I have written about cable barriers a number of times as they continue to go up across the state. It is clear the research suggested that the lines would make a difference and prevent cars from crossing over the highways into head on collisions. With a number of lines now up and enough time, the Minneapolis Tribune was able to look at the real results:
State Patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske said it’s hard to quantify prevented crashes. But “every time they [cables] are hit, there is potential for a crossover crash,” he said.
Gutknecht said the best evidence of the 42-inch-tall barriers’ effectiveness is the damage they absorb: downed posts and cables which have kept out-of-control drivers from going across medians.
Cable barriers have been struck more than 440 times since 2009, when MnDOT began collecting such data. The resulting damage has cost about $498,000 to repair, Gutknecht said.
These are short term costs which save lives and prevent even greater costs. This was a great move by the state.
