Road delineators and flexible bollards are both used for vehicle traffic, but they serve different primary purposes. Understanding the differences between road delineators and flexible bollards is crucial for any effective road project. This knowledge will help you improve your choices when planning a road, parking area, or other traffic project. In this blog, you’ll learn the differences between road delineators and flexible bollards, including their respective uses.
What Are Flexible Bollards?
A bollard’s primary purpose is obstructing or blocking vehicle traffic to a certain area. It provides a visual cue and physical barrier warning drivers not to enter a specific area. Rigid bollards are typically made of a hard material like steel or concrete and would damage a vehicle if it attempted to pass through them. In some cases, bollards need to be flexible to allow necessary access. Flexible bollards discourage drivers from entering but make it possible for vehicles to pass in an emergency or other scenario without causing significant damage to the vehicle or bollard.
Flexible bollards are often used to separate ordinary freeway lanes from express lanes and bike lanes from vehicular traffic. They can also be an alternative to concrete curbs in parking areas. Nonflexible bollards are typically used for high-security settings and retail storefronts where vehicles should never enter.
What Are Road Delineators?
The purpose of road delineators is to accurately mark off a boundary. Unlike bollards, they do not physically block traffic and instead guide traffic around an area. They are most useful in situations where regular signs would confuse drivers or cause hazards.
Road delineators are often equipped with reflective material for low light and nighttime visibility. As permanent installations, road delineators can function like guardrails for automobiles. They can also safely direct traffic in the event of accidents or short-term construction projects.
Flexible Delineators
Flexible traffic delineators are a type of delineator with a nonrigid construction. They stand perpendicular to the road surface to guide drivers through a certain area, but if they are run over, they do not permanently deform or cause major vehicle damage.
A highway delineator is a kind of flexible delineator post that can prevent vehicles from hastily merging into highway traffic. They create a distinct separation between merger lanes and the highway. They are a deterrence rather than an obstruction and will not cause vehicle damage if they are mistakenly run over.
Road Delineators From Inline Plastics
Road delineators and flexible bollards look similar, but they play different roles in traffic planning. Bollards are a clear indication not to enter and physically block vehicles from accessing a restricted area. Road delineators, on the other hand, alert drivers to changing road conditions and are intended to guide rather than obstruct. Flexible delineators provide added visibility and durability, as they rise directly from the road and bounce back if they are driven over.
Inline Plastics produces standard and custom plastic profiles, extrusions, tubing, and other plastic products, including plastic delineators. Our product line of durable road delineators can help facilitate traffic around your construction site, highway maintenance project, or other application. Contact us to learn more about our plastic extrusion capabilities, or request a quote to get started on your custom solution.