managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

such as a vehicle disablement or propertydamage-onlycrash. Patrol operators striveto identify and remove debris or hazards impedingtraffic flow, and they aid in the fastremoval of immobilized or wrecked passengercars blocking one or more travel lanes.Service patrol programs create a sense ofsecurity for motorists in addition to improvingpublic relations for the service’s sponsor.Other examples of motorist assists thatare typically offered free of charge includesupplying fuel, changing flat tires, providinga jump-start, and calling private towingcompanies.Service patrols can play a key role in trafficincident management for planned specialevents. The service has great versatility, andpatrol operators can satisfy a wide range oftraffic management team needs. For example,operators can assist in establishing dayof-eventtraffic control, performing trafficsurveillance, and providing timely trafficcondition reports from various remote locations.As shown in Figure 6-60, service patrolscarry equipment to support traffic managementat incident sites and congestion locations.Table 6-39 indicates considerations in preparinga service patrol operations plan for aplanned special event. To avoid havingdrivers abandon disabled vehicles or riskexposure to adjacent traffic flow, stakeholdersshould alert roadway users of servicepatrol operation on the day-of-event viaroadside traveler information devices. Figure6-61 shows a special event HAR messagedisseminating safety tips to drivers andpromoting service patrol operation.Figure 6-60Service Patrol Vehicle (Graphic courtesy ofthe Minnesota DOT.)Table 6-39Service Patrol Operations ConsiderationsCONSIDERATION• Number of service patrols deployed• Time of operation• Patrol routes and/or staging location• Storage of towed vehicles• Operator communication with TMC or eventcommand centerFigure 6-61Highway Advisory Radio Traveler SafetyMessage (24)6-74