Incident Management: Changeable Message Sign Deployment Guidelines

摘要

The objective of this research was to develop guidelines for the deployment of211u001echangeable message signs (CMSs) in support of incident management in the Omaha 211u001emetropolitan areas. The guidelines presented in this report address the location 211u001eand placement of the CMSs, design and display of CMS messages, alternative 211u001eroutes, and operation of the system. The guidelines promote the deployment of a 211u001ecost-effective CMS system that provides reliable driver information which will 211u001eimprove the safety and efficiency of freeway operation during incidents. The CMS 211u001elocations recommended in the guidelines are those which provide greatest benefits 211u001eto road users per unit cost of the system. The placement and message guidelines 211u001efoster the readability, understandability, and credibility of the information 211u001edisplayed by the CMSs. The alternate route description discusses the need for 211u001etrailblazers to guide unfamiliar drivers and the importance of checking 211u001econditions on the alternate routes before diverting traffic to them. The 211u001eoperation guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining the credibility of 211u001ethe system. Because of their high visibility and the amount of attention they 211u001ewill receive, at least initially, from the drivers and the news media, it would 211u001ebe much better to continue freeway operators without CMSs than to deploy CMSs 211u001ethat display unreliable information.