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NEWS - Active warning systems detect slippery conditions, give motorists extra time to react
Michigan DOT sent this bulletin at 03/13/2018 08:17 AM EDT
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018
CONTACT: James Lake, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-0993, lakej1@michigan.gov
Active warning systems detect slippery conditions, give motorists extra time to react
Safety benefits:
- Active warning systems alert drivers about specific road conditions, prompting them to reduce speed and use extra caution.
- Systems on roads and bridges in northern Michigan are activated when conditions are slippery, or have the potential to become slippery, and call extra attention to warning signs.
March 13, 2018 -- Some traffic signs, such as stop signs, are applicable regardless of season or weather. Others, with messages like "slippery road" or "bridge ices before road," become part of the background and may go unnoticed since they aren't always applicable.
However, a new system of bridge deck and curve warning signs in Otsego and Cheboygan counties not only advise drivers of conditions ahead, but also let them know when they should pay extra attention.
Starting in 2015, the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) North Region began installing active warning systems at three locations on I-75 and M-32:
- Bridge Deck Warning System at I-75 over Charles Brink Road south of Gaylord.
- Active Curve Warning System on M-32 near Hallock Road west of Gaylord.
- A combination of the Bridge Deck and Active Curve warning systems on I-75 over Trowbridge Road and on a sweeping curve north of Vanderbilt.
"These locations always had warning signs in place, but we found that there was still a concentration of crashes there, particularly when roads were icy or snowy," said North Region Operations Engineer Garrett Dawe. "Now we have a system that can detect when the road or bridge deck might be slippery, and automatically activate lights on the signs to call more attention to their message."
Each location has sensors that monitor pavement conditions. If slippery conditions are present or likely, the sensors send a signal to the road signs, activating either a single flashing light above them or a series of lights in the signs' borders.
"We've observed driver behavior at these locations prior to and after installation, and have noticed more are slowing as they approach the bridges and curves when the system is activated," Dawe said.
MDOT is gathering data about crash rates for the locations to measure the systems' effectiveness. Several years of statistics are important for a proper determination, but preliminary data is encouraging.
At the I-75 location over Charles Brink Road, there were 24 crashes from 2010 to 2014, with two-thirds occurring in wintry road conditions, resulting in one death and two serious injuries. From 2015 to 2017 since the system was installed, there has been a 38 percent reduction in crashes per year, and no deaths or injuries.
Each system costs between $140,000 and $150,000 to install. If crash data supports it, the systems may be installed at additional locations in the future.
"As drivers, we all have a responsibility to drive at a speed that is safe and appropriate for conditions," Dawe said. "Systems like this provide additional information to drivers and help them make good decisions."
Photo caption information:
- Active Warning Sign on M-32 - One of the active warning system signs on M-32 west of Gaylord. A series of LED lights around the border flash when slippery conditions are detected.
- Bridge Deck Warning Sign on I-75 over Charles Brink Road - The light atop this advisory sign on I-75 over Charles Brink Road flashes when a nearby sensor detects the bridge deck could be slippery.
- Pavement Sensor on I-75 over Charles Brink Road - This sensor can detect when the I-75 bridge decks over Charles Brink Road are slippery, or could become icy, automatically activating nearby advisory sign lights.
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Visit MDOT's Mi Drive traffic information website: www.michigan.gov/drive