Timing issues for traffic signals interconnected with highway-railroad grade crossings.
-
2013-02-01
-
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
Edition:Final report.
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
Abstract:The coordination of highway-railroad grade crossing warning signals with nearby traffic signals is of vital
importance due to potential safety consequences. Interconnections between traffic signals in close
proximity to railroad crossings provide an important safety function by allowing the railroad warning
system to preempt the normal traffic signal operation and provide special phasing to clear vehicles
queued over the railroad tracks, prohibit others from joining the queue, and maintaining traffic flow for
non-conflicting traffic movements. In Michigan, there are approximately 200 interconnected highwayrailroad
grade crossings that are all under regulatory control of the Michigan Department of
Transportation. The MUTCD provides guidance concerning the use of preemption where the signalized
intersection is within 200 feet of a railroad crossing. There is however, minimal guidance for locations
where intersections are more than 200 feet beyond the railroad crossings. Some of these locations
experience queuing problems due to high traffic volumes. The purpose of this research was to compile
and review literature and current practices related to interconnected traffic signals and preemption in
order to determine solutions for providing safe and efficient timings for the traffic signals and nearby
highway-railroad grade crossing warning signals.
A series of highway-railroad intersection configuration templates was developed as a part of this research.
A set of guidelines was also developed with accompanying software to provide additional assistance for
identification of possible interconnection locations that could utilize preemption concepts. The guidelines
also assist in the determination of signal timing parameters for the phasing and timing design required as
a part of the concept.
-
Format:
-
Funding:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type: