How long does it take to install a traffic signal in your area from the time the foundation castings are laid or from when the first signal poles are installed (for span wire assemblies) to the actual day the signal is operational not counting the turn on burn out period?
In Orange County, FL you will see the poles go up. Then a long period before anything else is done to it resulting into months over days. In Orlando we have a signal replacement project going on at the intersection of Taft-Vineland Road and Orange Blossom Trail where an existing mast arm signal is being replaced with a span wire assembly that started in August! The strain poles were planted in the ground in the middle of this Summer, then weeks went by before the contractor came back to install the midget poles for the pedestrian crosswalk signals. Then after a few more weeks, someone else was out last week to install the cables to support the signals, and have not been back to install the next phase which is the wiring as that was not even installed with the cables, just the thin wires are there.
Now, even though we in Orange County have many signals going up constantly, there is not enough of them that would take away from the simple work of installing one simple little signal at one intersection! Anyway, does contractors take months in your state, town, etc. to install or reinstall a traffic signal? Or have you seen one being installed within a couple of days like you would figure?
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
Quote from: kj3400 on September 17, 2013, 11:08:34 PM
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
It is here, or at least in three places. Two of them already have been in Kissimmee, FL on FL 535 at two intersections that had brand new mast arm signal installations that were within a few years replaced with span wires.
Back to topic, many times in Florida and in my home state of New Jersey, I have seen it take up to a couple of months for work to be done just to erect a signal. In my hometown of Clark, NJ they had the signal on Raritan Road and Madison Hill Road that flashed for over a month before they turned it on permanent. Here in Orange County they only flash it for a week before fully operational, though nearby Osceola County waits 3 or more weeks as well. This is only the burnout period that has nothing to do with construction of the signal, but a safety practice.
I think it really depends on the entity doing it. I've seen two new/replacement traffic signals in Mercer County, NJ over the last year. One was a replacement/upgrade of the light at Washington Rd (CR-571) and Faculty Road in Princeton. That one took a while. They put in new footings and, I'm assuming, ran at least conduit (if not new wiring). Then nothing happened for a while... then the masts and lights went up, but it still took them a little while to activate the new lights and deactivate the old ones. I'd say total project time was a few months from footings to active light.
The other one was very recent... a brand new signal went in at Canal Pointe Blvd and Meadow Road in West Windsor. That project seemed to go a lot faster. They poured the pads and trenched for the cables. Then within a week or so after they finished that, they erected the poles and had the lights mounted. Another few days to a week and they had the lights turned on (just the other day, actually). I'd say the project took maybe a month or two (it seemed like they were taking a while with the prep work). I could be wrong on the timeline, since I didn't realize what they were doing until I passed by and saw the concrete pads one day.
If I recall the installation of the signal at the Hwy 132 turn between Boulevard de Léry and Boulevard René-Lévesque near Châteauguay (formerly a three-way stop on a busy four-way intersection), two months. You read that right, the signal was blinking for two months.
When the state DPW fully replaced 3 signal assemblies in Marblehead, MA in 1980; I remember the signal foundations were poured first and sat for over a month (likely to allow for the 28-day curing time for the concrete) and then the signal poles, heads & mast-arms were installed shortly thereafter.
One of the signal poles at the Lafayette St. (MA 114)/West Shore Dr, intersection; actually still uses the old foundation from the previous signal assembly.
http://goo.gl/maps/VRrPC (http://goo.gl/maps/VRrPC)
Quote from: kj3400 on September 17, 2013, 11:08:34 PM
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
It happens all the time for construction in Illinois. At the start of a construction project, the wire span will go up and replace a mastarm. The mastarm will not return until construction is finally complete (last thing that gets installed).
Quote from: Brandon on September 18, 2013, 02:07:10 PM
Quote from: kj3400 on September 17, 2013, 11:08:34 PM
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
It happens all the time for construction in Illinois. At the start of a construction project, the wire span will go up and replace a mastarm. The mastarm will not return until construction is finally complete (last thing that gets installed).
It's the same here–span wires are
only used as temporary signals during construction.
A new signal is being installed on US 33 in Henrico County near Glen Allen High School. Henrico Public Works has been working on the signal for one month and they haven't even uncovered them yet.
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2013, 06:05:20 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 18, 2013, 02:07:10 PM
Quote from: kj3400 on September 17, 2013, 11:08:34 PM
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
It happens all the time for construction in Illinois. At the start of a construction project, the wire span will go up and replace a mastarm. The mastarm will not return until construction is finally complete (last thing that gets installed).
It's the same herespan wires are only used as temporary signals during construction.
Same in NJ as well, although there are a few exceptions (several towns in LBI being the notable exceptions).
Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 18, 2013, 11:33:00 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 18, 2013, 06:05:20 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 18, 2013, 02:07:10 PM
Quote from: kj3400 on September 17, 2013, 11:08:34 PM
In all my days I've never heard of a mast arm assembly being replaced by wire span. It's always the opposite here.
It happens all the time for construction in Illinois. At the start of a construction project, the wire span will go up and replace a mastarm. The mastarm will not return until construction is finally complete (last thing that gets installed).
It's the same herespan wires are only used as temporary signals during construction.
Same in NJ as well, although there are a few exceptions (several towns in LBI being the notable exceptions).
There's also a handful of permanent spanwire assemblies peppered throughout NJ. Most are quite old. But as a general rule, they are only used in temporary installations in NJ.
Quote from: signalman on September 19, 2013, 04:09:57 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 18, 2013, 11:33:00 PM
Same in NJ as well, although there are a few exceptions (several towns in LBI being the notable exceptions).
There's also a handful of permanent spanwire assemblies peppered throughout NJ. Most are quite old. But as a general rule, they are only used in temporary installations in NJ.
Monmouth County does use the span wires on permanent installations; there's a couple of places including relatively recent additions that use them.
Here it can be very fast. When FM 407 widening was nearing completion, the new mast arm signals that replaced the temporary span-wire installation went up incredibly quick. Also, there is a new signal going in very close to that at Live Oak/ FM 2499. It too went up as fast as possible.
QuoteTwo of them already have been in Kissimmee, FL on FL 535 at two intersections that had brand new mast arm signal installations that were within a few years replaced with span wires.
In Florida, which intersections on SR 535 had new mast arms replaced with span wire? Have you attempted to get an explanation for this?
535 and Polynesian Isles Boulevard is one, and the other is 535 and Poinciana Boulevard.
The first was reinstalled when Wal Mart opened up on the corner, as I am sure the reason for that being Wal Mart offered to pay for the intersection improvements and probably went El Cheapo. The other was just done after the NB 535 signal head was removed for some reason and replaced with a temporary span wire assembly. I am guessing someone complained about the signals being mismatched, and the County (who owns the signal) decided to do something about it and also went the most cost effective way about it.
BTW, FDOT does not maintain signals in Florida. All traffic signals are either municipally or county operated, so that is why the many designs.