CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE SIGNS IN OHIO

DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI IS SERVED BY A HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES TWO INTERSTATE SECTIONS THAT INTERSECT AND OVERLAP EACH OTHER AT THE OHIO RIVER. THE CLOSE SPACING OF EXITS AND THE UNUSUAL GEOMETRY OF THE JUNCTION AND SOME OF THE EXITS COUNTRIBUTES TO DAILY AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR BREAKDOWNS IN TRAFFIC FLOW AND PRODUCES CONFUSION FOR OUT-OF-TOWN DRIVERS THAT NO DEGREE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL CAN EVER COMPLETELY OVERCOME. THIS SITUATION WILL BE EXACERBATED BY A SPORTS STADIUM WITH A CAPACITY OF 55,000 THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED FOR ONE OF THE FREEWAY SECTIONS. A SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVISED TO COPE WITH RUSH HOUR CONGESTION AND STADIUM TRAFFIC. THE TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM WILL UTILIZE CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE, MATRIX SIGN UNITS LOCATED STRATEGICALLY ON THE FREEWAY SYSTEM TO WARN DRIVERS OF CONGESTED CONDITIONS AHEAD AND TO SPECIFY THE EXITS TO BE USED TO AVOID THE CONGESTION. CONFIRMATORY CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE UNITS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE RAMP EXIT GORE SIGNS TO KEEP THE INFORMATION CURRENT SHOULD CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE PREVIOUS WARNING OR GUIDANCE MESSAGE. THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM WILL COMPRISE TWO SUBSYSTEMS: TELEVISION CAMERAS TO ASSIST CONTROL SYSTEM OPERATORS, AND LOOP DETECTORS ON THE FREEWAY AND RAMPS TO MEASURE CONGESTION. THE LATTER SUBSYSTEM WILL BE USED NOT ONLY FOR MESSAGE SELECTION BUT ALSO FOR RAMP METERING. THE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER WILL BE LOCATED AT THE SPORTS STADIUM AND INCLUDE FACILITIES FOR DISPATCHING EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr129/129-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020530
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20418
• Authors:
  • Burns, E N
• Conference:
  • Conference on the Changeable-Message Concept of Traffic Control
  • Date: 1971-7-15 to 1971-7-16
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 7-12
• Monograph Title: THE CHANGEABLE-MESSAGE CONCEPT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 129
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Central business districts; Freeways; Peak hour traffic; Ramp metering; Traffic congestion; Traffic control; Traffic surveillance; Variable message signs
• Geographic Terms: Ohio
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic control systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226386
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020530
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 29 1973 12:00AM