2012 NTPEP Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Indiana

1. 2012 NTPEP Annual MeetingIndianapolis, Indiana Portable Changeable Message Signs and Flashing Arrow Panels Technical Committee

2. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting Agenda • Meeting Minutes • Testing Status • FAP Testing Requirements • Usage Guide • NC Specifications • Industry Concerns

3. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Minutes of 2011 Meeting – San Antonio, TX • Decision • The ePEF submission cycle and Product Delivery deadline was changed. * Will discuss later in the presentation

4. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Minutes of 2010 Meeting – Orlando, FL • Action Items • 2) Tennessee was going to look into the feasibility of testing truck mounted PCMS and FAP’s

5. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Minutes of 2010 Meeting – Orlando, FL • Decision • Start to incorporate a ranking system for each sign submitted. The manufacturer would have to rank each of the signs they submit as 1, 2, 3, etc.. With 1 being the most important. • If we get more than eight signs submitted we will have to limit the number submitted per manufacturer to their most important.

6. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Minutes from Conference Calls • August 12, 2011 • To Discuss site test protocol with IN DOT • March 14, 2012 • Update on 2012 testing

7. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting ePEF submission cycle; product delivery • Decisions from 2011 Meeting - ePEF submission cycle was set to open in November 2011. - ePEF submission cycle closed the first week of January 2012. - There was a two-week window to deliver the products to the NCDOT Test Deck.

8. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Testing Status • Testing Began on January 17th • North Carolina received a total of 1 sign for the 2012 test cycle. • 1 FAP

9. January 17th February 17th March 19th March 28th March 28th Performance Testing Shutdown Testing Down Time Sight Testing 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Testing Timeline

10. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Due to the earlier submittal deadline • Performance and Shutdown testing was completed a month earlier than normal. • The batteries were subjected to colder weather and less solar charging time due to shorter daylight hours. (Wanted a Worst Case Scenario) • Sight testing was completed three months earlier than normal.

11. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • FAP Testing Requirements • Feedback from other States after 2011 annual meeting • The reason NTPEP data was not being used was because FAP sight test location was 4800’ versus 5280’ as stated in MUTCD

12. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • FAP Testing Requirements • Originally due to the length of the runway we were limited to 4800’ • In 2011 due to FAA requirements the tree line on both side of the runway needed to be cut back • The length of the runway plus additional field now measures one mile

13. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Sight Testing (Wilson Industrial Air Center)

14. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Sight Testing (Wilson Industrial Air Center)

15. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Angularity Testing

16. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • Usage Guide Basically these documents are intended to provide the end user a guide for conservative use of the data that is generated through the testing program. - A guide was created for both the PCMS and FAP

17. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • NC Specifications • Flashing Arrow Boards • Portable Changeable Message Signs

18. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (A) General Provide a trailer mounted arrow board that meets or exceeds the physical and operational requirements of the MUTCDand which has been evaluated by NTPEP. The following specifications supplement those basic requirements. Provide a totally mobile complete unit capable of being located as traffic conditions demand. The display housing shall meet the minimum size requirements of a Type C panel with a 15 or 25 lamp configuration. The display housing shall have a hand-crank mechanism to allow raising and lowering the display with a locking device to ensure the display housing will remain secured in either position. The display housing will have a minimum height of 7 ft from the bottom of the sign to the ground when raised in the upright position. The display housing assembly shall be of weather resistant construction. The lamps shall be controlled to provide the following modes as a minimum: Flashing Right or Left Arrow, Flashing Double Arrow and Caution Mode (4 outermost corner 11 lamps)

19. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (B) Power System Provide a unit that is solar powered and supplemented with a battery backup system that includes a 110/120 VAC powered on-board charging system. The unit shall also be capable of being powered by standard 110/120 VAC power source. The batteries, when fully charged, shall be capable of powering the display for 20 continuous days with no solar power. Store the battery bank and charging system in a lockable, weather and vandal resistant box.

20. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (C) Controller Provide an automatic brightness/dimming of the display and a manual override dimming switch. The controller shall provide a battery-charge status indicator. Mobile radio or any other radio transmissions shall not affect the controller. Store the controller in a lockable, weather and vandal resistant box.

21. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (D) Trailer Finish all exterior metal surfaces with Federal orange enamel per Federal Standard 595a, color chip ID# 13538 or 12473 respectively. The trailer shall be able to support a 100 mph wind load with the display fully extended. The trailer shall be equipped with leveling jacks capable of stabilizing the unit in a horizontal position when located on slopes 6:1 or flatter. The trailer shall be properly equipped in compliance with North Carolina Law governing motor vehicles. Provide a minimum 4" wide strip of fluorescent orange retroreflective sheeting to the frame of the trailer. Apply the sheeting to all sides of the trailer. The sheeting shall meet the requirements of Section 1088-1. Drums may be supplemented around the unit in place of the sheeting.

22. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (E) Reliability Provide a sign unit that all components are rated to operate at temperatures ranging from 40 -30°F to 165°F. The sign manufacturer shall notify the Work Zone Traffic Control Unit whenever modifications are made to a prequalified sign on the NCDOT Approved Products List. The Work Zone Traffic Control Unit will review changes and per its discretion either make no change to the sign’s status or remove it from the list until the sign can be reevaluated.

23. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (F) Material Certification Furnish a Type 3 material certification in accordance with Article 106-3 for all new flashing arrow boards, a Type 7 material certification for all used flashing arrow boards, and wind load certifications required in Subarticle 1089-6(D) for all new and used flashing arrow boards before use.

