Data dreamer

One of the promises of connected vehicle data is that it could do away with the need for any other type of road sensor. That dream has not yet been realised, but US researcher Hesham A Rakha has been investigating machine learning algorithms that could one day help to do just that

Words | Anthony James

Knowing how many cars are on a given part of the road is critical for traffic management, especially at intersections with traffic lights, where estimates of vehicles, which the researchers did by developing a machine-learning model. As that level increases, so too will the accuracy of the estimates, the report found. Intertraffic World traffic density are used as inputs for the timing of traffic signals. In theory, when every vehicle is a smart vehicle, able to communicate with infrastructure, estimating traffic density will be far easier and more accurate. It will also be cheaper, as modellers will no longer have to rely on expensive embedded loop or other stationary sensors to capture vehicle data.

With this future scenario in mind, a team from the Urban Mobility & Equity Center – a federally funded research consortium in the USA, led by Morgan State University, with support from the University of Maryland and Virginia Tech – has investigated and tested several approaches to estimating traffic stream density on roads with traffic signals using data from connected vehicles, in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

The findings have been published in a report, entitled, Estimating Traffic Stream Density Using Connected Vehicle Data. The report found that the most accurate estimates resulted from using a linear Kalman filter – a type of algorithm.

The research also involved determining the level of market penetration of connected spoke to Hesham A Rakha, the principal investigator on the research project, which was completed in April 2021, to discover more.

What is the problem you are trying to solve?

Traffic stream density is a critical input to various advanced traffic management systems. However, measuring traffic density in the field is difficult since it is categorized as a spatial measurement. In our work, several estimation approaches are developed to provide real-time estimates of the traffic stream density on signalised approaches using connected vehicle (CV) data. The estimates are then input to adaptive traffic signal controllers to improve intersection performance, namely its efficiency, mobility, and environmental impacts.

Past research has used different data sources, such as stationary sensors (e.g. loop detectors) or fused data (combining two different sources of data) to estimate the traffic stream density along traffic roadways. However, stationary sensors suffer from poor detection accuracy and have high installation and maintenance costs. The fusion of data from multiple sources requires considerable

Hesham A Rakha, is principal investigator at the Urban Mobility & Equity Center, Morgan State University, Maryland

In our work, several estimation approaches are developed to provide real-time estimates of the traffic stream density on signalised approaches using connected vehicle data

Above: One of the keys to ensuring the accuracy of connected vehicle (CV) data is knowing the level of market penetration (LMP) Below: The new CV data models have been tested in the real world by looking at traffic on streets in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, USA resources and suffers from the same drawbacks as stationary data.

How is your approach different to previous attempts to solve this problem?

Real-time traffic estimation has received increased attention following the introduction of advanced technologies, such as CV technology. In our work, we attempt to develop novel estimation approaches using only inputs from CVs. Our new research approach is unique as we are attempting to reduce the cost of data collection through the elimination of, or reduction of, stationary sensors.

The idea was introduced to improve the research area of real-time traffic density estimation. The new improvements include avoiding data quality issues produced by current sensors, such as detection failures, and reducing sensor installation and maintenance costs.

How can connected vehicles help?

CVs are defined as vehicles that can exchange information, such as instantaneous speed, position, and acceleration, with other CVs. This is generally referred to as vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V, communication. These CVs can also exchange information with road infrastructure, which is referred to as vehicle-to-infrastructure, or V2I, communication. Comparing our new approach to state-of-the-art approaches, the use of CV data allows us to track all CVs in real-time, while for state-of-the-art approaches the system accesses vehicles’ information at fixed locations (around the sensors’ locations). Consequently, our new system will have more information about traffic behaviour at any time and is also cheaper given that vehicle connectivity is the new norm of the future.

Can you summarize your major findings?

The report develops a linear Kalman filter (KF), a linear adaptive KF (AKF), and a nonlinear particle filter (PF) to estimate the traffic stream density using CV data only. The proposed approaches were evaluated using empirical and simulated data, the former of which were collected along a signalised approach in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia.

Results indicate that density estimates produced by the linear KF approach are the most accurate and robust. A sensitivity of the estimation approaches to various factors, including the level of market penetration (LMP) rate of CVs, the initial conditions, the number of particles in the PF approach, traffic demand levels, traffic signal control methods, and vehicle length, were presented.

Providing accurate LMP estimates should improve the estimation accuracy of the vehicle counts. Therefore, in this research, a machinelearning model was also developed to provide real-time estimates of the LMP values. This developed filtering model was combined with the developed machine learning model (AKFNN) to improve the vehicle count estimation accuracy.

