Drainage Ditch Hazards

Many roadway designs require drainage ditches adjacent to the roadway. Though these ditches are designed to accommodate the anticipated drainage volume, deep ditches are frequently surrounded by non-traversable slopes due to space limitations. Locating deep, nontraversable ditches inside the clear zone can lead to severe impacts and rollover crashes.

Consider installing a subsurface drainage system or a roadside barrier system where nontraversable ditches exist. Subsurface systems provide a safer traversable roadside, while the introduction of a barrier system reduces the severity, but not the frequency, of crashes.