Highway Maintenance Response Time Standards

DRAFT2) The desirable design life for signal poles is 25 years. Many older installationsutilize embedded poles rather than concrete footings. These installations areparticularly susceptible to corrosion and cannot be easily inspected for structuralintegrity below grade. The modernization of these signal installations is critical toretain mobility and reliability, reduce high cost “response maintenance” activities,and reduce the possibility of structural failure. For 6000 signals and a polereplacement cycle of 25 years, 240 sites will need to be addressed each year.Crews must respond to “dark” or “flashing” signals as soon as possible and withintimeframe specified in Regional Signal Response Policy. Crews must respondimmediately to pole hits or other system disruption/damage (i.e. storm damage) torestore normal operations, inspect equipment for damage and make emergency repairs.Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Maintenance and Operations GuidanceAll ITS systems and services need to be maintained in good working order and replacedor upgraded on appropriate replacement cycles. Any enhancements to ITS systemsshould be in accordance with ITS Strategic plans. Any additional operational costsneed to be identified and accounted for prior to the expansion of ITS systems.The Department is responsible for the operation of the State’s transportation system aswell as its physical condition. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) include physicalassets and services (TMC operations, HELP, traveler information) and systems (suchas ATMS systems). These activities are essential to maintaining the maximumavailability of the capacity, mobility, reliability, and safety of the system. For example, aHELP truck response results in a quicker clearance of an incident and is critical to timelyrestoration of the normally available highway capacity.ITS Operations and management includes the operations of the ITS systems, includingTMC operations as well as the provision of services such as HELP and travelerinformation. This would also include activities related to the management of the ATMSsystems in working order, such as efforts related to software maintenance, system15