Does increased penetration of CVs automatically give greater data accuracy?

Results show that the accuracy of the density estimate increases as the LMP increases. They also showed that the KF is the least sensitive to the initial traffic density estimate, while the PF is the most sensitive to the initial traffic density estimate.

The results also demonstrate that the proposed estimation approaches work better at higher demand levels given that more CVs exist for the same LMP scenario. For traffic signal

Above: The higher the density of traffic, the more CVs are likely to be present Right: Figure 1, actual LMP (level of market penetration) variations compared to average, along the estimation steps

Our approach relies on using only CV data without the need to install new sensors in the field, which makes our approach’s implementation cost lower compared to state-of-the-art approaches

control methods, the results demonstrate a higher estimation accuracy for fixed traffic signal timings at low traffic demand levels, while the estimation accuracy is better when the adaptive phase split optimiser is activated for high traffic demand levels.

The report also investigated the sensitivity of the KF estimation approach to vehicle length, demonstrating that the presence of longer vehicles (trucks, for example) on the approach reduces the estimation accuracy. In conclusion, the use of the linear KF approach is highly recommended in the application of traffic density estimation due to its simplicity and applicability in the field.

How will machine learning help to further improve the model?

In our developed KF, the state and measurement equations use one LMP (ρ) value for the entire simulation for each LMP scenario. This means that we ignore the instantaneous changes that occur in real scenarios. Instead, we use the average ρ value in our equations. Figure 1 demonstrates how the actual ρ values are changed in every step. However, our model was designed to use the average ρ value along the estimation steps.

The AKFNN machine-learning model was developed to use real-time ρ values to reflect all instantaneous changes. Specifically, a machine learning (ML) model was developed to provide real-time estimates for the ρ values so the AKF model can use these estimates in every estimation step. The use of ML improved the traffic density estimation as the errors produced from the state equation were reduced due to the use of actual ρ values instead of using an average ρ value. Consequently, it is much easier for the AKF to correct a small error rather than a large error after applying the measurement equation.

Just how much do you expect the new method to improve traffic density measurement?

We compared our proposed approach with a previous study into this subject (Vigos, G; Papageorgiou, M; Wang, Y. Real-time estimation of vehicle-count within signalized links. Transp. Res. Part C Emerg. Technol. 2008, 16, 18–35). Using the simulated data, Vigos et al. proposed using at least three loop detector measurements with a fixed time interval (i.e., 20 seconds), which resulted in a robust model with up to 27.5% RRMSE (relative-root-mean-squared deviation) values. In contrast, our approach uses only connected vehicle data, producing RRMSE values of a maximum of 16%.

Our approach relies on using only CV data without the need to install new sensors in the field, which makes our approach’s implementation cost lower compared to state-ofthe-art approaches. Data can be gathered directly by the controller using the vehicle-toinfrastructure (V2I) communication.

Our estimation approaches are developed to improve the overall intersection measures of effectiveness (reducing traffic delays, queue lengths, fuel consumptions and emissions). The new approaches are designed to allow traffic signal controllers to utilize accurate realtime estimates as inputs to assist with green time allocation.

We now plan to test the traffic signal controller performance using the estimation outcomes from our KF estimation approach. n

FIND OUT MORE For more information on the Estimating Traffic Stream Density Using Connected Vehicle Data research project, please contact Professor Hesham A. Rakha, Ph.D., P.Eng., FIEEE, Samuel Reynolds Pritchard Professor of Engineering, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, email: hrakha@vt.edu.

V2X and beyond

Technology is helping make the world’s roads smarter, safer and less congested, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Here we profile some of the most popular – as well as some of the more unusual – new solutions

Words | Prabhat Khare, transportation consultant and senior industry veteran of Tata Motors, Honda Motor Company and Ashok Leyland

Even though roads are some of the key arteries of modern societies and economies today, they are still commonly viewed as classical civil and structural engineering infrastructure.

However, several technological innovations have been made over the past few decades to challenge this perception and address the current challenges of the existing road network, such as congestion and safety.

Roads are now becoming sensitive to their surroundings. For example, various sensors are being embedded into them, so networks can be developed that are more efficient. Smart road systems are just one part of what goes to make up today’s smart cities.

Roads can now communicate with their surroundings and with other vehicles moving on them, and harness energies to maintain constant communication with a central server, updating information on a real-time basis. This kind of detailed real-time updated information is useful in tackling congestion and improving traffic flow, enabling faster response time to accidents, and for the swift handling of traffic violations.

