Rural Intelligent Transportation Systems Rural Intersection Accident Mitigation

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Rural Intelligent Transportation SystemsRural
Intersection Accident Mitigation

• New Mexico ITS 2011
• Sandia Casino, NM
• November 4 2011

John Hansen VP Sales AM Signal /Delegate to
NCMUTCD
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Problem

• The problem of rural road crashes (lane
  departure, intersection, merges, etc.) and the
  resulting fatalities, serious injury and property
  damage is real.
• Bottom line, how to develop low-cost, readily
  deployable, low maintenance systems that can be
  used by government agencies to improve safety on
  rural roads and non-signalized rural
  intersections.
• Case Study Rural Minnesota Intersection

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Problem

• Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, 2009
• 421 fatalities down from 455 in 2008
• 31,074 injuries down from 33,379 in 2007
• Rural areas account for 2 out of 3 fatalities
• 1/3 involve single vehicle
• 2/3 involve 2 or more vehicles
• 2009 crashes cost Minnesota 1.5 billion

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Underlying Causes

• In Single Vehicle Crashes
• Illegal or unsafe speed contributing factor most
  often cited for all drivers
• In Multiple Vehicle Crashes
• For drivers through age 64 driver inattention
  or distraction most often cited
• Failure to yield second most common
• Over Age 65 Pattern Reverses
• Failure to yield most common
• Driver inattention or distraction second most
  common

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Driving Conditions

• Most Crashes Occur in Good Driving Conditions
• Over 50 of fatal and about 2/3 of nonfatal occur
  during daylight hours
• Good Weather Conditions
• Over 60 of fatal and about 56 of nonfatal
  clear weather
• Road Surface Condition for Fatal Crashes
• Usually good
• 10 on wet roads
• 15 on snowy or icy roads
• Road Surface Condition for Nonfatal Crashes
• 60 of nonfatal on dry roads
• 13 on wet roads
• 25 on snowy or icy roads

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Literature Search

• Discovered considerable research
• Found few off-the-shelf products available
• Found almost nothing to address
• low-volume dynamic rural intersection warning
  systems
• dynamic lane departure warning systems
  specifically relating to horizontal curves

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The Solution

• SEH and NTT working with the other major
  participants have been developing and
  demonstrating low-cost, portable systems that can
  be used by counties on low-volume roads and
  intersections to reduce crashes and move Toward
  Zero Deaths. The technologies used are
  integrations of commercial off-the-shelf (COS)
  technologies. Utilized together as a system they
  represent an innovative low-cost approach and
  better understanding and solving serious safety
  problems.

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Rural ITS Toolbox
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Rural ITS

• Intersection Warning System (IWS)
• Driver Behavior Evaluation System (DBES)
• Stop Sign Warning System (SSWS)
• Curve Warning System (CWS)

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Intersection Warning SystemMajor Participants

• Mn/DOT 2007 Innovative Ideas Program OTST
• USDOT - FHWA
• Hennepin County, MN
• SEH Inc.
• Network Transportation Technologies, LLC (NTT)

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Project Goal

• Develop a low-cost, readily deployable, low
  maintenance system that can be used to improve
  safety at low volume, non-signalized
  intersections.

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Innovation

• Merits of dynamic warning systems
• Moving from research to reality
• Off-the-shelf components
• Solar/Battery powered
• Modular design
• Ease of installation and maintenance
• Relative low-cost

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System Configurations
Detection Node
Warning Node
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CR 47 and Lawndale Lane
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Going Live
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Solar Panel Controller Cabinet
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Controller Cabinet Electronics
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IWS In Operation
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CR 47 West Detector Node Looking East
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Safety Impacts

• 54 reduction in the number of conflicts
• Reduction from 3.9 to 1.8 conflicts per 1000
  vehicles

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Owner Satisfaction(Data from Evaluation Report
prepared by SRF)

• Reliable and effective at warning drivers of
  approaching cross-street traffic
• Easy to install and maintain
• Relatively low fixed cost
• Transferable

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User Perception

• 94.2 were aware of the sign
• 88.5 understood the meaning of the sign
• 79.4 had improved awareness of approaching
  traffic
• 65.2 are more likely to stop when sign is
  flashing
• Half of survey respondents indicated they pay
  more attention when the sign is flashing

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Performance

• Operated with a 98.6 uptime during 6 month test
  period
• Experienced 3 failures during the 6 month test
  period
• Worked well in all weather conditions
• Continuous operation for over 3 years

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Rural ITS Safety Systems (RITSS)

• Mn/DOTs 2009 Innovative Ideas Program that
  included the following elements
• Driver Behavior Evaluation System (DBES)
  currently being evaluated in Olmsted County, MN
• Stop Sign Warning System (SSWS) currently being
  evaluated in Washington County, MN
• Curve Warning System (CWS) currently being
  evaluated in Wright County, MN

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Driver Behavior Evaluation System (DBES) Concept

• Need to know exactly what the problem is
• System to provide reliable data
• Driver behavior underlying the problem
• At rural intersection stop signs
• Behavior of driver approaching stop sign
• Behavior of driver on through road
• Speed profiles
• At horizontal curve
• Behavior of driver approaching curve
• Speed profile

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Driver Behavior Evaluation System

• Hardware
• Doppler radar
• GPS receiver
• Data logger
• Battery powered with life of 3 weeks
• Up to 4 devices to cover 4-way intersection
• Single device to cover each approach to a curve
• Software
• Analysis and reporting strategies

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DBES Field Unit
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Driver Behavior Evaluation System Olmsted
County, MN TH 42/CSAH 9
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Stop Sign Warning System (SSWS) Concept

• Radar-based detection to monitor speed profile of
  vehicle approaching a stop sign
• Provide a flashing warning of the stop based on
  speed
• Within normal stop profile No warning
• Excessive speed detected flashing lights to
  alert driver

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Stop Sign Warning System

• Hardware
• Doppler radar
• Wireless link
• Controller
• Flasher stop sign
• Fault notification
• Software
• Speed/distance data algorithm to set parameters
• Determine spatial position of the vehicle
• Activate flashers

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Stop Sign Warning SystemDesign

• Deceleration Rate 14.8 ft/s2
• Maximum Approach Speed Design 80 mph
• Duration of Flash Detection Speed / 14.8 ft/s2
• Enhance Border of Near Right Stop Sign

On-Site Fault Notification Device
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Curve Warning System (CWS)Concept

• Radar-based detection to monitor speed profile of
  vehicle approaching a horizontal curve
• Provide a flashing warning of the curve ahead
  based on speed
• Within normal speed reduction profile No
  warning
• Excessive speed detected flashing lights to
  alert driver

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Curve Warning System Design

• Deceleration Rate 14.8 ft/s2
• Design for Curve Entry Speed 47 mph (posted 40
  mph)
• Maximum Approach Speed Design 75 mph
• Enhance Chevron Signs 3, 4, 5 and 6
• Duration of Flash 4 seconds from curve entry
  (50 mph to Sign 6 from Curve Entry)

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Curve Warning System Line of Sight Washington
County
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Curve Warning System Installation
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CSAH 17 CSAH 42 Intersection
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Mainline Warning Node
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Wright County

• Active warning Node for vehicles approaching the
  stop sign on the minor road
• Solar/Battery
• Controller/Radio
• Default notification

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Questions ?
John Hansen/John Morast PE Application
Consultants AM Signal Inc 720.348.6925