Skip to main content

McCain wins California DMS tech award

Company is long-term supplier of dynamic message signs to Caltrans
By Adam Hill June 4, 2021 Read time: 2 mins
McCain dynamic message signs: award winner

McCain's dynamic message signs (DMS) have been recognised by the California Transportation Foundation (CTF).

The portfolio won the CTF's Advanced Technology Program / Project of the Year Award for 2020. 

Part of the Swarco Group, McCain has been providing signs to California DoT (Caltrans) for 16 years.

Starting in 2017, Swarco/McCain worked closely with Caltrans District 11 in San Diego to introduce new DMS that incorporate Swarco's precision optic technology, which has just been recognised by CTF.

They have been deployed in Caltrans District 7 (Los Angeles) in 2019, Caltrans District 3 (Marysville/Sacramento) last year, and in San Jose City and at the San Jose Airport.

The company says its signage "offers greatly reduced power consumption" than other models, as well as lower operating costs and more sustainability.

It requires less power to drive the LEDs, "and by narrowing the angularity, the light is more focused and redirected toward the road which also results in less energy usage".

"By driving the LEDs at only 3-14% of their capacity, the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is greater than 15 years, eliminating the need for redundant drivers," McCain continues. "Power supplies are driven at only 30% of maximum rated wattage with all LEDs on full power."
 
Other CTF award winners included the 22-mile South Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project (2020 Bus Rapid Transit Project of the Year), which stretches from the southern part of San Diego County, near the Otay Mesa crossing of the US-Mexico border, to downtown San Diego.
 

Related Content

  • February 17, 2022
    Electreon wins MDoT EV charge road deal 
    Michigan wants EVs to be charged while in motion and stationary on one-mile stretch
  • March 14, 2012
    Developing a wireless cooperative traffic management system
    The use by MDOT of 90-foot concrete poles on which to mount CCTV equipment reduces the number of poles needed to monitor a given area and incidences of occlusion
  • February 8, 2017
    Michael Baker International to study traffic congestion in Los Angeles
    Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has awarded Michael Baker International a contract to study the I-605/SR-91 interchange, identify improvements and widen a particularly congested three-mile stretch of westbound SR-91 in Los Angeles. The project spans westbound SR-91 from the vicinity of Shoemaker Avenue to the I-605/SR-91 interchange, used by 270,000 vehicles a day. It also includes improvements to the Norwalk, Pioneer and Bloomfield local interchanges within the Gateway
  • August 5, 2013
    Oregon tests new mileage-base charging scheme
    Jack Opiola from D’Artagnan Consulting LLP explains Oregon’s latest moves which mandated a trial of mileage-based road use charging. In 1919, Oregon made the 20th century’s most significant contribution to transportation funding policy, becoming the first state in America to implement a gas tax to pay for roads. This summer Oregon’s Legislature passed, and Governor John Kitzhaber signed into law, Senate Bill 810 which requires a distance-based road usage charge for 5,000 volunteer vehicles by 1 July 2015. T