Above: A timeline illustrating how technology has and will continue to impact the mobility sector Below: If executed well, vehicle-toeverything (V2X) communications could transform congested streets, improve road safety and reduce vehicle emissions

Using artificial intelligence (AI), this information can also be utilized for adaptive traffic lights and to integrate various roadways for smooth traffic flow. Such a large amount of data can also be used for long-term analysis for monitoring and improving the road conditions and to reduce CO2 emissions.

This article examines some of the key recent advancements in road technology and looks at how they address some specific problems affecting the current mobility system. It is expected that as technology evolves further, a new mobility system will be created which sees smart, intelligent, connected, and communicative roads playing a much bigger, important, and critical role in society.

Vehicle-to-everything

One of the key technologies that road agencies and automotive OEMs around the world are investing in to improve the safety and efficiency of their networks is V2X (vehicle to everything) communications. With such systems vehicles can ‘talk’ to each other and to infrastructure and other road users. This means drivers can be alerted about potential upcoming traffic hazards, before they see them, enhancing their perception and reducing crashes, improving safety for road users. Such systems can also be used to enhance enforcement of traffic offences.

V2X technology can also enable roadside variable message signs (VMS) to communicate their alerts with drivers way beyond line-ofsight, as well as act as nodes for gathering information from the cloud, based on alerts coming from other connected vehicles.

Intersections can also be made smarter and safer with multiple sensors for V2X connectivity. Furthermore, AI can be employed at these smart intersections to enable better understanding of traffic densities, roadway situations and to dynamically adjust traffic signal timing to optimise traffic movement.

Connected vehicle technology also enables automatic crash notification with geo-location sent to all agencies involved to handle the case. This helps to reduce the time elapsed between the crash and the arrival at the hospital. Reducing this time gives injured people can have a greater chance of survival.

As the World Health Organization estimates around 1.3 million people die on roads every year and around 20-50 million more people suffer serious injury. It’s hard to think of a more pressing task for the transportation world than reducing this number.

But V2X isn’t the only way in which the world can reduce crashes on roads. Some other, more novel technology is being used to improve safety in different locations around the globe.

Musical roads

These roads are designed to produce music or tunes when vehicles drive on them at a set speed. Countries like Japan, USA, Denmark, Netherlands, Taiwan, and South Korea have constructed such roads using grooves or rumble strips, which are spaced out at specific intervals on the road surface, forming the tones of the music generated.

In Korea, for example, musical road surfaces have been developed, with the tune of Mary had a Little Lamb played when motorists keep to the speed limit. The optimal speed for listening to these songs from the road is 62mph. At faster speeds, motorists still hear the music, but it is a double-time, high-pitched version.

The primary purpose of these musical roads is to warn the driver of a hazard, make them aware of road safety and help them to maintain the speed limit. However, such music from the roads can be disturbing to residents living nearby, especially during the night, hence their use has been restricted or used particularly on highways and long country roads, to serve as a reminder of the driving speed.

Harvesting energy and EV charging

Apart from improving safety, technology is also stepping in to aid decarbonization. Two factors make roads highly attractive for energy harvesting. First, they have a large surface area open to solar radiation, and second, due to the constant movement of vehicles, there is a lot of dissipation of kinetic and frictional energy on them. For harvesting solar energy, heavy-duty and rugged photovoltaic modules are placed directly on top of road surfaces (these roads are known as solar roads). To harvest kinetic and frictional energies from vehicular movement, piezoelectric devices are placed below the road surface to generate electrical energy (these roads are known as piezoelectric roads).

With the rise of EVs which need to be recharged at regular intervals also came a need to charge them while they are traveling on the road. In 2016, the very first solar road consisting of 2,880m2 of solar panels, was made in France, and the power generated by this solar road was used to power all streetlights. Later, the USA, Sweden, China, the UK, and Japan followed suit by developing various solar-powered road stretches which are currently under performance trials.

While France leads in solar road development, Sweden has developed a stretch of 1.2 miles of road near Stockholm into an electrified road which dynamically recharges vehicles while they move on the road using magnetic induction technology. Cables are buried underneath the road surface and generate electromagnetic fields strong enough to be received by a receiver device in the vehicle, transforming it into electrical power and charging the onboard battery.

CO2 reduction tech

The Indian smart-roads scenario

While India may have the second-largest road network in the world, spanning a total of 5.89 million kilometres, it lags far behind in terms of road quality. Only 69% of India’s roads are paved, for example, and for the roads that are surfaced many of them fall well below global benchmarks in terms of quality and design.

