EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL STOP/SLOW SIGNAL FLAG IN WORK ZONES

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established the STOP/SLOW paddle as the primary hand-signaling device in work zones. Although their clear messages provide motorists with positive guidance, they are cumbersome to use. Flags are much easier to handle, but are generally used only in spot locations because they do not provide such guidance. Highway Maintenance employees in the New York State Department of Transportation's (NYSDOT's) Region 9 have developed a hand-held flag displaying STOP and SLOW legends, combining the maneuverability of flags with the positive guidance of paddles. NYSDOT received FHWA permission to evaluate the flag's effectiveness, and comparative field tests indicated that drivers reduce speed earlier as they approach the new flag -- for example, at about 120 m motorists averaged 4.9 km/h slower in approaching the new flag than the paddle. There were also fewer erratic driver movements or violations of instructions when using the new flag. Based on this evidence of improved compliance and legibility, this new hand-signaling device warrants consideration as an alternative to the STOP/SLOW paddle.

• Record URL:
  https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/21000/21100/21124/PB99100216.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Department of Transportation

  Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1220 Washington Avenue
  Albany, NY  United States  12232

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Choueiri, E M
  • Valenti, R A
  • Sandhu, D
• Publication Date: 1994-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 25 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compliance; Field tests; Flaggers; Legibility; Signaling; Traffic control devices; Work zone traffic control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Flags; Legends (Traffic control devices); Speed reduction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; I60: Maintenance; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00760563
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NY/SR-94/113,, Final Report, RP 12-41
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 26 1999 12:00AM