensive damage would occur to vehicles striking them.
Plastic barrels that are commonly seen on American roadways today began emerging in the late 1970s and 1980s; steel 55-gallon drums were largely phased out by the 1990s. Construction barrels are typically bright orange and have four alternating white and orange reflective bands. Most have a rubber base that prevents the barrel from tipping over during high winds or when struck by a vehicle. Construction barrels have a handle at the top so it can be easily picked up and carried. The handle also allows crews to install barricade lights to increase visibility.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but are occasionally used in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Until the late 1980s, construction crews typically used 55-gallon steel drums
Drum (container)
A drum is a cylindrical container used for shipping bulk cargo. Drums can be made of steel, dense paperboard , or plastics, and are generally used for the transportation and storage of liquids and powders. Drums are often certified for shipment of dangerous goods...
to guide traffic through construction areas. They were painted orange and white and filled with sand or water to keep them in place. Because the drums were steel and weighed down with sand or water, extensive damage would occur to vehicles striking them.
Plastic barrels that are commonly seen on American roadways today began emerging in the late 1970s and 1980s; steel 55-gallon drums were largely phased out by the 1990s. Construction barrels are typically bright orange and have four alternating white and orange reflective bands. Most have a rubber base that prevents the barrel from tipping over during high winds or when struck by a vehicle. Construction barrels have a handle at the top so it can be easily picked up and carried. The handle also allows crews to install barricade lights to increase visibility.
External Links
- Construction Barrel
- Stabilized barrel-like traffic control element by Jack H. Kulp et al, a 1993 improved version of the traffic barrel, on Google PatentsGoogle PatentsGoogle Patents is a search engine from Google that indexes patents and patent applications from the United States Patent and Trademark Office , which are taken from the original USPTO database . All 8 million patents have been put in the database. Optical character recognition has been...