In general, the roads in India have never been treated with respect. They are one of the most abused infrastructures in the country and are coming under increased pressure from urbanisation, growing traffic volumes and public misuse. The country’s network has a very long way to go before it can be considered even slightly smart.

The Indian Government, engineers, and infrastructure stakeholders, who have all been focusing on creating smart cities around the country, must also think about how the road

Above: Solar radiation and kinetic and frictional energy can be harvested on roads to power vehicles and roadside units, such as streetlights Left: Smart intersections, which use sensors to monitor traffic, offer improved driver safety and optimized vehicle movement

Roads that honk

HP Lubricants and Leo Burnett India have innovated with #RoadsThatHonk: the world’s first anti-collision system for dangerous hairpin bends. The pilot initiative is at NH1 on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, in India. Play the video

embedded on this page to find out more.

Above: Figure showing breakdown of road length, number of vehicles, road density and number of vehicles per person, for countries around the world network can be upgraded so it can seamlessly integrate with the new modern cities.

To make the move to smart and intelligent roads, India needs to overcome some tremendous challenges. However, the country has begun to take some small steps. One of these steps is by an Indian team from HP Lubricants and Leo Burnett India. The team has installed a set of SmartLife poles on the National Highway 1 (NH 1) in India, which connects Jammu and Srinagar, and is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world.

The poles are installed as part of an anticollision vehicle management system for a dangerous hairpin. The poles gauge the speed of approaching vehicles and communicate with each other to alert drivers if they are speeding by sounding a horn (see video demo above).

Although the modernization of the Indian road network is a herculean task for the government and it may take many years to fully realise, it should certainly be a high priority for the nation. Investment in smart roads with cutting-edge technologies, such as the SmartLife poles, could help India catch up with the rest of the world in terms of smart infrastructure development. India also has an ambitious goal of 30% of all new vehicle sales being electric by 2030. Current and future roads plans must be developed with this target in mind to ensure that the country develops smart roads for the future.

Smart lighting

Decarbonisation efforts are further aided by making street light smart. The first road with a smart/intelligent street lighting system was deployed in Oslo, Norway, in 2006 with a purpose of optimizing the street lighting system based on daylight, weather conditions and traffic movement to save energy.

Many streetlights today have been replaced with LEDs, and sensors and wi-fi are also being added to streetlights’ control units to allow them to sense the presence of pedestrians and traffic, to turn on and off when needed, while maintaining minimum illumination for social safety (this is known as on-demand lighting). Wireless connectivity has allowed streetlights to be connected, enabling them to form networks, and allowing them to be controlled remotely or in tandem forming pairs or groups based on the particular needs of the roadway where they are deployed.

CO2 reduction tech

Looking to a smarter future

In the transportation sector, smart roads can bring about greater automation, higher energy efficiencies, lower costs, improved road safety, cleaner air, reduced congestion, fewer accidents and fatalities, and an improved quality of life for society. To achieve these benefits, roads should no longer be viewed as static infrastructure, but rather as a dynamic and intelligent sub-system of society, which can sense its surroundings and be responsive to various situations.

The smart road system should be able to communicate, in real-time, with a central server to provide regular updates on traffic conditions, road loading, weather conditions, and accidents, among other things. The possibilities and benefits of smart roads seem endless, and they can make a great contribution to efficient and smooth city operations.

Live neural system

In the future, it is possible that the ‘information grid’, the ‘electric grid’, and the ‘transportation grid’ will all blend to form a live neural system for smart cities in which a central control room serves as the ‘brain’ of the operation, while the smart roads serve as the ‘central nervous system’. Meanwhile, EVs and connected and autonomous EVs, serve as the ‘arms and legs’ and information and power flows through a virtual eco-system creating a real alive and kicking smart city. n

Above: Fitting solar panels into road surfaces is helping the drive towards decarbonisation Below: Smart, connected infrastructure can inform drivers of road conditions via smart devices

born from quality

one head attachment

WATER BLAST & GRIND TOGETHER WATER BLAST ONLY GRIND ONLY

from our family tree to yours... total pavement solutions

Innovative water blasting solutions

Efficient, effective line marking maintenance and removal requires machinery that is built for purpose, supported by industry experience and knowhow

Words | Adam Baldwin, vice president of marketing, Hog Technologies, USA

Water blasting is now established as a highly effective way to maintain or remove line markings on roadways or runways. With no need for harsh chemicals, abrasives or substances, it is a safe, clean and environmentally friendly approach. Water blasting efficiently performs cleaning, maintenance or removal applications without damaging the pavement below.

