Development of Fiberoptic Sign Displays for Dynamic Lane Assignment

摘要

The report presents the findings of the research conducted during the first yearof the Highway Planning and Research (HPR) Project 1232-Task 5.1, titled Development of Fiberoptic Sign Displays for Dynamic Lane Assignment, sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (formerly known as the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation). The report presents the concepts of various types of signing technology. The feasibility of the fiberoptic technology as an appropriate means of implementing the concept of dynamic lane assignment has been presented. The crucial parameters involved in determing the optimum operating conditions at nighttime were identified. The adopted data collection methods to collect data in a testing environment are documented. The results of the analysis of the collected data have also been discussed. The results indicated that there is an inverse relationship between legibility and target value with variation in voltage. A voltage of 35 to 65 volts was found to provide optimum legibility and target value. The arrow shafts were visible from a distance of 800 feet. However, the word messages were visible from 200 feet only. The necessity to consider the presence and the operation of the traffic signals in the vicinity of the fiberoptic sign was also identified.