The Highway as a Public Forum: Effects on Safety and Operations Louisiana Transportation Engineering Conference February 14, 2007 Steven C. Strength, P.E. District Traffic Operations Engineer LADOTD District 02 New Orleans
The Highway as a Public Forum: Effects on Safety and Operations Objectives: 1. Explain the history of the highway as a public forum 2. Show how the objectives of transportation agencies (safety, mobility, uniformity) differ from the objectives of others using the forum 3. Talk about interaction of transportation users needs with others using the forum 4. Propose some ways we can better regulate and benefit from the forum.
The Highway as a Public Forum: Effects on Safety and Operations Forum (from the Latin) is a place where business is conducted and ideas are exchanged It forms a central point of focus for a society s s public image, culture, and economy
The Highway as a Public Forum: Effects on Safety and Operations Communication is the key to any forum Transportation engineers communicate with customers through traditional means, but most often through Traffic Control Devices, roadway layout, and roadside design features
The Highway as a Public Forum When communication breaks down, it s s a bad day for everybody
The Highway as a Public Forum From the earliest days, our streets and highways represented a forum for public communication One major motivation for highway construction was tourism
The Highway as a Public Forum Auto Trail Associations promoted naming and marking long-distance highways beginning in the 1910 s The Lincoln Highway was among the first to connect State and local roads coast- to-coast Examples in Louisiana included the Old Spanish Trail, Jefferson Highway, and Jackson Highway
The Highway as a Public Forum Communities along connected highways saw opportunities for economic growth Trail associations promoted highway and bridge construction and published tourist guides
The Highway as a Public Forum As more and more highway routes were named, many of them overlapped or had multiple branches By the mid 1920 s s the situation was out of hand, with self- promotion and patronage overriding efficiency
The Highway as a Public Forum 1925 - Joint Board composed of Bureau of Public Roads, AASHO, and 21 State highway agencies adopted a system of numbered US highways Joint Board did not hold public hearings, but sponsored regional meetings of the State highway authorities to formulate the system and ensure connectivity across State lines
The Highway as a Public Forum Eventually AASHO considered over 130 requests for changes that nearly doubled the original mileage but they maintained the precepts of utility and efficiency AASHO adopted the Joint Board s recommendation for a 96,626 mile system on November 11, 1926 Louisiana received a large share of the significant routes (ending in 1,5,or 0)
The Highway as a Public Forum The Joint Board also adopted a system of standard sign shapes that had been endorsed by AASHO in 1924 Round: warnings at railroad crossings. Octagonal: STOP Diamond shaped: "slow" warnings" Square: caution or "attention" messages Rectangular: directional and regulatory information
1949 Louisiana MUTCD Anything missing?
The Highway as a Public Forum Standardization was established to improve highway operations by making important information more recognizable to motorists Trail associations feared that standardization and use of numbers would rob highways of their regional or historical character
The Highway as a Public Forum Thus began the long, twilight struggle The road user s interests, versus the Special Interests, being staged to this day in the arena of the Highway as a Public Forum
Why should we be concerned? Any appurtenance designed to distract a vehicle operator from the primary driving task can have an effect on traffic safety and operations
Why should we be concerned? UNC Study: Over 30% of distracted driving that is known to contribute to accidents is caused by events or objects outside the vehicle (cell phones are about 10%)
Why should we be concerned? Roadside distractions can: Limit sight distance at intersections Become a hazard for bicycles, pedestrians, and errant motor vehicles Cost public agencies $ s $ s to clean up Damage public agency credibility Contribute to an appearance of neglect and shabbiness, affecting tourism and public image
The news is not all bad Signing, including billboards, can provide valuable information to motorists Roadside landmarks and landscaping can relieve monotony and provide frames of reference for judging distances, speed of approaching vehicles, and identifying destinations The Public Forum presents opportunities for revenue to fund construction of enhancements and their maintenance
The Highway as a Public Forum The Public Forum concept applies to three arenas of communication 1. Off right of way, placed by others 2. On right of way, placed by others (presumably by permit) 3. On right of way, placed by the highway authority or official having jurisdiction
Act I - The Forum Begins Voices From Beyond the Right-of Way line Outdoor advertising On premise signs Outdoor attractions Landscapes
