Manage Traffic Flow with Portable Traffic Signals

By Scott Lai

If you think it’s unusual to see portable traffic signals in a parking garage, it is. However, portable traffic signals can be a cost-effective solution for traffic control when performing maintenance work in your parking garage.

Learn how management of an East Oahu property managed traffic flow of a one-way ramp in a multi-level parking garage that needed to be used as a two-way ramp during a resurfacing project.

THE SITUATION

Management of a multi-level parking garage planned to resurface the middle level deck. From the parking garage entrance, there are two one-way ramps: one ramp going down from the middle level to the entrance level, and a second ramp going from the entrance level to the middle level. Each ramp can only accommodate one vehicle.

During the resurfacing project, one of the ramps would be closed down, leaving the other one-way ramp open for vehicles to go up and down. Since only one vehicle can use the ramp at a time, management needed to find a way to manage traffic flow and prevent vehicular accidents.

Management considered three options:

Option 1: Rent a steady YELLOW flash beacon and position it on the middle level to alert motorists to slow down when approaching the ramp (to go down to the entrance level). In theory, this would give motorists using the ramp to go from entrance level to the middle level the right of way. However, management felt it would be very easy for motorists to ignore the YELLOW flash and proceed down the ramp, potentially causing an accident.  

Option 2: Hire two flaggers with two-way radios to direct traffic up/down the ramp, 24 hours a day. This would prevent two vehicles from attempting to use the ramp at the same time. However, the resurfacing project was expected to take up to two weeks, which would mean paying for 48 hours of labor per day (two flaggers at 24 hours each), for up to fourteen days. This option was deemed to be cost prohibitive.

 

THE SOLUTION

Option 3: Portable traffic signals can be set up and programmed and does not require someone to be there. The cost of renting the portable traffic signals was about 25% of the cost of hiring two flaggers. Also, motorists are used to adhering to your typical traffic light, RED-YELLOW-GREEN.

Two portable traffic signals were set up and synchronized. One traffic signal was setup on the entrance level next to the open ramp while the second traffic signal was setup near the upper-level ramp (leading from the third level to the middle level). When a vehicle approached one of the ramps, the signal would show GREEN while the other signal would show RED to stop any other motorists from using the ramp.   

 

The Results so far…

The setup of the two portable traffic signals has worked for management and no accidents have occurred. Once the first phase of the resurfacing project is complete and phase two is started, management plans to use the same setup but on the other ramps. 

 

Scott is an Outside Sales Representative of G P Roadway Solutions. As a former property manager, Scott now helps other property managers improve the safety of their properties and facilities. Connect with Scott on LinkedIn.

Blog Categories: Parking Lot Safety