What Type of Bollard Do I Need?

A guide to choosing the right bollards for your project

Bollards play a crucial role as visual guides and vehicle obstructions in various environments. Despite their unassuming appearance, these short posts come in a diverse range of styles and applications, encompassing everything from simple site furnishings to robust security barriers. As planners and architects explore the wide range of bollard options at their disposal, making the right selection is paramount for any development.

There are four major considerations when choosing the right type of bollard for a project:

• Vehicle access: should the bollard permanently or temporarily restrict vehicle access?
• Impact protection: what sort of impact, if any, should the bollard absorb?
• Site furnishing: how can the bollard help create a user-friendly site?
• Visual impact: as a visual guide, should the bollard be contrasting, complementary, or unobtrusive?

Vehicle access

Bollards are often placed to prevent vehicles from driving through an area, or to guide traffic along preferred routes. In many standard installations, the bollard placement is permanent. The bollard might be embedded in fresh concrete or affixed with bolts, anchors, or adhesives, but it will not be removed unless the site design changes, or the bollard is being replaced.

However, certain scenarios call for dynamic and flexible vehicle access control. In such installations, bollards are strategically employed to adapt to changing vehicle permissions based on factors such as seasonal variations, site usage, or vehicle type. Some examples of areas that can utilize variable access bollards for traffic management include the following:

• A road through the mountains that is closed every winter.
• A stadium that only permits maintenance or emergency vehicles to come close to the building.
• A street that only allows transit access or switches between use for parking or events.
• A parking space closed to all but delivery vehicles.

In all these applications, the versatility of removable bollards plays a crucial role in efficiently managing access based on changing requirements. Architects and site designers can select from a range of bollard options to meet the specific needs of each location, ensuring smooth traffic flow and enhanced security while adapting to varying access demands.

Impact protection

Bollards have gained recognition for their ability to offer impact protection against vehicles. However, not all impact resistant bollards are designed to stop a vehicle in its tracks. There are various levels of impact resistance available, ranging from completely flexible bollards to robust anti-ram solutions.

Bollards as Site Furnishings

Bollards showcase their versatility by serving as visual guides, protecting pedestrians and infrastructure, and by incorporating the functionality of essential site furnishings. While marking borders and boundaries, bollards remain an open part of the landscape, setting them apart from traditional barriers such as fences.

In various settings, bollards effectively communicate changes in the intended use of an area. At the entrance to a tranquil rural pathway, a row of bollards encourages hikers and cyclists to traverse the trail while blocking access to vehicles. Similarly, a circle of cast iron bollards adorned with chains gently suggests that people stay out of a garden, yet they allow access for retrieving a frisbee or cleaning up after a pet. Bollards also shine in designating spaces like patios, playgrounds, or seating areas, contributing to the overall functionality of the environment.

This visual guidance can encompass a range of architectural and decorative styles, either subtly enhancing the landscape or commanding attention in specific areas. Along bike routes, in parking lots, and in other busy traffic situations, high-visibility bollards become a preferred choice to create dedicated lanes for smooth traffic flow.

Visual impact

Bollards, in addition to their practical functions, serve as captivating visual communication tools, with aesthetics often playing a pivotal role in selecting the most fitting style for a particular application.

Although these bollard styles each have their unique appeal, they can be customized to seamlessly blend with their surroundings. For instance, strip malls or store fronts often opt for bollards painted or powder-coated in the same color as the building’s exterior, creating a barrier without distracting from signs or displays. This strategic use of bollards ensures that they not only serve their intended purpose but also harmoniously contribute to the overall aesthetic of the site.

Large sites often require different groups of bollards to perform different functions. There might be places where high-impact security is needed, as well as places where vehicles have variable access; areas where bike parking is desirable and areas it would be inappropriate.

For any designer, architect, or city planner, aesthetic is an important consideration throughout. Once function at each location is determined, consistent or contrasting styles can be chosen to allow the bollards to fit well with their environment and with each other. Taking care to evaluate all the requirements for both form and function can help a site planner feel confident they’ve chosen the best bollards for their space.