Hog Technologies has been honing its expertise in this sector since 1988, when founder and CEO Above: Water James Crocker began a small blasting enables pressure washing service in Florida. rapid removal of

“For the first 15 years, we were single, continuous known as PCS, Pressure Cleaning lines Services,” explains Vince Giordano, vice president of sales, Hog Technologies. “About 17 years ago, we moved from being a contractor to being an equipment manufacturer. This switch came about because James was frustrated with other manufacturers in the industry; the customer service and quality they were providing was not sufficient.”

So in the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, the company set out to master the technology itself.

“Now we manufacture six different types of trucks. We’ve sold machines to municipalities, airports and contractors in 57 countries around the world,” says Giordano.

The turning point in the airport industry came 12 years ago. “Prior to this, airports would use five or six people with chemicals and machines to sweep rubber off the runway so planes aren’t sliding when they land,” says Adam Baldwin, vice president of marketing, Hog Technologies. “Environmentally, this is not the most conducive way to do it.”

Pittsburgh International Airport saw the value in buying a Hog Technologies Stripe Hog water blaster to remove rubber instead, leading the way for several other large airports to do the same. Today, 93% of airports in the USA that own a water blaster, own a Stripe Hog.

Spirit of innovation

Hog Technologies helps private roadway and runway contractors to find solutions for anything from line striping to cutting rumble strips. “The Stripe Hog is the machine that launched us into the industry to become the dominator,” Baldwin explains. Its applications include marking, rubber and paint removal, marking cleaning, hydraulic spill clean-up and retexturing. It has won multiple awards in the USA. Constant innovation keeps

Hog Technologies at the industry’s cutting edge. “We have a laundry list of innovations on our machines,”

says Giordano. “We were the first manufacturer in the world to add vacuum recovery to water blasting, 35 and that was a game changer. We also have a patented dewatering system. This enables you to run the The minutes it takes to truck for a longer period of time break down and rebuild Hog Technologies’ because you can collect more debris by draining out the water.” Hog Technologies also has easy-to-use pump a patented system called bladder bags. Dirty water is pumped into compressed bags that fill the freshwater container. It is possible to double your run time when you have this ability to hold the additional dirty water.

Our goal is to help create safe roadways by providing technologically advanced equipment with the best possible back-end service for the end user. It’s about safety, efficiency, keeping costs low and keeping operations simple

Vince Giordano, vice president of sales, Hog Technologies

This kind of innovation is particularly useful for roadway applications where you need to minimize the disruption caused by roadworks. It is also valuable at airports, where it is essential to minimize runway downtime, and keep planes and passengers moving.

Innovation is also driven by Hog Technologies’ commitment to simplicity, making life easier for the end-user. “We have designed a very simple, easy to use pump,” says Giordano. “It can be completely broken down and rebuilt in about 30-35 minutes.”

The new Hog Tusk also provides a very efficient way to take off the top of a marking using grinding teeth and water blast the remainder, cutting water use in half and doubling forward speed.

Keeping operations simple

“Our goal is to help create safe roadways by providing technologically advanced equipment with the best possible back-end service for the end user,” says Giordano. “It’s about safety, efficiency, keeping costs low and keeping operations simple.”

Prague airport has just bought its first Stripe Hog and international demand for the equipment is on the rise. “Airports see the value in owning their own equipment instead of contracting it out,” says Giordano. “We have equipment all over the world and our tech support, customer service and training make it easy for customers to use our equipment. We operate a parts office and we will have maintenance capability in the Czech Republic, meaning that we ship parts to most of our European customers directly out of the country. We also have a hub in Dubai.” ■

Above: The Stripe Hog can clean and rejuvenate the retroreflectivity of thermoplastic and cold plastic markings

Enhancing road markings

Smart tips for specifying high-performance lane guidance and adhering to road marking specifications, while keeping drivers safe – whatever the weather or time of day

Words | Rik Nuyttens, 3M Transportation Safety Division, Belgium

For a traffic engineer, the safety of motorists on the roads is a top priority. Motorists need reliable lane guidance to help keep them safe on roads – day or night and in all weather conditions. This is especially true for aging drivers and vehicles with advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS.) The EU’s General Safety Regulation (GSR), with ‘A’ safety measures set to enter into force in July 2022, mandates the use of lane departure warning systems (LDWS) as one of the new ADAS in all new cars and vans. As of July 2024, the regulation (‘B’ measures) will expand to existing types (all new registrations) and include emergency lane keeping systems (ELKS).8

Developing specifications for road marking materials that are applied to the roads is a critical component in helping provide safety. This article looks at the key factors to consider when developing specifications for roadways.

