How the National Park Service Uses Bollards

Benefits of Bollards

• Bollards are versatile. They can be designed to suit any need in any location. They are not a one size fits all solution, but can be developed to solve any traffic dilemma.

• For historic sites, bollards are a symbol of respect. Many times you will see discreet bolsters chained together to prevent passage too close to a national monument or statue. It is a way to mark a site as special, and preserve that sentiment from pedestrians and vehicular damage.

• They are cost effective. For the strength, durability and upfront costs, bollards are far superior to flimsy or even expensive gates. They take up less space while offering the same amount of protection to an area.

• Bollards also protect the surrounding area in a sustainable fashion. They are timeless solutions that warn intruders while maintaining an area that is off limits for certain activities. 

Examples in the NPS

• In 2003, the Lincoln Memorial Circle Rehabilitation and Security Project called for bollards along the outer edge of the circle. The plan called for 370 bollards to be installed.

• In 2013, the NPS notified volunteers that if the government had shut down at the time, the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) would also close. They even had bollards at the entrance of the trail to block traffic. Removable bollards are a great solution for temporary or emergency access restriction uses, as this example indicates.

• They replaced a bollard that was regularly knocked over by cars with a sturdier bollard design in 2013.

• The majority of bollards placed on behalf of the NPS include solid black or brown cylindrical designs with a sphere on top and a chain length connection.

• Security bollards were first installed at The White House and President’s Park in 1980, according to a document from the NPS.

• In 2006, USA Today reported on security guard posts being implemented in a number of different places with a goal to make the safety precautions attractive and secure. The NPS eventually decided to replace concrete barriers around Lincoln Memorial with a low profile granite wall.