Delineators

​DELINEATORS

​Delineators are durable, highly visible portable posts that serve a variety of purposes, including directing traffic, marking construction zones or other temporary hazards, and guiding drivers through curves or other roadway features.

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Delineators are often used to create temporary barriers or lane dividers, as well as to provide additional warning to drivers approaching intersections or other high-risk areas.

There are literally hundreds of different types of delineators used throughout the U.S., but there are some commonalities such as height (28 to 36 inches is typical) and color (yellow, white, orange). Most delineators are also able to clearly reflect vehicle headlights from up to 1,000 feet away.

Delineators are also known as:

• Transit dividers
• Tall pylons

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When to use a delineator

Delineators are a useful design tool in several scenarios:

• They can channel vehicles to safer routes in high traffic corridors. For example, they can prevent cars from crossing opposite lanes of traffic when turning into streets or entrances mid-block. 
• They can provide guidance when the alignment might be confusing or unexpected, such as at lane-reduction transitions and curves.  
• They can provide guidance because they remain visible when the roadway is wet, or snow covered.

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Benefits

• Safety – One of the primary characteristics of delineators are their high visibility, which is essential for catching the attention of motorists. They are generally equipped with reflective strips which tend to make them visible even in poor lighting conditions. They also help guide drivers to safer routes and reduce the risk of angle crashes by preventing turns in certain locations.
• Mobility – By strategically placing colorful delineator cones in key positions along the way, traffic delineators keep vehicles moving especially in roadway configurations that a motorist is not used to.

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Delineators in Kentucky​

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