Caltrans reflects latest safety policy

After recent studies, California DoT is reviewing its highway design standards
By David Arminas August 7, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Caltrans has installed two-way reflective markers to prevent potentially fatal mistakes (image credit: Caltrans)

Recent pilot programmes by California’s Department of Transportation - Caltrans – and a university research centre highlight effective measures that have been taken on board by the US state.

The pilot was developed following 10 wrong-way driver related collisions on freeways around the cities of Sacramento and San Diego in the first six months of 2015.

Caltrans engaged the University of California’s Davis Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) Research Center to gather data on the rare but often deadly wrong-way driving collisions.
 
One of the prevention measures included in the three-year pilot programme was reflectors that alert drivers who are entering the roadway in the wrong direction - leading to a 44% drop in such offences in San Diego.
 
“Adding the two-way reflective markers proved to be so effective that Caltrans updated its state-wide design standards,” said Toks Omishakin, Caltrans director. 

During the study, Caltrans installed and tested different ways to deter wrong-way drivers along exit ramps in San Diego as well as the city of Sacramento.

There will be more on this story in the North America edition of ITS International September/October 2020 

Enforcement

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Use of ITS technology grows more prevalent in safety applications
    January 30, 2012
    Transportation agencies and governments are using ITS technology to protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attack and other threats to economic security and public safety. Andrew Bardin Williams reports. It is no secret that we live in a potentially dangerous world. Terrorism as seen on 9/11 in the United States, subsequent attacks in London, Moscow and Madrid and other acts of violence across the developing world have made vigilance the watchword for ensuring security. Key infrastructure is now bei
    Read More
  • Motown morphs into Mobility City
    August 7, 2018
    Detroit was once a byword for urban decay – but ITS America recently held its annual meeting there. This gave David Arminas a chance to assess how fast Motor City is moving down the road to recovery. Motor City, as Detroit is still called, was on its financial knees only five short years ago. The future looked bleak as the city and greater urban area bled jobs and population. It was on 18 July 2013 that Motown, as Detroit is also known, filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, the
    Read More
  • Compass4D - Thessaloniki pilot unveils progress
    September 24, 2014
    Representatives of Thessaloniki’s local and regional governmental institutions have unveiled their plans for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems for the 2014-2020 period at an open forum on ITS during the Compass4D fifth meeting in Europe. Thessaloniki is one of the seven first cities in Europe that has installed and will maintain interconnection and communication technologies between vehicles and smart roads. Compass4D is deploying harmonised C-ITS services in 150 taxis from the Taxiway comp
    Read More
  • Pilot scheme tests automatic emergency call system
    March 14, 2012
    Development of the European eCall system is now at a stage of national systems testing. Ertico’s project manager for the HeERO pilot scheme Andy Rooke has given ITS International the lowdown on progress towards pan-European eCall services. Live testing is now under way in the nine countries participating in the European Commission’s HeERO project – a three year pilot scheme preparing the way for full deployment of Europe’s eCall automatic emergency call system.
    Read More

Highlighted Content