Posts Tagged ‘traffic channelizer’
Traffic Drum or Barricade?
I have mentioned many times in my posts that a traffic drum is sort of like a barricade. It is like a barricade because it guards or barricades against construction that is on the side of the road. It is important not to mix these two terms up, because they are different things.
A traffic drum is most likely better for the highway and a traffic barricade is better for the town or city environment. This is because generally traffic drums are cheaper and you need more of them compared to barricades.
Traffic Drums Can Roll Over?
Believe it or not, there are more features than one would expect with traffic drums. For example, did you know that traffic drums have lips on the bottom that makes it so if they were to fall over, they wouldn’t toll too far? Actually, not all of them have lips, some are shaped like an oval which also prevents them from rolling.
This may not be the case with every single traffic drum that exists (because there are a lot) but it is a spec that needs to be met in most cases in order to be used on highways. A lot of states also have specific reflective specs, so watch out for that next time you buy traffic drums.
Traffic Drums – what’s on the side?
A lot of people do not know what is on the side or the top of traffic drums. They know what traffic drums are, the orange traffic barrels they always see on the side of the road. What they don’t know is that the lights on top of them are called barricade lights and they are typically wrapped with four 6″ bands, two orange and two white.
This reflective sheeting makes the traffic drums easier to be seen during the night so people know that construction is coming up. The lights also help with this, because they are typically blinking during the night and have a photocell in them so that they only turn on during the night.
Stackability – Traffic Drums
Let’s face it, when you see traffic drums, you usually see a lot of them. That is why when buying in large quantities or moving large amounts of traffic drums around, you probably want them to stack. Whether they are stacked in a warehouse with all your other traffic safety products or stacked on a truck for putting them out on the highway, stackability is important.
Some traffic drums stack more than others, so ask your supplier how many of them can be stacked up. If the supplier doesn’t know, try asking the manufacturer. Imaging buying 1000 traffic drums and then finding out that you can’t stack them even two high? It is very important, so make sure you ask!
Traffic Drum Density
When you buy a traffic drum, you will most likely be asked if you want a high (hi) density drum or a low (lo) density drum. The difference is just the thickness of the plastic. Some suppliers do not off this option, so you may not be asked depending on where you buy them.
Chances are it is only important to the buyer if it is important for the job. The best way to know would be to research the requirements for the job or the project. Checking over the requirements or calling the project designer is your best option for finding out what density your traffic drums need to be.