Cable Median Barriers

It was coming right at me. My routine morning commute was abruptly becoming a high-speed, head-on crash, and there was no place for me to go. A car on the southbound side of the freeway was rapidly headed into the median and towards me on the northbound side. The rush-hour traffic around me left me no route for escape.

Then the oncoming car hit the cable median barrier. The air was instantly full of flying car parts, barrier posts, and snow as cables stretched to absorb the car’s speed and keep the car from entering the northbound lanes. Some of the snow made it over the barrier and hit my car. I arrived at work at little late—shaken but uninjured—and with no damage to my car.

Cable median barriers are not new, but it was impressive to see how well they worked. I know our first responders around the state are familiar with the cable barriers in their response areas, but I want to pass on two of MnDOT’s online resources for public safety responders as reminders. Both would work well for roll call training or indoor training during the cold weather:

• Here is MnDOT’s 13-minute video on ”Cable Median Barrier-Emergency Response Training.” 
• Here are MnDOT’s Vehicle Extrication Tips.

There is no doubt the cable median barrier on 35E saved me from a severe injury or worse.

Up next: Carbon Monoxide and First Responders

Stay safe,
Rob