Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles (2026)

Chapter: Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study

Previous Chapter: Appendix B: State DOT Delineation Practices
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.

APPENDIX C
Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study

Table C-1. Delineation practices evaluated in human factors study.
A table shows data on the delineation practices evaluated in human factors.

(continued on next page)

Long Description.

The table shows seven columns and three rows. The column headers are Hardware Type; Delineation Practice; Photo; Spacing; Other Details; Closed-Course Evaluation (Yes or No); and Computer-Based Evaluation (Yes or No). The last two columns are divided into two sub-columns: Day and Night. The first, second, and third rows are divided into nine, nine, and seven sub-rows, respectively. The data provided are as follows: Row 1: Guardrail; Sub-row 1: No delineation; a nighttime view of highway with no delineators on either side; Not Applicable; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 2: Post-mounted delineator leading to two sub-rows. One: a nighttime view with several post-mounted delineators on the right side of the road; 25 feet; None; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Two: a nighttime view with a few post-mounted delineators on the right side of the road; 50 feet; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 3: W-beam-mounted delineator leading to two sub-rows. One: a nighttime view with several w-beam-mounted delineators on the right side of the road; 25 feet; None; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Two: a nighttime view with a few w-beam-mounted delineators on the right side of the road; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 4: Post-mounted delineator and w-beam-mounted delineator; Nighttime view of a curved road with double yellow center lines, post-mounted on roadside W-beam delineators; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 5: Delineator panel; Nighttime view of a curved road with double yellow center lines with the delineator patch attached to the w-beam guardrails; 12.5 feet; None; No; No; No; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 6: Yellow rubrail; Daytime view of a curved road with a yellow rubrail barrier and white pavement markings near two large industrial buildings; Not Applicable; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 7: Yellow rubrail and post-mounted delineator; Nighttime view of a highway with yellow rubrail and post-mounted delineators on the right side; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; No; and Yes.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Table C-1. (Continued).
A table shows data on the delineation practices evaluated in human factors.
Long Description.

The table shows seven columns and three rows. The column headers are Hardware Type; Delineation Practice; Photo; Spacing; Other Details; Closed-Course Evaluation (Yes or No); and Computer-Based Evaluation (Yes or No). The last two columns are divided into two sub-columns: Day and Night. The first, second, and third rows are divided into nine, nine, and seven sub-rows, respectively. The data provided are as follows: Row 1; Sub-row 8: Yellow rubrail and w-beam-mounted delineator; Nighttime view of a highway road with yellow rubrail and w-beam-mounted delineators on the right side; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; No; and Yes. Row 1; Sub-row 9: Yellow rubrail, post-mounted delineator, and w-beam-mounted delineator; Nighttime view of a highway road with yellow rubrail, post-mounted delineator, and w-beam-mounted delineators on the right side; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; No; and Yes. Row 2: Concrete barrier; Sub-row 1: No delineation; A nighttime view of a highway road with no delineators on the concrete barrier; Not applicable; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 2: Side-mounted delineator leading to two sub-rows. One: Nighttime view of several side-mounted delineators on a highway road; 25 feet; Top of delineator located 4 inches from top of barrier; No; Yes; No; and Yes. Two: Nighttime view of a few side-mounted delineators on a highway road; 50 feet; Top of delineator located 4 inches from top of barrier; No; No; No; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 3: Top-mounted delineator leading to two sub-rows. One: Nighttime view of several top-mounted delineators on a highway road; 25 feet; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Two: Nighttime view of a few top-mounted delineators on a highway road; 50 feet; None; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 4: Side-mounted delineator and top-mounted delineator; Nighttime view of side-mounted and top-mounted delineators on the concrete barrier of the highway road; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 5: Continuous retroreflective paint stripe; Night view of a curved road with highly reflective continuous paint applied directly to the top of the concrete barrier; Not applicable; Top of paint stripe located 4 inches from top of concrete barrier; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 6: Continuous retroreflective paint stripe and top-mounted delineator leading to two sub-rows. One: Nighttime view of continuous retroreflective paint strip and several top-mounted delineators on the concrete barrier; 25 feet; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Two: Nighttime view of continuous retroreflective paint strip and a few top-mounted delineators on the concrete barrier; 50 feet; None; No; Yes; No; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 7: Delineator panel; Nighttime highway view with delineator panels attached to the concrete barrier system and streetlights overhead; 10 feet; None; No; No; No; and Yes.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Table C-1. (Continued).
A table shows data on the delineation practices evaluated in human factors.
Long Description.

