At the Breezewood Interchange on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, installation of a truck rollover warning system immediately reduced the occurrence of truck rollover crashes.
Made Public Date
05/28/2008
545
Breezewood
Pennsylvania
United States
Identifier
2008-00516
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) Phase III Project
Summary Information
In 1998, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission implemented a project looking to fill in the gaps of VMS, CCTV cameras and HAR signs throughout the Commission's mainline and northeast extension roadways. Included in the project were three new systems: a road weather information system, a traffic flow detection system, and a truck rollover warning system at specified locations. The project also included integrating Central Software to operate and control some of the Commissions' ITS subsystems.
The local evaluation report assessed how well the project goals and objectives were met, provided the direct and indirect benefits of the project, and discussed the technical and institutional issues that were encountered while completing the project.
The truck rollover warning system installed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was designed to alert truck drivers of a dangerous curve at the Breezewood Interchange. This warning system was one component of the project where immediate results were seen. Data was collected 21 months before the installation of the truck rollover warning system and compared to data collected 21 months after system installation.
The local evaluation report assessed how well the project goals and objectives were met, provided the direct and indirect benefits of the project, and discussed the technical and institutional issues that were encountered while completing the project.
The truck rollover warning system installed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was designed to alert truck drivers of a dangerous curve at the Breezewood Interchange. This warning system was one component of the project where immediate results were seen. Data was collected 21 months before the installation of the truck rollover warning system and compared to data collected 21 months after system installation.
RESULTS
Five rollover crashes occurred prior to system deployment, and after the installation, only one crash occurred, which was attributed to a passenger car that went out of control and forced a nearby truck to make a reactive move and roll over.
Also noted was a reduction in the speed of trucks exiting the mainline. After the installation of
system, the evaluation showed that trucks entering the off-ramp demonstrated the following speeds:
Five rollover crashes occurred prior to system deployment, and after the installation, only one crash occurred, which was attributed to a passenger car that went out of control and forced a nearby truck to make a reactive move and roll over.
Also noted was a reduction in the speed of trucks exiting the mainline. After the installation of
system, the evaluation showed that trucks entering the off-ramp demonstrated the following speeds:
- Mainline speed – 65 M.P.H.
- Truck Speed Approaching 1st set of Detectors – 52 M.P.H.
- Truck Speed Approaching 2nd set of Detectors – 42 M.P.H.
- Truck Speed Approaching Blank-out Signs – 29 M.P.H.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) Phase III Project
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) Phase III Project
Publication Sort Date
04/01/2006
Publisher
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
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