Rumble strips making a rumble in Cass County

Rumble strips in Cass County are causing a big "rumble" with residents.

Kris Lyytinen, Cass County assistant highway engineer, said Thursday that the county has received numerous complaints from neighbors who live along the county roads where the rumble strips were installed. The county installed rumble strips - which are small continuous lines of bumps along the edge of a road used to alert motorists through noise and vibration from driving too close to the edge of the road - on 21 miles of Cass County Roads 1, 18, 70 and 77. Rumble strips also are known to be installed in the center of the road to help motorists avoid crossing the centerline and into the opposite lane.

Lyytinen said neighbors have been complaining about the loud buzzing noise the rumble strips make when a vehicle drives over them.

Lyytinen said the county applied for federal funding a year ago to do roadway safety projects, like the rumble strips as it was encouraged by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Lyytinen said the county received $80,618 in funding to do the rumble strips and the four county roads were chosen because they have the highest amount of traffic volume and would affect the most motorists.

Lyytinen said the purpose of the rumble strips is to improve the safety of the drivers and their passengers through prevention of crashes, especially head-on and run-off-the-road accidents.

"(Rumble strips are) one thing that has proven to keep people on the road," said Lyytinen. "As far as safety is concerned, it does its job. It slows people down, especially on 77. The benefits are happening, but the noise is annoying the neighbors."

Lyytinen said the highway department has been discussing what it should do with the rumble strips because neighbors had asked the county to get rid of them. He said the highway department tried a few options. For example, it filled in a small portion of the rumble strips with asphalt which alleviated the noise. But, at the same time, it lessened the effectiveness of the strips.

Lyytinen said no decisions have been made on the rumble strips.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.