As the need for expansion grows in our cities and communities, so does the need for highway and road construction. As a result, it becomes necessary for local roadway officials and traffic control companies to determine the best ways to increase safety for construction workers, roadway users, and pedestrians. 

Road barricades are critical for maintaining safety, reducing possible vehicle collisions, and increasing visibility in areas where construction, large events, accident scenes, excavations, or roadwork is taking place by controlling traffic flow. Also referred to as traffic safety barriers, road barricades such as Type I, Type II, and Type III.

This article will explain each type of barricade and how Bird Dog Traffic Control can help you secure the kind of barrier you need for your upcoming project.

Type I Barricades

Traffic barricades, referred to as “Type I” or “Type II,” apply to different styles of barriers that refer to the number of reflective panels that the barricade contains. 

A Type I style folding barricade features only one reflective panel or rail. It is typically at least 24 inches wide and features alternating orange and white stripes positioned at a 45-degree angle. 

Type I barriers are also referred to as a waffle-board barrier because it resembles a sawhorse A-frame that can be folded flat and is made of wood or plastic. This style will collapse easily on impact so as not to harm vehicles or pedestrians if they are launched into the air. Additionally, this type of barricade is easy to transport, deploy, and store. 

You will usually see this type of barricade is often used in pedestrian traffic control and low-speed road scenarios.

Type II Barricades

Similar to a Type I barricade, a Type II barricade is lightweight and can be folded flat, making it easy to transfer and have a limited impact on vehicles or pedestrians if contact were to occur. 

However, Type II barricades feature two reflective rails instead of one, with alternating orange and white stripes. The second reflective rail offers increased visibility making it a suitable barricade for expressways or higher speed roads.

Type III Barricades

Temporary Type III barricades are larger and feature three panels and alternating orange and white retroreflective stripes, sloped downward towards the side which traffic is to pass or turn in detouring. If permanent, the retroreflective stripes are red and white. They are limited to a maximum length of eight feet unless tested by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Type III barricades are placed in staggered locations throughout the TTC route and supplemented by other signs such as “Road Closed to Thru Traffic” signs.

Purchase Road Barricades From Bird Dog

Bird Dog Traffic Control is proud to offer you a wide range of traffic control services and equipment sales and rentals, including trailered devices, warning signs, safety equipment, specialty vehicles, and channelization devices including Type I, Type II, and Type III barricades. Rest assured that all of our equipment follow the safety guidelines in place by the Department of Transportation.

Additionally, Bird Dog has the expertise you can depend on for all temporary road closures including: 

  • Installation of detour routing panels, temporary route markers, destination signs, and any necessary modifications to proposed regulatory or warning signs
  • Coordination and communication with state and local forces to ensure that necessary provisions can be made to install detour route signs, inform local emergency and law enforcement personnel, schools, or any other parties affected by the road closure
  • Installation and removal of signs before road closures and before opening roadways to traffic

To learn more about partnering with a traffic control company with decades of experience dealing with traffic management and traffic control, contact Bird Dog Traffic Control by calling 844-369-0799 or filling out this form today! 

For more information on traffic control, safety, and management, be sure to check out our blog often.