Retroreflective levels

Specifying retroreflectivity levels and performance for road markings is critical for ensuring their performance at night and in black spots. Road markings typically appear clearly to motorists navigating roads during normal daytime lighting conditions. However, as the sun sets and night falls, drivers rely more on the retroreflectivity of those road markings to help see them and perceive lanes at a distance.1

If road markings are considered for use in black spots (more complex roadways with higher instances of crashes) or roadways serving older populations with vision issues, increasing the brightness required in a road marking specification could provide more consistently reliable lane guidance that helps reduce crashes.2,3 That’s because brighter markings provide more preview time, where motorists traveling at higher speeds can still comfortably react and adjust their driving based on how the roadway changes.4

Above: Upgrading to high-performance road markings can enhance safety for motorists

Inclement weather

Road markings can disappear from the drivers view in wet, nighttime driving conditions, creating a dangerous situation.1 Recent studies demonstrate that wet reflective markings are an effective countermeasure for reducing 32% of wet-night crashes and 49% of wet-night fatal injury crashes5,6 so consider wet retroreflective performance when developing a road marking specification.

The two ASTM methods for testing these performance levels are: E2832-12 for Wet Continuous, which involves a wetting apparatus that continuously wets the measurement area during measurement; and E2177-19 for Wet Recovery, which is measured 45 seconds after the measurement area has been wetted.7 Meanwhile, CEN EN1436 covers the testing and respective classes in all weather conditions: dry (R0 to R5) wetness (RW0 to RW6) and rain (RR0 to RR6).9

Long-term durability

Help limit costly repairs or replacement earlier than expected by checking your pavement marking’s durability. Take into consideration the wear and tear caused by your specific traffic patterns and weather when you specify your road markings.

The use of long term ‘performance-based contracts’ where the focus lays on the KPI’s important to you and the road user, are gaining interest. The contract could cover expected performance and visibility aspects during the lifetime of the marking, avoid the

need for replacement and maintenance, avoid congestion, keep the mobility and the capacity of the road. A well enforced contract will give you peace-of-mind.

Lifetime cost of road markings

Road markings can be an effective safety countermeasure and upgrading a safety countermeasure like high-performance road markings can enhance safety for motorists.

Sand and traffic abrade softer glass beads, which can create a hazy surface, resulting in a less than efficient optical system. Choose a pavement marking with microcrystalline ceramic beads that are tougher and more durable than glass-only beads.

High-performance markings

3M applies technology platforms across its operation to create products that help make roads safer. The company’s approach to road markings means you get the best technology. 3M offers more than 80 years of road safety innovation with facilities and support around the world.

3M’s team of experts actively support pilot projects and full installations of road marking solutions with 3M Stamark High Performance Pavement Marking Tapes and 3M Connected Roads All Weather Elements and work with transportation agencies across the world on road marking specifications.

Visit 3M’s website and learn more: go.3M.com/PM-Intertraffic2022EN. ■

References

1. 3M blog: What happens to the road markings at night when it rains? 2. Carlson et al. (January 2015). Nighttime

Safety and Pavement Marking

Retroreflectivity on Two-Lane

Highways: Revisited with North

Carolina Data. Crash Modification

Factors Clearinghouse. http:// cmfclearinghouse.org/study_detail. cfm?stid=409. (Retrieved September 16, 2021) 3. FHWA. (December 2005). Enhanced

Night Visibility Series, Volume VIII:

Phase II – Study 6: Detection of

Pavement Markings During Nighttime

Driving in Clear Weather. https://www. fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/ safety/humanfac/04139/index.cfm.

(Retrieved September 16, 2021) 4. MN Department of Transportation. (March 2020), Pavement Markings –

Wet Retroreflectivity Standards. Adam

Pike, principal investigator, Texas A&M

Transportation Institute. http://www. dot.state.mn.us/research/ reports/2020/202009.pdf (PDF, 5.03

MB). (Retrieved Sep 16, 2021) 5. FHWA. (December 2015). Safety

Evaluation of Wet-Reflective Pavement

Markings. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ publications/research/safety/15083/ index.cfm. (Retrieved September 16, 2021) 6. Park et al. (January 2019). Safety Effects of Wet-Weather Pavement Markings.

