SPRINGFIELD, Mo., July 20 (UPI) -- Steel cable, a safer and lower-cost alternative to other forms of highway medians, has been growing in use, including a major installation in Missouri.
The Missouri Department of Transportation recently completed a $20.5 million installation of 179 miles of median guard cable on I-70, and similar projects have taken place in North Carolina, Texas, Washington, California and Utah, USA Today reported Thursday.
"These things do save lives, and more states are putting them in place, where appropriate," said Jim McDonnell, associate program director of engineering for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
"When a vehicle hits a concrete barrier, it usually bounces back into traffic," said Brian Chandler, a traffic-safety engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation. "But when you hit the guard cable, it gives 10 to 12 feet and helps absorb the force. The posts that hold the cable up are designed to break away. The cable stretches and wraps up the car in it."
