AASHTO Journal, 31 October 2014
KOAT TV photo.
New Mexico Department of Transportation has been highlighting a musical treat out of the pavement of one highway this autumn – if drivers cooperate by driving at the posted speed limit.
A contractor built the “Singing Road” section with calibrated rumble strips, allowing motorists to hear the tune of “America the Beautiful” from the sound of their tires on the strips. It is just the fifth such road in the world, KOAT TV reported as it demonstrated how drivers can get the road to give up its music.
But since they only hear it when driving at the 45 mph speed limit, the project also serves as an experiment in what kinds of campaigns entice drivers to avoid speeding and drive more safely.
NMDOT said a media company called Tigress Productions created the attraction, on old Route 66 just west of Tijeras and east of Albuquerque, for a new National Geographic Channel TV series called “Crowd Control.” Hosted by best-selling author Daniel Pink, that series uses innovative experiments to test social behavior.
To New Mexico Transportation Cabinet Secretary Tom Church, it is an opportunity to steer motorists toward safe driving.
“Safety is our number one priority,” Church recently said about the Singing Road project. “Speeding is a factor in too many vehicle crashes in New Mexico. The goal of this experiment is to change driver behavior in a fun way by giving them a reward if they obey the speed limit.”
State officials also see it as a tourism boost.
“This is such a fun and creative way to encourage motorists to slow down and see more of our beautiful state, and it’s wonderful that National Geographic will be here to highlight the process,” said New Mexico Department of Tourism Cabinet Secretary Monique Jacobson.
Discovery expects to find out if the rumble strips project alters driver behavior over time. But the experiment is already drawing lots of attention; an ABC News blog picked up the local report and spread the music around.