Crash Modification Factors

Clearinghouse. http://cmfclearinghouse. org/study_detail.cfm?stid=567. (Retrieved September 16, 2021) 7. Do your pavement markings pass the test? Understanding test methods (PDF, 350.85 KB) 8. Publication of the EU General Safety

Regulation: https://ec.europa.eu/ commission/presscorner/detail/en/

IP_19_1793 9. CENCENELEC official site: https://www. cencenelec.eu/. Norm EN1436 is covered by TC226 WG2

Above: Wet reflective markings are an effective countermeasure for reducing wetnight crashes

Are you ready? Join the movement

The latest production methods can create road signs that are more durable and easier to maintain than ever before. They also use advanced production methods that are more sustainable and have less environmental impact than traditional techniques

Words: Aaron Means, senior manager Global Digital Printing Solutions, Avery Dennison Reflective Solutions, USA

Let’s start with ‘what is the movement?’ The movement started as a vision for the team at Avery Dennison Reflective Solutions. This is a transformational journey towards a sustainable future of modern, creative and better looking traffic signs. This is a world where traffic signs can last longer, where graffiti vandalism or unwanted stickers can be easily removed from signs, and most importantly, they can all be produced using more sustainable conversion methods while improving the quality of life for the workforce throughout the process.

If signs last longer, this means municipalities can get more out of their budget, and invest in more signs, making roads safer and easier to navigate. If signs last longer, that means signs are disposed of less often, meaning less material ending up in landfills or less energy being wasted to recycle the sign substrate.

If graffiti and stickers can be easily removed, it means signs can simply be cleaned and reused rather than being replaced. Performing sign maintenance around replacement cycles rather than reacting as signs are vandalized, allows road crews to be scheduled more efficiently, limiting their time on the roadside, improving safety, and also limiting the carbon emissions from idling vehicles. This is very attractive to local authorities who can now better plan their limited resources.

Last but not least, if these signs can be produced using more sustainable converting methods, this means our industry can start doing its part in the fight against climate change. By moving away from screen printing, sign makers are no longer exposed to the harsh solvents used, nor do they generate the hazardous waste and wastewater during the cleaning process, all while taking advantage of the production efficiencies brought by digital printing. These all lead to a happier and healthier work environment while keeping healthcare, environmental compliance and waste disposal costs to a minimum.

This vision is now a reality with the TrafficJet Print System. All signs produced using this system carry industry leading warranties up to 15 years for traffic colours and

Above: There are now more than 600 TrafficJet installations around the globe

10 years for custom colours. These signs can now have built-in graffiti and sticker cleanability with OL-1000 overlay that also offers UV resistance in a single layer. Producing signs using digital printing rather than other converting methods like applying sheeting on sheeting, cut overlay, or screen printing also results in less waste to landfills and exposure to hazardous chemicals by sign makers. This is the new standard in traffic signage!

Advanced manufacturing

Within the TrafficJet Print System, Avery Dennison has a digital printer that matches the needs of almost all traffic sign shops. The TrafficJet Xpert is a great solution for shops needing to begin with digital print capabilities and bring more value to their customer’s finished signs with industry leading warranty at no extra cost. Today, this is the most broadly accepted traffic sign digital printer globally with print speeds up to 15m2/hr. Pair this with the colour consistency brought by the True Traffic Color Spot inks in its small footprint, and it is a great fit for almost all small to midsize sign shops.

Since its launch in 2013, more than 600 sign shops have joined the TrafficJet community. This community has not only experienced significant business growth for themselves, but also contributed massively to environmental resource savings over the years.

Left: Avery Dennison OL1000 premium clear overlay film not only protects traffic signs, it also enables vandalized traffic signs to be cleaned

79m2/hr

The speed at which the TrafficJet Pro can print traffic signs

Just the start of the journey

We believe these savings are just the beginning of what is possible within the entire traffic sign industry. To accelerate and maximize the environmental benefit across the industry, larger sign shops are required to play an important role. To do so, they need an affordable digital printing solution that completely eliminates the use of screen printing, while providing a significant productivity improvement.

