Public opinion and understanding of advance warning arrow displays used in short-term, mobile, and moving work zones.

Details

• Creators:
  Schrock, Steven D. ; See, Chen Fei ; Mulinazzi, Thomas E.
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Kansas. Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Work zone traffic control
  • Work zone safety
  • Arrows (Signals)
  • Warning signals
  • Public opinion
  • Flashing Arrow Displays, Focus Groups, Work Zone
• Publication/ Report Number:
  45110-1
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative
• Abstract:
  "In long-term work zones on multilane highways and/or freeways, the Federal Highway Administration has interpreted the ; Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to mean that only one advance warning arrow displays can be used to denote ; the closure of a single lane. Where two or more lanes are closed, a single arrow display is used for each lane to be closed. ; However, in short duration, mobile, and moving work convoys the MUTCD allows the use of multiple arrow displays to ; indicate a single lane closure. These disparate uses for arrow displays create the potential for confusion by drivers. ; This paper describes the results of four focus group interviews with Midwestern drivers. Participants were shown several ; mocked images of shadow work vehicles with arrow displays and were questioned on how well they understood and/or ; interpreted the message conveyed by arrow displays depending on the display type and quantity of displays used, and ; looked specifically for potential driver confusion. ; Focus group participants generally considered panel displays that included motion (e.g., sequential arrows and sequential ; chevrons) as implying a more important situation and preferred their use over flashing versions. While participants were ; receptive to the use of multiple arrow displays on multiple shadow vehicles, a minority indicated that this conveyed a need ; to move over more than one lane. Participants also indicated that staggering sequential shadow vehicles from the shoulder ; into the closed lane provided useful information as to the number and location of the closed lanes."
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  SWZDI Contract #09011
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23508/dot_23508_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 644.97 KB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dafe60542be525b1a05f0082da0ca2567b2cb4ca3552543ffb95476a461c02859a540dbdaaa7c0fcb9ea01542f3131538dd685ae62cbe6d7431f58cbd65d8d48