The table shows seven columns and three rows. The column headers are Hardware Type; Delineation Practice; Photo; Spacing; Other Details; Closed-Course Evaluation (Yes or No); and Computer-Based Evaluation (Yes or No). The last two columns are divided into two sub-columns: Day and Night. The first, second, and third rows are divided into nine, nine, and seven sub-rows, respectively. The data provided are as follows: Row 2; Sub-row 8: White chevron; Night view of a curved road with a white Chevron attached to the concrete barrier; 10 feet; Top of chevron panel located 2 inches from top of concrete barrier; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Row 2; Sub-row 9: Yellow chevron; Night view of a curved road with a yellow chevron attached to the concrete barrier; 10 feet; Top of chevron panel located 2 inches from top of concrete barrier; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Row 3: Culvert; Sub-row 1: No delineation; Not applicable; Not applicable; None; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 2: Delineator post (X1); Nighttime view of a two-way highway lane with one delineator post on either side of the road edge; Not applicable; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 3: Delineator post (X2); Nighttime view of a two-way highway lane with two delineator posts on either side of the road edge; 20 feet; Lateral offset of 1.5 feet; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 4: Delineator post (X3); Nighttime view of a two-way highway lane with three delineator posts on either side of the road edge; 20 feet; Lateral offset of 1.5 feet; No; No; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 5: Object marker (X1); Night view of a straight, dark rural road marked by a black and yellow striped object marker on either side of the road edges; Not applicable; None; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 6: Object marker (X2); Night view of a straight, dark rural road marked by two black and yellow striped object markers on either side of the road edges; 20 feet; Lateral offset of 1.5 feet; No; Yes; Yes; and Yes. Row 3; Sub-row 7: Object marker (X3); Night view of a straight, dark rural road marked by three black and yellow striped object markers on either side of the road edges; 20 feet; Lateral offset of 1.5 feet; No; No; Yes; and Yes.

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.

Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications:

A4A

Airlines for America

AAAE

American Association of Airport Executives

AASHO

American Association of State Highway Officials

AASHTO

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

ACI–NA

Airports Council International–North America

ACRP

Airport Cooperative Research Program

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

APTA

American Public Transportation Association

ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers

ASME

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASTM

American Society for Testing and Materials

ATA

American Trucking Associations

CTAA

Community Transportation Association of America

CTBSSP

Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program

DHS

Department of Homeland Security

DOE

Department of Energy

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

FAA

Federal Aviation Administration

FAST

Fixing Americaʼs Surface Transportation Act (2015)

FHWA

Federal Highway Administration

FMCSA

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

FRA

Federal Railroad Administration

FTA

Federal Transit Administration

GHSA

Governors Highway Safety Association

HMCRP

Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

ISTEA

Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991

ITE

Institute of Transportation Engineers

MAP-21

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012)

NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASAO

National Association of State Aviation Officials

NCFRP

National Cooperative Freight Research Program

NCHRP

National Cooperative Highway Research Program

NHTSA

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NTSB

National Transportation Safety Board

PHMSA

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

RITA

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

SAE

Society of Automotive Engineers

SAFETEA-LU

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005)

TCRP

Transit Cooperative Research Program

TEA-21

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998)

TRB

Transportation Research Board

TSA

Transportation Security Administration

U.S. DOT

United States Department of Transportation

Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Page 115
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Page 116
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Page 117
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Page 118
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
Page 119
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: Description of Delineation Practices Evaluated in Human Factors Study." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Delineation of Linear Roadside Hardware Systems and Roadside Obstacles. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29352.
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