“Off-the-Wall” · 2015. 7. 27. · Bizarre & Off-the-Wall Solutions to Highway Safety Tracie...
23
Bizarre & Off-the-Wall Solutions to Highway Safety Tracie Leix, P.E. MDOT Safety Programs County Engineer’s Workshop February 18, 2009 “Off-the-Wall” Merriam-Webster says, “odd, extravagant, or eccentric in style or mode” We say, “unconventional” or “unusual”
Transcript of “Off-the-Wall” · 2015. 7. 27. · Bizarre & Off-the-Wall Solutions to Highway Safety Tracie...
Bizarre & Off-the-Wall Solutions to Highway Safety
Tracie Leix, P.E.MDOT Safety Programs
County Engineer’s WorkshopFebruary 18, 2009
“Off-the-Wall”
Merriam-Webster says,
“odd, extravagant, or eccentric in style or mode”
We say, “unconventional” or “unusual”
Before Bizarre
• Common Countermeasures– Left & Right Turn Lanes– Guardrail Upgrades– Traffic Signal Upgrades– Cross Section Modifications– Culvert Replacement/Extension
• Usually in combination
UD-10 Narratives
“I was coming home and drove into the wrong house, and collided with a tree I didn’t
have.”
“I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck
him.”
Turn Lanes
• Typically installed when vehicles have trouble making turns.
• Center Left TL– HD-LT 50%– RE-LT 80%
• Right TL– RE-RT 65%
• 8 projects
Offset Turn Lanes
• Provide a turn lane but…– offset it!
MichiganM-43 @ M-52
Demonstrating the Issue
How Others Offset: Iowa
Curb encourages good driver sight line
Offset Turn Lanes
• Offset Right Turn Lane– 65% for angle crashes
• Offset Left Turn Lane– Skewed intersections
Another Left Turn View
Narratives, Part II
“The telephone pole was approaching. I was attempting to swerve out of its way, when it
hit the front end.”
“I had been driving 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had a crash.”
Guardrail Upgrades
• 28 of the selected projects for 2009– 55% for fatal & A-
injury crashes• 5 projects involved
slope flattening– 15% for lane
departure crashes
Top 5 Items Struck
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Hit Tree Hit Ditch Hit Guardrail Hit Utility Pole Hit Other Non-FixedObject
Tota
l Cra
shes
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Cable Barrier
• MDOT is using for freeway medians– 90% for fatalities & A-injuries
Narratives
“As I approached the intersection, a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable
to stop in time to avoid the accident.”
“To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front, I struck the pedestrian.”
Traffic Signal Upgrades
• 19 Projects involve signal upgrades– Equipment upgrades– Increased lens size– LED lenses– 10% reduction
Backplates• With Reflective Strips
Prepare to Stop When Flashing
Concern:Drivers may mis-use the information, speeding up to “make” the signal
Purpose:To inform drivers to prepare for an upcoming change in the signal
Illinois
The Arguments…
Common Design Criteria:• 55 MPH
• Isolated or Unexpected Intersection
• Limited Sight Distance
Illinois
The Compromise…
Do the Signs Affect Driver Behavior?
MinnesotaRed Light Violations 29%
Truck Violations 63%
MarylandRight Angle Crashes 62%
Rear End Crashes 36%
Do the Sign Affect Crash Frequency?
Common use: MN, OH, KY, NV, NE, IL, NJ, MO, PA, VA, IA, IN, MD, CA, AK, MT, GA, UT, PR
US-23, KY
Signal Retiming
• Aims to reduce travel time, delay and frequency of stops (driver frustration)
• Reduces fuel consumption and emissions• MDOT assistance!!
– Jason Firman, P.E.– Congestion & Mobility– 517.636.0299– [email protected]
Have You Seen This?
Emergency Vehicle Preemption
“Michigan Firefighter Charged With Homicide,
Fire Truck Crash”
“Traverse City, Michigan Family Shattered by Crash”
3-11-2005
8-22-2005
Amusing UD-10s
The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
Driver hit horse. Horse was lifted off of the ground, onto the hood and into the
windshield and then into the front seat with driver. There was horse manure all over the
driver.
The “Unfixables”
Animal Crashes
54000
56000
58000
60000
62000
64000
66000
68000
70000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Tota
l Cra
shes
Taking Safety Further
• Buffalo Grass!– Germinates later in
spring– Turns brown earlier
in fall
– Mt Pleasant TSC is piloting along M-115
– Highways for Life– Reduce Deer Crashes
Another “Animal” Treatment
• Agricultural area• Crop selection
– Plant low crops adjacent to roads– Taller crops beyond
Cross Section Changes
Before
Cross Section Changes
After
Icy Crashes
ICY Surface Condition
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Tota
l Cra
shes
Targeting Icy Crashes
Striking the Cable
Color Changing Markings
• Under Development in France– Durability issues
• Change from white to pink– When road reaches freezing
• Possible MDOT pilot when ready?
Training/Education
What Elected Officials Need to Know About Traffic Safety
(And What YOUR Constituents Expect YOU to Know!)
2009 Traffic Safety Summit
• MDOT to provide 100% reimbursement– 1 employee/ county or select cities– CRAM listserve– Contact MDOT to notify you’ll be going
• Tracie Leix, P.E.• 517.373.8950
Local Safety Initiative
• Tripod approach to assisting local agencies– Direct traffic engineering services– Improvements to RoadSoft– Training (Teach a man to fish…)
• Voluntary & Free• Contact:
– Tracie Leix, [email protected]– 517.373.8950
A formal safety performance examinationof an existing or future road or
intersection by an independent, multi-disciplinary RSA team.
Road Safety Audits
Questions:Ron Emery517.373.0627
Upcoming Research
• Road Diets– 4-lane to 3-lane conversions– A new look
• Have any?• Want them to be included?• No cost!
In Your Kids Spare Time
• Alternative forms of marketing– Myspace– Facebook– Twitter– Others?
One More…
“Struck a stray chicken that made an attempt to cross the highway….It is still unknown why the chicken crossed the
road.”
Questions?
