Skip to main content

Caltrans sets sights on Swarco McCain signage

CMS 800 signs replace CMS 700 series, jointly developed with California agency
By Adam Hill April 18, 2023 Read time: 1 min
Travel times, incident notifications: road users need them (© Iofoto | Dreamstime.com)

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has renewed a deal for Swarco McCain's variable message signs (VMS).

The McCain CMS 800 signs replace the CMS 700 series, jointly developed with Caltrans, and are NEMA TS4-compliant.

Dean Campbell, Caltrans chief at the Office of Systems Development, says: "The CMS 800 signs increase the message contrast and visibility, which helps effectively communicate safety information for all road travellers.”

The full-colour LED displays are available outside California, adds Justin Sigel, director of signs at Swarco McCain.

The CMS 800 features Swarco's patented Precision Optics lens technology and integrated surface-mount 3-in-1 RGB LEDs, which provide exceptional visibility, the firm says - and the 110/120 VAC, 60 Hz internal power supply means exceptionally low energy consumption and low operational costs.

"The CMS 800 has the lowest total cost of ownership, thanks to extremely low power consumption and interchangeable field service assemblies," Sigel suggests.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Temporary traffic monitoring with Bluetooth and wi-fi
    May 31, 2013
    David Crawford reviews developments in temporary ITS. Widespread take-up of technologies such as Bluetooth and wi-fi are encouraging the emergence of more sophisticated, while still cost effective, ITS responses to the traffic issues posed by temporary road situations such as work zones and special events. Andy Graham of traffic solutions specialists White Willow Consulting says: “A machine-to-machine radio link is far easier and cheaper than reading characters on a plate.” There can be other plusses. Tech
  • Keeping a close watch on ‘too-dangerous-to-drive’ highway
    June 21, 2016
    Like many others, the authorities in Argentina implemented ITS to improve road safety – but this case was a little different to most as Mauro Nogarin explains. The 70km of highway that separate Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires from the city of La Plata had long been considered too dangerous for anyone to make the trip with a private car. Figures on criminal attacks and vandalism with stones, nails, logs, spark plugs or any other element that can damage a car’s tyres and cause them to stop in order rob th
  • Iteris’ gets Orange County in sync
    August 19, 2014
    David Crawford welcomes progress in cross-boundary coordination Iteris’ US$1.4 million contract for traffic signal synchronisation on Newport Boulevard, California is evidence of an acceleration of activity by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) in coordinated traffic management. It also continues the US traffic management specialist’s established technical relationship with the area’s prime transportation agency.
  • Caltrans selects TransCore ITS for statewide traffic control system
    August 14, 2012
    The State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has selected TransCore ITS to provide its TransSuite traffic control system for managing and centralised monitoring of existing traffic signals statewide. The TransSuite system will be the cornerstone of Caltrans’ strategy to proactively manage traffic through the monitoring of traffic signals and traffic conditions at state-operated intersections. As part of the project, TransCore ITS will develop an interface to the Caltrans controller firmwa