SCHOOL CROSSING SAFETY IMPROVEMENT STUDY

School zones and associated control devices play a significant role in enhancing the traffic safety of students. They serve to communicate to approaching drivers of the critical need to reduce vehicle speed and to remain alert throughout the length of school zones. The traffic control devices that generally regulate traffic flow within the school zones have traditionally been of the passive nature encompassing traffic signs and markings. To complement these passive devices and optimize their effectiveness, transportation agencies may consider equipping critical school zones with active traffic controls. These controls consist of attaching flashing beacons to the existing passive school speed limit signs. This report summarizes the methodology used in a safety improvement study of 329 school zones in the San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan area. The purpose of the study was to develop a model to generate a prioritized list of 329 school zones that could benefit from the installation of school flashers. The model considered seven critical factors in formulating the priority list. Transportation practitioners can use this model to generate prioritized lists for various safety improvement programs using the model's logic and approach. Example applications may include formulating deployment programs for traffic signals and speed humps where implementation funds and/or resources are limited.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Conference proceedings available only on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Yu, L
• Conference:
  • Transportation Frontiers for the Next Millennium: 69th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Transportation Engineers
  • Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Date: 1999-8-1 to 1999-8-4
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 14p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flashing traffic signals; Mathematical models; Metropolitan areas; Safety programs; School children; School safety; Schools; Speed control humps; Speed limits; Students; Traffic calming; Traffic control devices; Traffic safety; Traffic signs
• Geographic Terms: San Antonio (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00770286
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Publication No. CD-006
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 22 1999 12:00AM