Outdoor Advertising is Big Business $ 6.3 Billion in revenue in 2005 64% is from billboards Revenues have nearly doubled since 1994 Industry donates $400 million in public service advertising annually Source - OAAA
Outdoor Advertising regulated by the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 Applies to all NHS routes whether State highways or not Permits granted by DOTD Inventoried by District personnel State has power to effect removal at owner s s cost FHWA backs us up
According to Marian Patton, our DOTD Outdoor Advertising Coordinator, Arguing with a DOTD Sign Inspector is like wrestling with a a pig. Sooner or later you figure out that the pig actually enjoys it
Some Off R.O.W. signs are NOT regulated by HBA or interpretations of State Law On premise signs Public service signs not exceeding 8 square feet Grandfathered signs / historic signs
On Premise signs Signs that advertise business activities conducted on the same site are not regulated by DOTD Signs for public facilities generating revenue for the facility s s operation may advertise off-site businesses
On-premise signs are difficult to regulate at the State level, even if they distract drivers
On Premise exception gone crazy? (Local zoning ordinances are the best defense)
Act II - The Public Forum Encroaches While off right of way advertising is regulated, and enforcement action is required by FHWA, encroachments on the right of way continue to be problematic
The Public Forum Encroaches DOTD can grant some permits for advertising on the right of way, most notably on bus benches and shelters Sight distance and clear zone compliance are reviewed by District personnel Scarce incentive for local government to exercise restraint
Dealing with Encroachments Allowing use of portions of excess ROW can benefit Access Management Adjacent property owner must maintain Reduces temptation to advertise
Gov t t Agencies play both sides Unlike DOTD, local rights of way do not belong just to the public works dept. Some signs would indicate a problem with the system of law enforcement A sign just makes everybody feel better!
Hug a tree, or wrap a car around it? Landscaping may meet standards initially, but must be maintained to preserve sight distance Clear zone concepts are almost universally misunderstood the converse of the 30 rule doesn t t apply
Getting it Right, Serving Customers DOTD allows certain signs by permit, could allow more Imagination and cooperation can help transportation users while satisfying civic causes Wayfinding Signage projects give DOTD some flexibility in accommodating local conditions
Act III - So what about DOTD, do we practice what we preach? Tools available to the Traffic Engineer include Specific Service (LOGO) signs and Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) There is a fee charged to the public for these signs
LOGO signs are for freeway use Motorist services and attractions only Generally not needed in urban areas Distance to traffic generator is limited Regulated by MUTCD and EDSM
TODS are for conventional roads Dealing more with tourist attractions than with services Generally not needed in urban areas, but Distance to traffic generator limited Certified by CRT
LOGO s s and TODS are Traffic Control Devices! Not intended as a money-making making enterprise Must take a back seat to the more important regulatory, warning and guide signs Distances should be incremental and serve the public, not the business
But that s s just the tip of the iceberg! Supplemental Guide Signs Installed by DOTD Helpful for large traffic generators Intended to confirm guidance for motorists not familiar with the area May represent the single biggest unnecessary expenditure of resources when it comes to Traffic Control Devices
Tip of the Iceberg continued Supplemental Guide Signs are Traffic Control Devices 1. Distance to traffic generator is limited 2. Regulated by MUTCD and EDSM 3. Additional criteria such as size of the facility or numbers of visitors may apply 4. Signs must be maintained, and removed if they no longer apply
Icebergs Attack!
Maybe if we make the Icebergs small enough
Iceberg Analysis 101 Every year, DOTD itself installs dozens of signs of questionable value to the customers beyond those that request them Every year, the State Legislature considers numerous resolutions and acts naming bridges, roadway segments, interchanges, and even culverts Even traffic signals are misused, influenced by special interests in the Forum
Every Picture Tells a Story
Points to Ponder - We as Engineers must Recognize that the Public Forum involves many motives beyond what we serve to our primary customers Engage local and regional leaders in discussions about what the forum can be Emphasize safety, mobility, and uniformity (fairness) as prime decision-making motives Learn more about distractions and their effects on driving by supporting research
And What About - The Dynamic Message Sign as a Public Forum: Big Effects on Operations and Safety!
The Highway as a Public Forum - Standards, Creatively and Fairly Applied, will get us THRU
And by the way, Traffic Engineers aren t t perfect, but somebody s s got to make the call
This referee s s a jackass No, I believe that s s a Zebra Traffic Engineer.
The Highway as a Public Forum: Effects on Safety and Operations Questions? stevestrength@dotd.la.gov