A bollard is a post that is used to serve both as a visual and a physical barrier. They come in different shapes, styles, sizes and designs. Bollards act as a barrier to save lives and property from unauthorised access and accidents by controlling and guiding the traffic. That is why city authorities must place bollards in high traffic areas for the protection and security of pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
A bollard is usually 36” to 52” high. It is made from durable materials like concrete, timber, polymer etc. the bollards come with different options like they can be temporary or fixed in one place. If a bollard is fixed then this means that it cannot be easily removed or replaced. However bollards that need changes on a frequent basis are made to be temporary. You will find bollards on places like parking lots, hospitals, store fronts, malls and many other public places.
Reasons to Install Bollards in High Traffic Areas
With the alarmingly increasing ratio of accidents in high traffic areas, authorities are now focusing more on the installation of bollards in such areas. They can be very helpful in controlling the vehicular as well as the pedestrian traffic and it can help in reducing accidents. Some of the important reasons why bollards are installed in high traffic areas are given below.
1. Prevention of Unauthorized Vehicle Entry
Whenever there is a festival going on or there is a weekend, the amusement parks and public places get full quickly. After the parking lots become packed, people tend to park their cars at whatever place they get free whether it is the curb, the grass or any area that is prohibited for parking. Bollards help in this situation. Security Bollards prevent such unauthorized parking.
2. Safety for Pedestrians
Most accidents are likely to happen due to over speeding. Whenever a fast car approaches the area where there are pedestrians, the pedestrians are at high risk. The fast car cannot be controlled immediately and it results in major accidents involving pedestrians. Bollards can prevent such incidents from happening. Bollards are made in order to prevent and decrease the impact of collision. They also ensure the safety of pedestrians. That is why you will often find bollards placed at the intersection of cities so that the bollards can save pedestrians from approaching cars and other traffic etc.
3. Divide Walkways and Parking Areas
Bollards provide a physical as well as a visual barrier for the drivers and the pedestrians. It helps to easily distinguish between a parking area and a walkway so that the pedestrian traffic becomes aware. Similarly these bollards also help the drivers to become alert that there is a walkway and they should park the cars or leave the parking area carefully.
4. Barrier around Monuments
Bollards placed around monuments are there to protect them not only from traffic but also from any kind of unauthorized access. Monuments placed in high traffic areas are more prone to get damaged due to collision etc. that is why bollards are placed around them to protect the monument from any vehicular collision. Similarly bollards around monuments also help to protect the monument from tourists or visitors from getting close.
5. Bicycle Parking
In high traffic areas parking of bicycles along roadsides become a source of disturbance for other traffic. These bollards have arms so that you can easily attach your bicycle’s wire lock with the arm of the bollard. In this way, the bicycles will be safe and they will no longer disturb the traffic.
6. Manage and Control Traffic
Bollards are installed along roadsides and walkways to give a clear sign that this area restricts the entry of any kind of vehicle. In this way the vehicular traffic can be managed and controlled by the use of bollards. These roadside bollards also help to keep the pedestrians away from the road to avoid any kind of accidents. Bollards also act as a warning sign for vehicular traffic that they should manage and control their vehicle’s speed.
7. Protection for your Property
You can place bollards around your property to protect it from any kind of unauthorised access or unauthorised vehicle entry. For this purpose you have to install heavy weight bollards made of concrete or metal. However if you only want to give some message to the outsiders for example, do not walk on the grass. Then you can also use light weight bollards made of plastic etc. The lightweight bollards are usually for decorative purposes only.
8. Used as Warning Signs
Bollards can also be used as warning signs to notify people that there is some danger ahead so that they will manage and control the vehicle accordingly. For example these warning bollards can be placed at a construction site to prohibit people or vehicles from entering the site to avoid any accidents.
Final Comments
According to Deco Facts, bollards not only serve as a protective barrier but they serve many different purposes as well, for example, property protection, warning signs and decorative purposes as well.
