Spacious Skies and Amber Waves of Grain … Played by Your Tires

Rumble Strip plays "America the Beautiful"

Musical rumble strip 'How to' sign.
Musical rumble strip "How to" sign.

When driving east out of Albuquerque, NM, on good old Route 66, you come upon a blue sign that says “Reduce Speed to 45 mph” and has musical notes at the bottom. Then in your lane you see a 1-ft.-wide rumble strip that extends for 1/8 mile. But it’s not just any ordinary safety-inspired rumble strips. This one, as the sign implies, plays music – “America the Beautiful” to be specific. Because of the spacing of the cuts and the way the spacing of the cuts changes the rumble strips create “music” when tires roll over them at the posted speed. Check it out here (http://www.koat.com/news/singing-road-built-near-tijeras/28365818) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upOtu16yOFg) or search “Tijeras rumble strip” to hear it for yourself. Me, I’m looking forward to a future Willie Nelson rumble strip that plays On the Road Again.

Don Rooney, Pioneer Paving & Grading, Inc.

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