Toll Facility Safety Study Report to Congress - About

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Toll Facility Safety Study Report to Congress 4.1.4 The Use of Traffic Control Arms in the Vicinity of the Facilities Nearly all agencies use some form of traffic control arms in the vicinity of their facilities, even if only in advance of a booth to close a lane. The gates used to designate a closed lane are typically manually operated by a worker who must physically walk into the lane to open and close the gate. 4.1.4.1 Reducing Speeds and Reducing Toll Violations Gates downstream of the plaza are typically used for speed reduction, toll violation reduction, and/or traffic control. In terms of where these traffic control arms are used and how they operate, there is a great deal of variation. Some agencies use gates in all of their lanes, including their ETC lanes, but a majority of agencies use them in their manual lanes only. In many cases the gates are automated (i.e., they automatically lift as a vehicle equipped with an ETC transponder approaches), but in many cases the gates will not lift until the collector finishes the transaction. Agencies that do not use gates report several reasons for their decisions: the industry trend toward open road tolling, volume is too high through the plaza, expense, and maintenance. The appearance of traffic control arms vary in terms of color schemes, messaging, and materials. Many agencies construct their gates out of materials that will minimize damage to vehicles in the event that a vehicle drives through Figure 4-21. Gates in use to Indicate that a Lane is Closed the gate. Some agencies affix signs to their gates with messages such as STOP or DO NOT BACK UP. In addition to this, many agencies use some sort of reflective materials on the gates to increase visibility. Many agencies felt that gates played a role in successfully controlling speeds – whether or not they were installed for this reason. Where gates are in use, all customers, including those with electronic payment, must wait for a gate to lift before proceeding through the plaza. Typically the gates lift automatically as an ETC vehicle approaches, so that ETC customers can proceed safely through the plaza without stopping as long as they maintain a reasonable speed – typically below 15 miles per hour. While effective in reducing speeds through toll plazas, doing so may be in contradiction with agency objectives to maximize throughput and mobility. 4.1.4.2 Informing Motorists of Lane Closures Agencies use a variety of methods for conveying a closed lane to motorists. Some agencies simply close a lane with a traffic cone or gate (some examples are shown in Figure 4-21 and Figure 4-22). While this creates a physical barrier to help discourage drivers from entering closed lanes, it can be dangerous for collectors to physically close the gate. In addition to this, some agencies have faced problems with motorists not seeing closed gates. In an effort to make the gates more visible, one agency has installed unique three-foot high orange reflectors on their Findings – Factors Affecting Safety at Toll Plazas Page 32
Toll Facility Safety Study Report to Congress Figure 4-22. Options for Conveying a Closed Lane to Motorists gates (similar to driveway markers). Since the addition of the reflectors, the agency reported that there has been a significant reduction in the gates being hit. Beyond this, many agencies have signs on their gates to further communicate to motorists that the lane is closed, and to draw attention to the gates. In terms of messages, some use a LANE CLOSED sign or a DO NOT ENTER sign. One agency used to use a STOP Sign on a gate, but moved away from this after noticing cars approaching the gate and waiting for it to open. Other agencies have moved away from written signs entirely, feeling that they add to visual clutter and confusion; they now simply employ Red X’s or Green arrows to indicate lane closure status that can be changed remotely, thereby reducing worker exposure to vehicles. 4.2 Enforcement Practices This section presents information regarding ways in which toll agencies have responded to safety issues at toll plazas through enforcement practices. This section includes a discussion of: The extent of the enforcement of speed limits in the vicinity of the facilities. The use of cameras to record traffic violations in the vicinity of the facilities. Law enforcement practices and jurisdictional issues that affect safety in the vicinity of the facilities. As discussed in the previous section, the introduction of ETC, and particularly of high-speed ETC lanes, has introduced a new concern at plazas: speeding. Prior to the advent of ETC, every customer was required to come to a complete stop in order to collect a ticket or pay a toll. Now a good portion of customers are not required to stop at all, and in some cases, they are able to maintain near highway speeds while passing through a plaza. Many toll agencies have a dedicated police force which can make it easier to enforce speeding and other traffic violations. For others, State and local police patrol their facilities, but there is no regular schedule for their patrols. Others contract with State Police to ensure that regular enforcement services are provided. Some agencies are unable to enforce speed limits at their plazas due to State or local laws. For example, one agency is unable to enforce speeds at their plazas because of laws requiring “Reduced Speed Ahead” signs and the need to step down the speed limit over a distance that is too long for to be practical at their plazas. For those agencies who are able to enforce speed limits, a variety of different tactics are used. In some cases speed enforcement activities are Findings – Factors Affecting Safety at Toll Plazas Page 33
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