A proposed Regulation and Warning system for high trafficked roads in Norway

A proposed Regulation and Warning system for high trafficked roads in

NorwayPål HaugeSnr. Engineer

Norwegian Public Roads Administration(NPRA)

A proposed Regulation and Warning system for high trafficked roads in Norway

Background

E18

E18

AD

T: 100 000


Background


ADT: 100 000

Background

The municipalities of Asker and Bærum are densely populated, with some of the highest property prices in the country.


Background

The E18 has 2 - 3 lanes in each direction, and short distances between access points.

Lanes and shoulders are narrow, and it is extremely difficult to close lanes manually in a safe manner.


Background

Parts of the road have bus and taxi lanes in both directions.


Background

Maintenance work on high trafficked roads is a hazardous operation.

Often, the actual setting out of the signs, markings and safety fences is the most dangerous part of the job, and requires a well thought out routine which must be followed by all parties involved.

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Background

We were approached by the local road authority in 2001. At the outset, they wanted to implement a system on the E18 in Bærum, where an operator at the TCC could manually start a closing procedure which included the reduction of the speed limit through the area.

The Dutch MCS system seemed to be the obvious answer…


The green and yellow arrows and the red “X” constitute a system for opening and closing lanes, and should always be used together. Above an open lane there must always be a green, downwards pointing arrow if an adjoining lane is closed with a red “X”.

These are signals (according to the Vienna convention), whereas a speed indication is a sign. We feel these should not be mixed into one aspect.

A speed indication must be in the shape of a red ring. In a LED based application with red “X”s above closed lanes and red rings above open lanes it could be difficult for motorists to distinguish between the two, especially in tunnels.

…but was rejected due to the following factors:



The proposed system:









Distances between gantries:

Will depend on the geometric layout of the particular road section, but as a minimum, all signals and signs on one gantry should be visible from the one upstream.

Maximum distance: 500m Maximum distance in tunnels: 250m

With a regulation and warning system installed, the procedure of establishing a lane closure can be vastly simplified.

At the same time, the safety level for both the road maintenance crew and the motorists will increase.

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Local, operative level

Network level

This local, operative measure must operate in close combination with measures at the network level, consisting of VMS.


The layout of our variable message signs will be based on the principles of Action FIVE. This is one of the proposals in our new guidelines for variable traffic signs, which will be sent on hearing in the near future.


• As an operator controlled instrument for traffic management during road works or other incident handling, the proposed Regulation and Warning system can be implemented fairly soon.

• As a dynamic system, however, we recognize the fact that a fair bit of work remains, in order to develop detector layout, algorithms etc.


• As an operator controlled instrument for traffic management during road works or other incident handling, the system can be implemented fairly soon.

• As a dynamic system, however, we recognize the fact that a fair bit of work remains, in order to develop detector layout, algorithms etc.


A proposed Regulation and Warning system for high trafficked roads in Norway

Documents

proposed system

warning system

dynamic system

close lanes

closed lanes

open lanes

proposed regulation

dutch mcs system