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DOT outlines rumble-strip plan for Route 12 through Swansea; $12,000/mile estimate
Summary
New Hampshire DOT staff briefed the board on a corridor project to install centerline and shoulder rumble strips along Route 12 through Swansea, citing crash-reduction ranges, quieter sinusoidal strip designs and an expected construction window next spring.
Chris Perronas, the DOT safety section project manager, presented a corridor rumble‑strip project that would include Route 12 through Swansea and explained the goal is to reduce lane‑departure crashes and associated injuries. Perronas said project limits run from the Marlborough town line through just past Stafford Road in Swansea and that installation is planned primarily as centerline rumble strips where roadway width qualifies. "We have a rumble strip project coming through, Routes 911, and 12, from Fitzwilliam to Newport," he told the board.
Perronas described the department's shift from older rectangular corrugated rumble strips to quieter sinusoidal ("mumble") strips and reviewed effectiveness and noise tradeoffs: "They can reduce head on crashes by anywhere from 44 to 64%" for centerline crossovers, and shoulder‑departure reductions were cited in a wide range with local results trending higher. He estimated the installed cost at about $12,000 per mile and said DOT expects to advertise the project next month with construction likely next spring and completion in the fall. Board members and residents asked about noise, placement near campgrounds and speed thresholds; DOT said strips are typically used on roadways of 40 mph or greater and invited local feedback on sensitive areas.
