Arizona's Dust Detection System Reduced Average Vehicle Speed to 45 mi/h by Automatically Changing Speed Limit From 75 mi/h to 35 mi/h during Dust Storms.
Dust Detection Technology Developed in Arizona Led to Promising First Round of Safety Benefits.
Arizona, United States
Dust detection and warning system tracks its first season
Summary Information
Given the frequency and intensity of dust storms in Arizona, in this study, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Arizona Department of Public Safety and National Weather Service staff, as well as vendors and contractors, developed a dust-detection system in 2016 to help drivers be better equipped to deal with dust storms. The crash data revealed that along that between 2010 and 2015 there were 83 dust-related crashes on Interstate 10 corridor, with more than half of them occurring within about a half-mile of each other. Therefore, in this study, the 10-mile area between mileposts 209 and 219 along I-10, also including the SR 87 interchange, was identified as the focus of safety efforts.
METHODOLOGY
The dust-detection technology employed in this study included overhead message boards, variable speed limit signs, closed-circuit cameras and short-range detectors for blowing dust. In addition, a long-range weather radar dish positioned on a 22-foot-tall pole at the SR 87 interchange could detect storms more than 40 miles away, triggering the speed limit to drop to 35 mi/h, which happened incrementally.
FINDINGS
- The results showed reductions in average vehicle speeds to 45 mi/h by automatically changing the speed limit from 75 mi/h to 35 mi/h during dust storms.
- It should be noted that the dust-detection system’s impacts were expected to be measured more in depth in the future as safety critical dust storms impact the area frequently.
