ITD, UI project looking at technology to improve safety
at signalized intersections in winter
ITD is taking the lead nationally to integrate research and innovative practices to improve safety at intersections during the winter.
Working closely with researchers at the University of Idaho, ITD is field-testing a prototype of a weather-responsive traffic signal system that could reduce intersection crashes. Testing began in May and is scheduled to continue through August 2013.
Public Roads, a Federal Highway Administration publication, provides a comprehensive overview of the research project in its November/December 2012 edition. “Managing Traffic Signals During Storms,” by Ahmed Abdel-Rahim and C.Y. David Yang, describes the cutting-edge project. It integrates Idaho’s road weather information system with traffic signal technology.
The project goal, according to the magazine, is to develop and implement a real-time, weather-responsive traffic signal control system that will improve the efficiency and safety of traffic signal operations during the winter.
It uses Clarus, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Transportation that focused on developing a database system for storing and quality-checking observations from fixed and mobile road weather sensors. USDOT introduced Clarus in 2004.
ITD and the University of Idaho are taking the Clarus project to a new level.
“Winter driving conditions decrease safety for the traveling public,” explains Brent Jennings, manager of ITD’s Highway Safety Office. “ITD continues to look for innovative ways to increase highway safety that align with our journey toward zero deaths on all roadways in Idaho.
“The department’s Office of Highway Safety is excited about the recently implemented research project with the University of Idaho that integrates the Clarus weather data system into traffic signal operations. This project will assist in adapting automated signal timing during times of inclement weather, which has the potential to reduce deaths and serious injuries.”
Mark Kehrli, director of the FHWA Office of Transportation Operations, says the project could provide an exciting new tool to reduce the impact of weather-related crashes at intersections.
“Rather than throwing up our hands and saying, ‘You can’t change the weather,’ ITD is showing that there are real-world solutions to these types of impacts that can be implemented today.”
Research confirms that weather is a major influence on the number and severity of motor vehicle crashes, including those occurring at intersections. The Western Transportation Institute reports that 17 percent of all traffic fatalities annually are attributed to weather-related factors. It also suggests that snow increases the risk of crashes that cause “minimal injuries by approximately 120 percent, minor injuries by 80 percent, and major injuries and fatalities by 40 percent.”
Published 11-30-2012