THE SIGNS THEY ARE A CHANGIN': A MODULAR APPROACH TO REAL-TIME INFORMATION

During the last 15 years, the ability to provide real-time information to drivers through variable message signs (VMS) has helped to improve road safety and operations, but its application has been frustrated by infrastructure issues and costs, despite improving technology. This has hindered the widespread provision of roadside driver information, and thus the safety and efficiency of road travel. VMS can be applied to five key areas: (1) problems for unforeseeable or 'random' events, such as accidents and maintenance activities; (2) recurring problems such as peak-period congestion; (3) increased traffic related to special events; (4) environmental problems, including bad weather conditions; and (5) operational issues, where advances in traffic operations for different applications, such as parking, cause unique traffic flows. Many studies and tests show that information provided by VMS can significantly reduce such traffic problems, but each application requires a different system. This article shows how the US company ADDCO, Inc. has addressed these concerns by inventing a modular approach to VMS. Its 'BRICK' module can configure any size or type of VMS application in minutes. The signs can be completely reconfigured, allowing additional flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Some real-life applications in the USA are described.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/32663949
• Corporate Authors:

  Cap Gemini

  ,    

  PB Farradyne

  444 South Flower Street, Suite 3700
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90071

  iMPath Networks

  ,    

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  One Georgia Center
  600 West Peachtree Street, NW
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30308

  Pantech

  ,    

  System Innovations, Incorporated

  1551 Forbes Street
  Fredericksburg, VA  United States  22405
• Authors:
  • DUMKE, L R
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 100-2
• Serial:
  • Traffic Technology International
  • Publisher: AutoIntermediates Limited
  • ISSN: 1356-9252
  • Serial URL: http://www.ukipme.com/mag_traffic.htm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Driver information systems; Economic efficiency; Improvements; Incident detection; Organizations; Policy; Real time control; Real time data processing; Safety; Traffic control; Transportation operations; Travel; Variable message signs; Warning systems; Weather
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 224: Cost; 5911: Efficiency; 9108: Improvement; 1632: Incident detection; 698: Journey; 1144: Operations (transp network); 9057: Organization (association); 173: Policy; 8679: Real time; 1665: Safety; 654: Traffic control; 8122: USA; 574: Variable message sign; 9113: Warning; 2545: Weather
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00771354
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 4 1999 12:00AM