Traffic Calming at Mobile Roadwork Zones: Use of Vehicle-Mounted Radar to Evaluate the Effect of Variable Message Signs

This chapter describes how some of the worst accidents Swedish roadwork zones have involved caravans of road marking vehicles. High traffic speeds past roadworks is recognized as a frequent causal factor. This chapter was aimed at evaluating the traffic calming effect of a set of Variable Message Signs (VMS), mounted on a slow-moving caravan of road marking vehicles. The VMS displayed the maximum recommended speed throughout the zone. The results were evaluated by means of new small portable radar equipment that surveyed the speed of vehicles both passing and meeting the caravan. The case results showed that without activating the VMS, both the average and top speeds were very high, thereby entailing an unacceptable risk. However, when the VMS was activated, the average speed was reduced by 22 km/h on wide roads. Similarly, the mean speed of the ten fastest vehicles was reduced by 16 km/h. Finally, the percentage of vehicles driving at extremely high/hazardous speeds (> 70 km/h) dropped from 62% to 12%, which is a relative reduction of 81%. As a result, Swedish legislation is being reviewed with the intention to legalize the use of this type of VMS on moving road work vehicles.

• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Friberg, F
  • Persson, M
  • Granlund, J
  • Johansson, Ake
• Conference:
  • Choice for Sustainable Development. Pre-Proceedings of the 23rd PIARRC World Road Congress
  • Location: Paris , France
  • Date: 2007-9-17 to 2007-9-21
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Monograph Title: The Choice for Sustainable Development. Pre-Proceedings of the 23rd PIARC World Road Congress

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Highway operations; Slow moving vehicles; Traffic calming; Traffic speed; Variable message signs; Work zone safety; Work zone traffic control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Car caravan systems
• Geographic Terms: Sweden
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01080991
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 26 2007 9:54AM