Effectiveness analysis of transverse rumble strip using the image processing technique

Abstract

Transverse rumble strip is a traffic calming device which usually installed at the vicinity of schools and accident prone spots. The Malaysia Public Work Department has introduced the latest high performance thermoplastic rumble strips as an intervention along blackspot stretches in Malaysia. This study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the new rumble strips installed at SMK Sri Lalang in Kluang, Johor, with respect to the operational speed variation immediately upstream and downstream of the rumble strips area. Operational speed data acquisition was carried out by using the unmanned aerial vehicle or drone and image processing technique. Drone can be used as an alternative to other image recording devices such as telescopic mast. The presence of a drone is often unnoticed by drivers thus giving the advantage of obtaining naturalistic data. The footages from drone were analysed using the image processing technique to ensure every vehicles were taken into account, compare to handheld device such as speed laser gun that can only detect speed of selected vehicles. The operational speeds were analyzed to obtain parameters namely pace, median, and 85th percentiles speed. The results proved that the new rumble strips succeed to reduce speed of vehicles from 7 to 13 kilometer per hour, which are 7 to 18 percent from the initial speed, respectively.