Changeable Message Sign Text

[AsphaltPlanet]

What do your areas changeable message signs read when not advising motorists of congestion or accidents?


While I appreciate the sentiment of this message, it has been my experience in Toronto that the left lane is generally reserved for sitting in traffic, much like any other lane.

[agentsteel53]

useless crap.  "don't drink and drive", "slow for the cone zone", "if you see something, say something" - moralistic nanny-state horse wastes.

I wish they'd leave them off.  that way, they save power - and, when they are turned on, people will notice them.

[kphoger]

They only recently installed these in Wichita.  At first, during their 'dormant' phases, they displayed cute sayings like 'Click it or ticket'.  Now they usually just sit there dark and quiet.

L.A. Story, anyone?

[DaBigE]

As they grow the data collection infrastructure, WisDOT's display travel times for various segments.  CMS's in areas without measuring equipment are left turned off.  Occasionally, they will post 'Ozone Action Days'.  All of the messages can be found in real-time on WisDOT's 511 page: http://www.511wi.gov/Web/map.aspx?region=statewide

[6a]

Ours pretty much always gives travel times, with a little variation depending on the location:

Code Select Expand


     MINUTES TO:
I-71     11 MI    11
I-71 ON I-670     11

sometimes it's the time to and through town

Code Select Expand


      MINUTES TO:
I-70     8 MI      8
1-270   21 MI     21

or just times to a main junction in popular directions

Code Select Expand


     MINUTES TO:
I-71 ON I-70 W      8
1-670 ON I-270 N   11

[txstateends]

TxDOT's Dallas and Fort Worth districts have a real-time map of VMS locations; when you pass your pointer over one of them, it tells you instantly what it's saying at the time (traffic issues, construction activity, travel times, amber & silver alerts).
http://dfwtraffic.dot.state.tx.us/#map.create%2832.7907379828099%2C-97.01065063476562%2C10%29%3BsetTimeout%28function%28%29%7Bmap.showDmsIcons%28tmcs%5B%2701%27%5D%29%3Bmap.showDmsIcons%28tmcs%5B%27FTW%27%5D%29%3B%7D%2C2000%29%3B

The Amarillo district has their VMS signs online also
http://its.txdot.gov/ITS_WEB/FrontEnd/default.html?r=AMA&p=Amarillo&t=map

[Alex]

The Amarillo district has their VMS signs online also
http://its.txdot.gov/ITS_WEB/FrontEnd/default.html?r=AMA&p=Amarillo&t=map

Noted the one this week on IH 27 southbound ahead of Exit 117 with "30 day sign test" and then every letter of the alphabet and numbers 0-9. Click the VMS icon and you can see for yourself.

[Alps]

They're supposed to sit there dark and quiet unless they have something to say. NJDOT does a pretty good job with that. Obviously, you need to occasionally remind people the signs are there in case they do have something to say. I think that's where "silver alerts" come from.

[Alex]

The ones in Missouri that did not display travel times instead showed messages such as "Give Big Rigs Enough Space" and "Watch for Motorcycles" toggled with "MODOT Cares". The ones in Oklahoma followed suit with "Watch for Motorcycles" but not with the Cares part.

[Scott5114]

Well, neither OTA nor ODOT care. You can tell from the quality of their work.

[jcarte29]

North Carolina keeps a majority of theirs off, every once in a while around the metro areas of Winston/Greensboro, Raleigh/Durham, and Charlotte I am starting to see travel times pop up on some, others give alternative routes for accidents up ahead...

A waste of money unless they have intentions of using them full time eventually...

[blawp]

http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ and see for yourself. Try it on a Sunday (today). Since it's motorcycle safety month, a lot of them say "SHARE THE ROAD / LOOK TWICE FOR MOTORCYCLISTS"

[Lyle]

What do your areas changeable message signs read when not advising motorists of congestion or accidents?

In Long Island, NY, the changeable message signs say "TRAFFIC MOVING WELL TO EXIT __". I always thought that was an excellent use of them.

In many parts of Florida, they give the distances and times to particular upcoming exits. Another very good use of them.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

I'll change it up a bit and show this broken VMS along 101:

[Darkchylde]

The ones on I-12 at the US 190 exit don't say anything when not in use... not sure if they power them off on purpose, or if the damned things are broken already.

[Alps]

The ones on I-12 at the US 190 exit don't say anything when not in use... not sure if they power them off on purpose, or if the damned things are broken already.

Not supposed to say anything if there are no messages to display.

[sp_redelectric]

In Portland, Oregon I've seen VMSes just display a single flashing period...or sometimes the period on one line will alternate with a period on the next line.  As if to display SOMETHING to prove the signs work...

We don't do the "travel time to..." message, because by the time you come up on a sign - you don't have much of a good alternative.  There's only one sign (Wilsonville, I-5 NB) where such a sign could be useful to indicate the travel time to I-84, or to Exit 9 (in Washington State).

[mcdonaat]

The ones in Baton Rouge, at least on my commute in, always say the travel time. You know you're screwed when it says "10E to Essen: 5 MI, 45 MIN" or something of the sort. They come in handy, especially when they're always turned on, with traffic times always posted.

[PurdueBill]

Ours pretty much always gives travel times, with a little variation depending on the location:

Code Select Expand


     MINUTES TO:
I-71     11 MI    11
I-71 ON I-670     11

sometimes it's the time to and through town

Code Select Expand


      MINUTES TO:
I-70     8 MI      8
1-270   21 MI     21

or just times to a main junction in popular directions

Code Select Expand


     MINUTES TO:
I-71 ON I-70 W      8
1-670 ON I-270 N   11

This web site offers current views of all the VMSs in Ohio run by ODOT.  One needs to select "Dynamic Message Signs" and click "Update Map" to show them.  There are also options to view cameras and see scripts for the various advisory radio stations, which usually give info similar to that on the VMSs but possibly more.

[Compulov]

They're supposed to sit there dark and quiet unless they have something to say. NJDOT does a pretty good job with that. Obviously, you need to occasionally remind people the signs are there in case they do have something to say. I think that's where "silver alerts" come from.

I've notice that NJ's been more agressive at finding things (anything) to put on their VMS(seseses) over the last few months. Of course there's always my favorite on Route 1 southbound by Nassau Park on my way home from work every night

HEAVY VOLUME

NEXT 2 MILES

Given the history of that piece of road, I think it should read

HEAVY VOLUME
NEXT 2 MILES
DUUUUH!

They've also been putting up public service announcements (DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, CLICK IT OR TICKET, and so on). I've also noticed they've been a lot more proactive about updating them when there's really bad conditions on 95 or 295. I just wish they did more Travel Time notifications like PennDOT does.

In the areas where PennDOT has ITS (at least US 1 and I-95 through Bucks County) they show Travel Times if the traffic count is high enough. Otherwise they're blank, save for a small dot in the lower right corner; I'm assuming that's sort of a visual confirmation that the sign is powered on and/or connected to the network. Sometimes they show the usual helpful messages CLICK IT OR TICKET, KEEP RIGHT PASS LEFT, and so on). Honestly, if you are stupid enough to not wear a seatbelt in this day and age, then you really do deserve to die by flying through (or into) your windshield. PennDOT has also been very good about posting incidents to the VMS in almost realtime. Between warnings of delays and hints from increased travel time displays, I'd say they've saved me from a good half-dozen traffic snarls since they've implemented ITS in the area.

[NJRoadfan]

NJDOT has travel times displayed along the NJ-24 and I-78 corridors. They are adding it as they do ITS upgrades along their highways that include real time speed sensors. I think the southern section of I-287 has it now too after the big resurfacing project they did.