Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 35
36
study indicated that approximately 82% of the respondents ILLUMINATION
understood the meaning of the IPM system to be "do not
enter the left lane." Only 50%, however, thought that the IPM With a primary intent to provide an alternate source of illu-
system signaled that a train was coming. Respondents were mination, IPM systems have been implemented at vehicle
also shown an image with the IPM system and an overhead and truck inspection points and in environmentally sensitive
"Train Approaching" sign, yet 18% did not include "a train areas, potentially affected by light pollution attributable to
is coming" or "do not turn left" in their response. The driver conventional overhead roadway lighting systems.
comprehension study concluded that although most drivers
understood that the purpose of the IPM system was to restrict
Vehicle and Truck Inspection Points
access to the left-turn lane, some road users may be chal-
lenged to determine when a train is approaching or when they At locations where safety and security is of heightened con-
are allowed to enter the left-turn lane using the current dy- cern (e.g., international border crossings and military facili-
namic lane control assignment and IPM system. ties), IPM systems have the potential to enhance the monitoring
capabilities of officials at these locations through improved
The operational analysis for this combined dynamic lane illumination.
control assignment and IPM system application considered
five specific violation types:
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara
1. Type 1 LT Violator--Vehicle enters left-turn lane County, California
against the "Red X" of the dynamic left-turn lane con-
trol signal and completes left turn. Because of their upward light projection, IPM systems have
2. Type 2a LT Violator--Vehicle completes left turn from been used by monitoring inspectors to better view the under-
lane other than left-turn lane against the "Red X" of the carriages of entering and exiting vehicles (see Figure 38).
dynamic left-turn lane control signal. Most contacts interviewed for this synthesis effort declined
3. Type 2b LT Violator--Vehicle completes left turn from to divulge details about these systems for security reasons;
lane other than left-turn lane with the "Green Arrow" a representative from Vandenberg Air Force Base did con-
of the dynamic left-turn lane control signal. firm the use of IPM systems at two different locations. No
4. LT Violator/Bailout--Vehicle enters left-turn lane additional information regarding the installation, operation,
against the "Red X" of the dynamic left-turn lane con- maintenance, cost, or effectiveness of these IPM systems was
trol signal and does not complete the left turn. available.
5. Bailout--Vehicle enters the left-turn lane legally with
the "Green Arrow" of the dynamic left-turn lane con- Environmentally Sensitive Areas
trol signal and does not complete the left turn, contin-
uing straight on Fannin Street. Light pollution, attributable to conventional overhead roadway
lighting systems, has prompted the use of IPM systems as an
Three days of data prior to IPM system implementation and alternative source of illumination at a number of locations
one day of early "after" data following implementation sup- deemed to be environmentally sensitive.
ported this operational analysis. The results showed a consis-
tent trend in violations; total violations were either the same
or slightly higher than before when measured shortly after im-
plementation. The number of Type 1 violators (i.e., vehicle en-
ters left-turn lane against the "Red X" of the dynamic left-turn
lane control signal and completes left turn) per 10,000 vehicles
was observed to decrease, however, for each direction. These
results should be viewed as preliminary and should take into
account the short observation period (i.e., one day) following
IPM system implementation (Tydlacka and Voigt 2006).
The crash analysis at this site was inconclusive owing to
an infrequency of observed crashes (no left-turn vehicle/train
crashes occurred at this location in the year before IPM system
implementation or in the six months following implementa-
tion) and the abbreviated observation period following IPM
system implementation. Although no significant reduction in
crashes could be attributed to IPM system implementation at
this site, left-turn vehicle/train crashes have shown a consis- FIGURE 38 Vehicle and truck inspection point IPM system
tent annual decline over time. application (Courtesy: Traffic Safety Corporation).
OCR for page 36
37
SR A1A, Boca Raton, Florida Two separate studies were done by the University of
Florida to determine the effectiveness of the combined bol-
In Boca Raton, Florida, sea turtle hatchlings are instinctively lard lighting and IPM systems, considering both the turtle
drawn to the ocean by the reflection of light from the sky on hatchlings and the general public. The hatchlings study re-
the water's surface. Along State Route A1A, the installation vealed a 99% decrease in hatchling disorientation attribut-
of overhead artificial roadway lighting confused the hatch- able to the alternative light system. In the public acceptance
lings, drawing them inland (instead of toward the ocean) study, the majority of the public was in favor of the project
where they became dehydrated, preyed upon, and even run and agreed that the alternative light system was adequate for
over by vehicles. In 2001, FDOT initiated an experimental roadway usage. Older road users, however, were observed to
demonstration project to test the use of IPM systems as an al- be less receptive to the alternative light system. No changes
ternate illumination source with the intent of preserving the in crash characteristics were observed as a result of the alter-
sea turtle hatchlings (see Figure 39). native lighting (Ellis and Washburn 2003).
A one-half-mile section of SR A1A, adjacent to the beach
and the city's Spanish River Park, was selected as the demon- N513 Highway, Castricum, Province
stration site. The existing overhead roadway lights were deac- of Noord-Holland, the Netherlands
tivated and combined bollard lighting and IPM systems were
implemented. The alternative light sources were physically Along the N513 Highway in the Province of Noord-
lower in height than the sea dunes adjacent to the roadway to Holland, the Netherlands, an IPM system was implemented
prevent light from reaching the beach. The alternate light sys- as an alternative to overhead roadway lighting to address
tem is only used during the sea turtle mating season (from May safety concerns in an environmentally sensitive location.
to October), and is photo-sensitive, illuminating at dusk. At this location, bicyclists returning from the adjacent
beach and conservation area frequently cross the N513
Not unique to this application, marker adhesion was re- highway. The proximity of the conservation area pre-
ported as initially problematic at this location; the adhesive cluded use of conventional overhead roadway lighting to
used to hold the markers in place would release in Florida's increase the visibility of the bicyclists as they crossed the
high summer temperatures. This issue was fully resolved by the highway.
manufacturer. The control cabinet was also struck by lightning
and has since been replaced with a stronger, grounded box. In 2003, solar-powered IPM system markers were placed
along the centerline of the roadway for a distance of approx-
Although no IPM system costs were directly reported, imately 180 ft on both sides of the bicycle crossing (see Fig-
a resurfacing project is planned for SR A1A that will pro- ure 40). Inductive loops are used to activate the IPM system
vide continued use of the existing half-mile IPM system and as vehicles approach the crossing area.
extend the system for an additional half-mile. The cost of
the combined resurfacing/IPM system project is $500,000 The Dutch reported a 99.2% savings in energy and minimal
(A. Broadwell, personal communication, July 26, 2007). impacts on wildlife as a result of the IPM system. In addition,
no fatalities or injuries have been reported since the installation
of this system. No information was provided, however, re-
garding safety levels before IPM system implementation to
FIGURE 39 Environmentally sensitive area IPM system FIGURE 40 Environmentally sensitive area IPM system
application SH A1A Boca Raton, Florida (Courtesy: SmartStud application, Province of Noord-Holland, the Netherlands
Systems). (Courtesy: Astucia Traffic Safety Systems).