24. Flashing Arrow Boards • 1089-6 • (G) Approval The sign shall be on the NCDOT Approved Products List before use on construction projects in North Carolina. A sign may be removed from the NCDOT Approved Products List due to unsatisfactory field performance and shall not return to the list until the manufacturer identifies the reason for the failure and the problem has been corrected to the satisfaction of the Department. The sign manufacturer shall notify the Department whenever modifications are made to their sign that was prequalified on the NCDOT Approved Products List. The Department will review changes and per its discretion, either make no change to the sign’s status on the NCDOT Approved Products List or remove the sign from the list until the sign can be reevaluated.

25. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (A) General Provide trailer mounted portable changeable message signs that meet MUTCDand have been evaluated by NTPEP. Provide a totally mobile complete sign unit capable of being located as traffic conditions demand.

26. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (B) Display Panel Provide 3 lines of a programmable message with at least 8 characters per line and a character height of at least 18". The display characters will be composed of LED elements. The display panel may be of the following types- Full Matrix, Continuous Line Matrix, and Character Matrix. Messages are to be automatically centered and proportionally spaced on each line of a Full Matrix and Continuous Line Matrix displays. Character Matrix displays shall display odd number character messages one character left of the centerline. The display characters shall be protected with a polycarbonate lens that shall not decrease the daytime visibility of the sign. The display panel shall have an electro-hydraulic system to allow raising and lowering the display with 360° rotation capability. A locking device(s) shall be provided to ensure the display will remain secure in the raised, lowered and rotated positions. The sign shall have the capability to be raised and rotated to its operating position by one person. The display panel assembly shall be of weather resistant construction

27. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (C) Power System The unit shall be Solar powered and supplemented with a battery backup system which includes a 110/120 VAC powered on-board charging system. The batteries, when fully charged, shall be capable 1 of powering the display for 20 continuous days with no solar power. The unit shall be capable of being powered by standard 110/120 VAC power source. Store the battery bank and charging system in a lockable, weather and vandal resistant box.

28. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (D) Controller The controller shall provide at a minimum; a keyboard, a display for message review and editing, a light source for nighttime operations, an event time clock and all other required controls for the operation of the display. Access to controller operations shall have the capability to be password protected. The controller shall include the following capabilities; manually dimming the display, storing at least 99 user generated messages, adjusting the flash rate of display and display phasing and monitoring battery-charge status. Mobile radio or any other radio transmissions shall not affect the controller. The controller shall be stored in a lockable, weather and vandal resistant box.

29. Portable Changeable Message Signs • (D) Controller - continued The controller shall be pre-programmed with messages shown below and stored in memory: MAX SAFE SPEED 25 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 30 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 35 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 40 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 45 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 50 MPH MAX SAFE SPEED 55 MPH STOP AHEAD YIELD AHEAD ONE LANE BRIDGE SURVEY CREW DETOUR AHEAD CAUTION DETOUR AHEAD LANE CLOSED AHEAD RIGHT LANE CLOSED LEFT LANE CLOSED CENTER LANE CLOSED SINGLE LANE AHEAD MERGE LEFT MERGE RIGHT KEEP LEFT KEEP RIGHT PASS LEFT PASS RIGHT USE LEFT LANE USE RIGHT LANE MERGE AHEAD ROAD MACHINES AHEAD ROAD WORK AHEAD FLAGGER AHEAD BUMP DIP BE PREPARED TO STOP SIGNAL AHEAD SIGNAL NOT WORKING DO NOT PASS ONE LANE BRIDGE SURVEY CREW SHOULDER WORK SOFT SHOULDER PAVEMENT ENDS LANE ENDS ROAD CLOSED 1/4 MILE ROAD CLOSED 1/2 MILE ALL TRAFFIC EXIT LEFT ALL TRAFFIC EXIT RIGHT ROAD NARROWS ROAD CLOSED AHEAD RAMP CLOSED REDUCE SPEED ROAD PAVING AHEAD ALL TRAFFIC MUST STOP SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC NIGHT WORK AHEAD CAUTION FLAGGER AHEAD RUNAWAY TRUCK RAMP MEDIAN WORK AHEAD LEFT LANE NARROWS RIGHT LANE NARROWS

30. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (E) Trailer Finish all exterior metal surfaces with Federal orange enamel per Federal Standard 595a; color chip ID# 13538 or 2473 respectively except for the sign face assembly that shall be flat black. Provide a minimum 4" wide strip of fluorescent orange retroreflective sheeting to the frame of the trailer. Apply the sheeting to all sides of the trailer. The sheeting shall meet Article 1088-1. Drums may be supplemented around the unit in place of the sheeting. The trailer shall be able to support a 100 mph wind load with the display fully extended. The trailer shall be equipped with leveling jacks capable of stabilizing the unit in a horizontal position when located on slopes 6:1 or flatter. The trailer shall be properly equipped in compliance with North Carolina Law governing motor vehicles.

31. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (F) Reliability Provide a sign unit that all components are rated to operate at temperatures ranging from 15 -30°F to 165°F.

32. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (G) Material Certification Furnish a Type 3 material certification in accordance with Article 106-3 for all new changeable message signs, a Type 7 material certification for all used changeable message signs and wind load certifications required in Subarticle1089-7(E) for all new and used changeable message signs before use.

33. Portable Changeable Message Signs • 1089-7 • (H) Approval The sign shall be on the NCDOT Approved Products List before use on construction projects in North Carolina. A sign may be removed from the NCDOT Approved Products List due to unsatisfactory field performance and shall not return to the list until the manufacturer identifies the reason for the failure and the problem has been corrected to the satisfaction of the NCDOT. The sign manufacturer shall notify NCDOT whenever modifications are made to their sign that was prequalified on the NCDOT Approved Products List. The Department will review changes and per its discretion either make no change to the sign’s status on the NCDOT Approved Products List or removed the sign from the list until the sign can be reevaluated.

34. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting • State & Industry Concerns

35. 2012 PCMS & FAP Meeting Thank You !