What Are those Weird Divots on Washington State Highways?

What  Are Those Weird Divots on Washington State Highways?

My wife and I were coming home from Seattle over the weekend and it's been a while since I've been to the west side of the state.

Dowel Bars Make For A Bumpy Ride On Washington State Highways

On our way back as we were coming up I-90 near Ellensberg, I noticed rumble strips in the right lane.

Off to the side of the right road, I saw the rumble strips so I knew that the divots had to serve a different purpose.

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My first thought as we headed up Indian John Hill was that it must've been for semi-truck tires to grip the snow in the winter as they come up the grade.

I've since discovered that I was far off the mark of their usage. I do know that in my wife's Subaru, the bumpiness caused by the strips was an irritation as I tried to drive in between them.

According to an article published by herald.net, the divots are called "dowel bars"

so what is a dowel bar you ask?

A dowel bar is a short steel bar used in construction, typically on concrete pavements. It is placed across joints to help transfer loads between slabs and keep them aligned.

This prevents differential settlement and ensures smooth transitions between sections, enhancing the pavement's durability and performance.

The bars are there to extend the life of the highway according to the article.

I now know the reasoning behind the "divots" but as a driver on the Interstate, it still made for a bumpy ride.