Express Lane signage study

[jrouse]

I know that we do have a few practitioners on the forum, and I hope that this topic is in accordance with forum rules.  If not, please lock the topic and let me know. 

FHWA and the HOV / Managed Use Lanes Pooled Fund Study are investigating the Best Practices for Signing on a Multi-Segment Managed Lanes Network.

This study involves how to better sign managed lanes when multiple segments intersect to form a regional network.  Two phases of signing simulation are to be performed.  This is the first phase, which involves a relatively straightforward online survey that presents potential signs for Managed Networks and poses questions to respondents to determine the efficacy of the signs to convey the intended messages. Basically, we are determining the sign's effectiveness when drivers have plenty of time to digest the sign. In the second phase, the more effective versions will move into a driving simulator in selected locations in the US.

This survey is open to all, and the more opportunities to receive critical review, the better the chance for effective signage guidance. 

The link is: http://www.expresslanessignagestudy.com/

Your help is greatly appreciated in making this survey a success! 

[NE2]

When deciding to use an Express Lane or not, rate the importance of the information that should be displayed on the sign:

They left out "whether you'll be charged more if you don't have a transponder". "Vehicle Requirements (e.g., transponder)" is not the same thing, since a transponder may not be required, yet you'll be hit with fees if you use toll-by-plate. Florida handles this reasonably, though it's not clear whether the 'admin charges' are included in the stated price (they're probably not).

You are driving by yourself on the Express Lane without a transponder. The toll you will pay to go to I-20 is:

Same problem here; the sign says $1.75 for 'plate toll' but there's a good chance they'll tack on fees, so I said 'don't know'.

Does the I-20 East Express Lane Continue?

The "correct" answer is probably yes (so that's what I picked), but it might merge into the I-20 main lanes just ahead.

[dfwmapper]

You are driving with enough passengers to be considered an HOV on the Express Lane without a HOVPass transponder. The toll you will pay to go to I-20 is:

Depends if the vehicle has a TollPass transponder or not.

[1995hoo]

For this sign, one of the questions was "Do High Occupancy Vehicles pay a toll on the Express Lane?" I answered "I don't know" because the sign doesn't say "HOVPass" rides free.




I submitted a bunch of comments at the end based on what I've seen of the signage in Northern Virginia and Miami (and I stated that was the basis of my comments). Unfortunately, I copied the text, but then I screwed up and copied something else in the meantime before pasting it, so I don't have them to paste here. Things I remember mentioning:

–People in Northern Virginia have complained about the signs not saying "TOLL." The sample sign shown here uses that word, but signs out on the roads now don't. Consider using "TOLL" or "TOLL ROAD" or "TOLL LANE" because some people are apparently confused by this sort of thing. Don't assume that the E-ZPass logo is sufficient.

–Develop a "NO CASH" symbol, perhaps used in conjunction with said words. Find out whether the EU or Vienna Convention countries have such a symbol; if so, consider adopting that.

I think I said something else, but I don't remember what it was.

[PurdueBill]

I had to mention in comments that the answer to "have you heard the term Express Lanes before today?" may Yes from people who are familiar with it from an Express/Local setup (e.g., I-271), and the rest of the questions on that page seem to assume that if you're familiar with the term then you know it in the context of tolls or possibly HOV.

The Express Lanes on I-90/94 near Chicago are on the same principle.  It would be interesting to see the differences in response patterns of people familiar with a 271 or 90/94 Express Lane vs. something near DC or Baltimore.

[Alps]

http://www.expresslanessignagestudy.com/


There's a short survey to fill out to help develop standards (for the next MUTCD?).

[davewiecking]

Interesting survey. I stalled at the first sign question, which seems to be saying "you will pay a toll via either EZpass-type thing, or having your license plate read". Which isn't an option to select...and I can't legitimately select "unsure what this sign tells me".

[dgolub]

Took the survey.  Not sure that they'll give it much weight considering that I don't own a vehicle.

[1995hoo]

I'm not into the whole "duplicate thread police" thing, but one of the moderators might want to merge the two threads on this topic so any useful commentary all winds up in the same place.

Other thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14961.0

[Brandon]

I never think of those toll lanes as express lanes.  Coming from Chicago and Detroit, I think of express lanes as the reversibles along the Kennedy, or the separate carriageways along the Ryan or Jeffries.

[Zeffy]

I'm not into the whole "duplicate thread police" thing, but one of the moderators might want to merge the two threads on this topic so any useful commentary all winds up in the same place.

Other thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14961.0

The two threads have now been merged into one thread.

[roadman]

For this sign, one of the questions was "Do High Occupancy Vehicles pay a toll on the Express Lane?" I answered "I don't know" because the sign doesn't say "HOVPass" rides free.

As I saw no supplemental plate or other sign indicating that HOV (with or without HOVPass) rides free, I answered "No".

[davewiecking]

Is an HOVPass equivalent to "EZPass with HOV switch"? Don't you just love surveys that raise more questions than they answer?