With that in mind, the team at Avery Dennison has developed the next generation print platform, TrafficJet Pro. This printer is designed around the industry expectations of affordable ownership, optimum footprint, excellent productivity, and superior durability. The independent dual roll system on this printer enables users to run two 100 yard rolls side by side to maximize production efficiency and limit changeover time and scrap. Combining that with print speeds up to 79m2/hr with a print resolution of 605 x 1200 dpi and our True Traffic Color Spot Inks, this printer offers the industry a viable solution to replace screen printing at a comparable cost of sign production while also being more environmentally responsible. The team at Avery Dennison Reflective Solutions has exemplified our organization’s core value of driving sustainability with the launch of the world-class TrafficJet Print System, which is poised to solve long-term environmental challenges in our industry. Since its launch, the TrafficJet community has grown to include not only the customers using the print system directly, but stakeholders throughout the value stream recognizing the sustainable advantage made possible by Avery Dennison. With this inspiration, the team at Avery Dennison, along with the global TrafficJet community are committed to lead this Below: transformation. To date, hundreds Environmental of converters, specifiers, and end savings contributed by the TrafficJet community over users across the globe have proudly joined the movement towards better the years since its and more sustainable traffic signs. launch in 2013 Are you ready? ■

Signposts to a sustainable world

Triplesign’s solar-powered prismatic VMS systems are cable-free, cheap to install, easy to maintain and offer a sustainable alternative to energy-hungry LED counterparts.

Words | Hans-Ivar Olsson, CEO, Triplesign System

Providing flexible traffic information to road users is a powerful means to improve traffic-system efficiency and save lives. For this reason, variable message signs (VMS) are used across the world. But these typically rely on LED technology which is both expensive and unsustainable.

LED VMS lamps require continuous power to display a message and thus increase our carbon footprint. This does not sit well with the Glasgow Climate Pact and the need for our whole economic system to address rising global temperatures. LED VMS is also unsafe, since a power outage can cut down safety-critical messages. Though it can be combined with an uninterruptible power source (UPS), this is prohibitively costly beyond very short periods.

Above: Triplesign’s solar-powered VMS systems can be installed in a matter of hours. Installation: LOOK-SYS, Poland

Transformative solar efficiency

By contrast, Triplesign VMS creates transformational possibilities. The

power-consumption of a standard Triplesign VMS is now just 1W – inclusive of communications. Based on prismatic technology, it requires only a 20W solar panel in most countries, or modest battery power in regions with little or no sun. Because solar power costs so little, there is no need to connect to the grid. Triplesign’s cable-free VMS system mirrors the evolution from cable to mobile phones.

The total installation cost for a Triplesign Solar VMS is 70% to 90% less than the LED equivalent: a dramatic reduction. The Triplesign Solar VMS unit cost ranges from €2,500 to €4,000. There are no cable excavation costs and no grid connection charges. Because installation takes hours, rather than days, it costs far less. There is minimal disruption to traffic and less need, if any, for expensive redirection solutions during installation.

Once operational, reduced powerconsumption delivers sizable costsavings every year. Cable-free VMS is immune to power outages and needs no UPS or additional static signage as a fallback. Compared to the complex maintenance demands of LED VMS, Triplesign VMS requires very limited upkeep. It has an expected lifetime of 20+ years and a patent system for active component exchange across a second 20-year period.

Lower cost, greater safety

Often, budget limitations mean traffic authorities cannot install all the VMS needed to optimize safety. But the low cost of Triplesign VMS means more safety information points 0.2W can be implemented. Triplesign VMS can be activated by sensors to The level of standalone VMS power-consumption automatically warn 5G and dual-band drivers or reduce speed limits in response to ice, floods, accidents or communication will enable – low enough to congestion. Standalone be powered by framesolar VMS can be sited anywhere to deliver traffic mounted solar foil safety information where it is most needed.

Standalone solar installations minimize VMS carbon footprints. While all VMS technologies reduce emissions by improving traffic flows, the continuous power-consumption of LED VMS detracts from their climate benefits. Triplesign VMS requires no power to display a message and power-consumption is just 1W for the complete system. Because no cable excavation is needed, no heavy diesel machinery is used during installation.

Diminishing power horizons

For Triplesign, the pursuit of better energy-efficiency continues. It believes 5G and dual-band communication will enable VMS powerconsumption levels in the 0.2W range. This will mean signs can be powered with only a solar foil attached to the frame. Many countries have already introduced sustainable VMS and others seem sure to follow, as traffic authorities work to reduce their carbon footprints and contribute to the global climate effort. ■

Lowest power consumption.

Now 1W VMS- system available.

70 to 90% cost saving compared to LED VMS installation.

Solar standalone VMS-system.

Sustainable VMS technology for environmentally friendly cities.

3, 6, 9 and 12-Message Prismatic VMS.

STAND NO. 01.519