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Buyer’s Guide to Bollards
Concrete, steel, and movable bollards are an effective means of protecting structures on your property, the perimeter, and/or building entrances. Bollards can serve as an attractive security barrier for schools, banks, military bases, shopping malls, and apartment complexes, as well as any commercial or retail location.
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What is Traffic Calming? Are Bollards Effective?
Traffic calming uses physical design and other measures to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. It aims to encourage safer, more responsible driving and potentially reduce traffic flow.
Bollards are one of the most commonly used products for calming traffic. While permanent and portable bollards can both perform this job, portable bollards have the flexibility to change traffic delineation, making them a great choice for stadiums, concert venues, and other high-traffic areas. They are also particularly useful for indicating streetscape changes and other visual cues.
The moveable bollards manufactured by Dawn Enterprises are today used in hundreds of applications across various industries. These portable bollards are Our bollards are installed at construction sites, parking garages, and embassies all over the world.
Bollards and Pedestrian Safety
There are several reasons we need to be increasingly aware about the risks to pedestrian safety:
- Vehicles are increasingly used as weapons
- Pedestrians and drivers are increasingly distracted by cell phones
- Busy urban areas continue to implement measures to become more “walkable”
Cities all over the world are wrestling with implementing new measures to ensure pedestrian safety in a world in which vehicles are increasingly being weaponized. Bollards are an effective way to increase security and protect pedestrians from vehicles. Here are several excerpts from articles highlighting the importance of protective barriers and bollards:
“Many cities have been slow to react to the new threat. This spring, London’s city council rejected plans for barriers along some of the city’s bridges, deeming the bollards too ugly. One day after that decision, three terrorists drove a van at speeds of around 90 kilometres per hour along London Bridge, hitting dozens of people. They then crashed the van and stabbed several more in nearby restaurants and bars before being shot dead by police. A total of eight people died in the attack and more than 40 were wounded. The city council has now put up barriers along most of the city’s bridges including Westminster Bridge, where a man drove a van into pedestrians in March, killing three, and then stabbed a policeman to death….There were virtually no obstructions along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice last year either when a man drove a truck into crowds of people watching a Bastille Day fireworks display. A total of 86 people died and more than 100 were injured. The city has now installed a series of bollards along the promenade at a cost of around $30-million.”
– The Globe And Mail
Pedestrians and drivers are more distracted than ever before!
We have noticed over the years increases in the number of injuries related to distracted walking — pedestrians being distracted by cellphones and then injuring themselves because of that distraction.
NPR
It has been well documented that distracted driving results in more accidents, but there are a growing number of pedestrians that are more oblivious to the traffic around them as well. As the number of drivers on the road and people walking near traffic increases, it is dangerous that we have become more distracted as well. Cell phones play a major role in this distraction and in recent years has resulted in more traffic fatalities. Bollards and other barrier security measures continue to save lives!
6 Common Commercial Uses for Bollards
- Airports – Security and traffic flow control are priorities for airports worldwide. From curbside to large parking areas, bollards play a significant role in preventing access to restricted areas and regulating traffic to ensure the safety of both drivers and pedestrians.
- Stadiums – Big events mean high traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian. Bollards are utilized to regulate that traffic and provide additional security.
- Storefronts – Bollards are effective at protecting pedestrians and preventing property damage, both important functions for storefronts. Nearly all storefronts in close proximity to parking areas use bollards as protection from accidents. Bollards also provide security against theft for stores containing highly valuable items and ATM machines.
- Malls – High levels of site security are needed to protect people and property at high-density shopping malls. Large shopping centers commonly use permanent bollards and security posts to prevent intentional and accidental crashes, and to direct traffic. Removable bollards are also common at large malls and shopping centers that require temporary site protection or changing traffic patterns.
- Warehouses – Warehouses are a great example of commercial sites that need protection from accidental and intentional crashes. Despite not having items on public display, they can be targeted for theft of valuable goods and dangerous equipment. Bollards are a must at loading docks and propane tanks, but there are dozens of other applications depending on the needs of the warehouse.
- Gas Stations – Almost every gas station has bollards to protect gas pumps, which is extremely important. Because a large number of vehicles come close to the pumps each day, bollards are a logical precaution at gas stations all over the world.
Concrete Bollards
Precast concrete bollards are the form of barrier protection frequently chosen by state and federal government agencies, fast food restaurants, department stores, educational facilities, parks & recreation departments, and residential complexes.
There is a new sense of urgency about public safety and the security of government buildings. The steel-reinforced concrete site amenities from Dawn Enterprises are able to provide proven protection while merging with current landscapes.
We also offer several lighted concrete bollards for enhanced security, including those seen below.
Steel Bollards
Commonly placed along the perimeter of a property and at building entrances, steel bollards help safeguard property and individuals onsite. Steel security bollards are commonly used at banks and military bases, as well as schools, shopping malls, apartment complexes and other types of commercial and retail locations. Steel bollards can be installed in a variety of ways including base plate, fixed, or removable.
Are Steel Bollards Right for Your Property?
- Pedestrian safety: Bollards prevent vehicle access while allowing pedestrian flow. Install steel pipe bollards near building entrances and other areas to regulate foot traffic.
- Building protection: Damage to buildings can be costly or irreparable. Steel Bollards can provide standoff protection for sensitive areas and ensure intruding vehicles are kept away for building exteriors and other high-risk locations.
- Perimeter security: Security steel bollards prevent accidents and intentional burglaries—where vehicles are used to crash through storefront entrances or windows. High-security areas often feature steel pipe bollards at sensitive access points to prevent unwanted entry.
Why Choose Steel Bollards from Dawn Enterprises?
Dawn Enterprises provides steel bollard posts of all sizes, most of which are 100% pre-consumer recycled and approximately 55% post-consumer recycled. As nearly every steel bollard request we receive is different, it is hard to establish a “standard” in the same way we can with our concrete bollards. Because of this, options for our steel bollards are endless. If you provide us with the specifications, we can fabricate a bollard to match.
Available options include:
- Color/Finish – Bare, Primed, Painted, Powder Coated, Galvanized, or Stainless
- Eyebolts – Available upon request
- Wall Thickness – We offer Schedule 10 through Double Extra Heavy
- Diameter – Our pipe diameter ranges from 2in to 36in.
- Length – Pipe is cut to the size requested
- Installation – Mounting plate, fixed, or removable
- Cap – Flat, dome, j-hook, or decorative
Who Said Bollards Have to Be Boring?
Check out some of our favorite creative ways that people have transformed bollards into pieces of art, bringing them to life!
We will leave the art part up to you, but if you are looking for bollards we offer a large selection of materials, shapes, and sizes and service commercial and residential properties across America.
Bollard Covers
Make old bollard posts look like new with our bollard covers! Easy to install over new or old steel and concrete bollards, bollard covers eliminate the need for costly long-term maintenance and will immediately improve your facility appearance and safety.
Our covers are made from high-density polyethylene and available in a variety of different colors and sizes.
Because we realize that every project is unique, Dawn offers many styles of bollards including in-ground, surface mounted, and movable bollards, in a variety of shapes and sizes. We also offer plastic bollard covers as a great alternative to long-term maintenance. We’re happy to provide assistance to ensure you get the right product for your needs. Please check out our offerings, and feel free to give us a call to speak with a sales representative.