[jrouse]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to let you know that this study is now in its second phase.  Below is the info I got from FHWA on this:

The Best Practices for Signing on a Multi-Segment Managed Lanes Network project as an FHWA Pooled Fund Study project now in its second survey phase.  You may have participated in the first survey, which was a major success, and we are grateful for all the help we received.  We are now asking for your help with the second phase.  We ask that you take the survey yourself and distribute this to others inside and outside of your organization.  You may wish to put a link to the survey on your website.  We are looking for responses from transportation professionals in addition to all others that drive our roadways.  We can filter responses and response from all levels of familiarity is very desirable.

The link is: http://www.expresslanessignagestudy.com/

In this second phase we were able to produce online a survey that allows a limited amount of time to view potential signage.  Participants are given a scenario prior to viewing the sign to understand the specific information they need to get from the sign.  Participants also have the ability to replay each scenario to provide more of a "familiar driver scenario" .  We can track the number of times a scenario is viewed to give us insight into whether all drivers can understand the sign or whether it is limited to those that see the sign multiple time.

Again, we are asking members and friends to please consider placing a link to this initial survey on their website, and also, if possible, to send out an e-blast to folks on their mailing lists.  Also, please don't hesitate to take the survey yourself and pass it on to others in your organization.

Your help is greatly appreciated in making this survey and the follow on driving simulation a success!

[1995hoo]

Couldn't get the new one to work on my iPad. I answer the demographic questions on the first page, hit "next," and it reloads the same page. I'll try again on my PC if I can ever get it working again.

[riiga]

Couldn't get the new one to work on my iPad. I answer the demographic questions on the first page, hit "next," and it reloads the same page. I'll try again on my PC if I can ever get it working again.

Same for me on my PC.

[Alex]

Just took the survey on my PC and had no issues.

I'll share the survey web site on the AARoads Facebook page and Twitter and will pin the post here to help spread the word.

[riiga]

Worked when I tried it in IE. Very strange.

[seicer]

I thought the use of the TOLL banner was required on signs marking traffic towards tolled facilities? I know there was a poster who said that "everyone" should know the Ohio Turnpike is a toll road, but not everyone does. On most interchanges, there is only an Interstate shield with an arrow pointing towards the ramp with no TOLL banner attached atop. Sometimes there are "Ohio Turnpike" shields but those are hard to read. And in other instances, it has "Ohio Turnpike" on a large green sign with no shield. It's very inconsistent.

And do Turnpikes mean toll roads? Not necessarily. There are plenty of roadways suffixed with "Turnpike" that are free - left over legacies from when they were private toll roads in the 19th century. And not everyone knows that Turnpikes (in the modern sense) are toll roads - including new citizens. My poor coworker who came from India earlier in the year got on the Turnpike because he saw the interstate shields sans the TOLL banner.

[1995hoo]

I got the survey to work on my PC (running Chrome) now that I have it back online. Weird that it wouldn't work on the other device.

As far as the legal tender issue goes, that's been discussed several times on this forum and it's been amply established that from the US government's point of view, there is no law requiring anyone to accept cash.

[UCFKnights]

I got the survey to work on my PC (running Chrome) now that I have it back online. Weird that it wouldn't work on the other device.

As far as the legal tender issue goes, that's been discussed several times on this forum and it's been amply established that from the US government's point of view, there is no law requiring anyone to accept cash.

Yeah, there is, for debts. You have not incurred a debt yet prior to a purchase and a condition to purchase could be some other form of payment, and that is perfectly legal (so you don't need to accept cash for purchases). If, say, someone tows your car, you haven't agreed on another form of payment and owe them the money, they have to take cash.

Most toll by plate programs do have a way of paying cash making this a non-issue. Florida a bunch of gas stations can take cash and apply it to your account. Sounds like Colorado allows you to mail it in. These options clearly meet the requirement of accepting US currency for a debt.

[1995hoo]

We're not having this stupid discussion again.

[jeffandnicole]

I got the survey to work on my PC (running Chrome) now that I have it back online. Weird that it wouldn't work on the other device.

As far as the legal tender issue goes, that's been discussed several times on this forum and it's been amply established that from the US government's point of view, there is no law requiring anyone to accept cash.

Yeah, there is, for debts. You have not incurred a debt yet prior to a purchase and a condition to purchase could be some other form of payment, and that is perfectly legal (so you don't need to accept cash for purchases). If, say, someone tows your car, you haven't agreed on another form of payment and owe them the money, they have to take cash.

Most toll by plate programs do have a way of paying cash making this a non-issue. Florida a bunch of gas stations can take cash and apply it to your account. Sounds like Colorado allows you to mail it in. These options clearly meet the requirement of accepting US currency for a debt.

Opinion or fact?  If fact, please point us to the court ruling stating it.  If fact and you don't have anything to back it up (and/or unwilling to use the internet to locate such fact), then it's an opinion, and a wrong one at that.

[roadman]

i]have[/i] to pay on-the-spot? I do not see any benefit to cash baskets (which are cumbersome, to say the least -- exact change only, no bills, no means of sliding a card, etc).

A cash basket is useless with any toll $1.00 or more.  Unless the agency still issues tokens, of course.

[jeffandnicole]

Garden State Parkway still has coin baskets...and the toll is $1.50 at many plazas!