AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: jrouse on March 21, 2016, 10:01:47 AM

Title: Article on DFW area toll road signing
Post by: jrouse on March 21, 2016, 10:01:47 AM
Interesting article about how people are confused over the access to the "Texpress lanes" versus non-toll lanes on I-820 in Fort Worth and the new Chisolm Trail Parkway toll road.  It includes several photos of trailblazer signing for both facilities.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/your-commute/article67084867.html

My thoughts:
I can see how the trailblazers for the express lanes is a bit confusing.  I'm not sure what the best fix is for that.  I think the MUTCD tries to address this with the use of the TOLL plaque, but how do you address the non-toll lanes? 

The Chisolm Trail Parkway trailblazers have a big "TOLL" message on the bottom so I'm not sure how one can miss that.  Perhaps NTTA could improve things by eliminating the "TOLL" message off of the trailblazer itself and put the TOLL plaque above it.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Article on DFW area toll road signing
Post by: colinstu on March 21, 2016, 05:40:09 PM
Don't know what that lady is yacking on about. The comments on that article seem to agree -- don't really see what the problems are.

Distracted drivers as clueless as ever.
Title: Re: Article on DFW area toll road signing
Post by: Brian556 on March 21, 2016, 07:16:53 PM
I saw a news report on an entrance ramp to I-820 near US 377 that is confusing people. The signage is indeed deficient in my opinion. The problem at this location is that the way to the tolled lanes is signed, but the way to the free lanes is not signed, which is very confusing.
Title: Re: Article on DFW area toll road signing
Post by: Revive 755 on March 21, 2016, 10:36:06 PM
I'm not sure the sign choices are the best - using 'Express' without any mention of a toll makes me think of non-tolled express lanes, such as the reversible lanes on I-70 in St. Louis (signed as I-70 express) or the express lanes on I-90/I-94 south of the Chicago Loop.  Looking on streetview for the US 377/I-820 area, (https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8390927,-97.2636406,3a,75y,83.23h,84.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sckgAQoH0YpniqzH-iD3heQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en) it appears a case could be made for overhead signing before the fork in the entrance ramp- there does not appear to be much more than one painted word on in the left lane before it leaves for the express lanes.