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

  • March 23, 2021
    StreetLight exposes walking data planning flaws
    Research comes as Governors Highway Safety Association reveals spike in pedestrian deaths
  • April 17, 2023
    Swarco McCain’s cutting-edge traffic management solutions on show
    Two highly respected names in the ITS world are now under one roof. Visitors to the Swarco McCain booth will see and experience an exciting range of cutting-edge traffic management solutions.
  • August 26, 2014
    Swarco to present extensive traffic management and ITS capabilities
    Visitors to the Swarco booth at the ITS World Congress Detroit will be introduced to the group’s extensive traffic management and ITS capabilities by means of a touchscreen application and the integrating Omnia platform. Parking guidance signage, parking sensors and single-space monitoring LEDs, as well as an eco-designed LED traffic light and a push-button with acoustic feature, will be on display. As a leading producer of highly energy-efficient variable message signs, Swarco will present as a highl
  • October 28, 2019
    C/AVs could mean cheaper roads
    The safety benefits of C/AVs have long been promoted – but research suggests they should also contribute to cheaper roads. David Crawford investigates the potential benefits in infrastructure costs Building narrower freeway lanes to accommodate the enhanced route-tracking capabilities of connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs), running in platoon conditions, could result in cost savings of £0.5 million (€0.56 million or US$6.5 million) for every km of road length built. Such benefits could be secur