STRETCHED SIGNS GUIDE TRAFFIC

AT AN ESTIMATED $100,000 PER INCH, TUNNEL DESIGNERS HESITATE TO RAISE THE CEILING HEIGHT JUST TO MAKE ROOM FOR TRAFFIC SIGNS. BUT PALMER & BAKER ENGINEERS, INC. DISCOVERED IT WOULD BE FORCED TO DIRECT TRAFFIC PASSING THROUGH A PLANNED 1-MILE-LONG TUNNEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. SO JOSEPH R. CAMPBELL, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MOBILE, ALA., FIRM CAME UP WITH A NOVEL SOLUTION: PUT ILLUMINATED SIGNS ON THE CEILING, STRETCHED OUT LIKE SIGNS PAINTED ON PAVEMENT. CAMPBELL PERSUADED THE D.C. DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS TO SPONSOR A $20,000 TEST RUN IN WASHINGTONS 12TH STREET TUNNEL UNDER THE MALL IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOL. A 48-FT BY 10-FT SIGN WAS PLACED ON THE CEILING, BACK-LIGHTED, AND TESTED. MOTORIST REACTIONS TO THE OVERHEAD SIGNS HAVE BEEN GENERALLY FAVORABLE, BUT ARE STILL BEING EVALUATED. /ARTICLE/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08919526
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 179, No 9, P 41, 1 PHOT
• Publication Date: 1967-8-31

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Engineering News-Record
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0891-9526

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Illuminated traffic signs; Overhead traffic signs; Reaction time; Tunnels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00216204
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 29 1994 12:00AM