Avoid using blank messages on dynamic message signs (DMS) including dashes for travel time applications as drivers may not understand these signs or assume they are broken.

Findings from focus groups that evaluate the usefulness of hybrid static-dynamic signs in Florida.

Date Posted
09/26/2017
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Identifier
2015-L00721

Best Practices in the Use of Hybrid Static-Dynamic Signs

Summary Information

This study used focus groups to determine the usefulness and preferences of different types of hybrid electronic signs for disseminating different types of information in Florida. Ten different applications were tested in four different categories: countdown, travel time, speed control, and other. Each focus group was composed of 150 participants.

Lessons Learned

Avoid using blank messages including dashes for travel time applications as drivers may not understand these signs or assume they are broken. For applications that provide comparative travel times, a majority of participants preferred a display that provided both travel times and toll amounts on one sign.



Beware that deploying hybrid static-dynamic signs for traveler information is useful to drivers, but may encourage speeding.

  • Countdown signs have potential to encourage speeding as drivers attempt to beat the time on the sign.
  • Participants are more likely to slow down when automated speed control messages display their would-be fine instead of their speed.
  • Participants indicated that with advisory speed progression applications it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between the advisory speed sign and the posted speed limit sign.