The Challenge
California’s Express Lane Systems help motorists get to their destination with quick, simple, and predictable travel. They also provide flexible payment options to vehicles using them that don’t meet High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) requirements. However, traffic authorities allow HOVs to use the Express Lanes — bypassing the congestion of the all-purpose lanes — without charge. This means law enforcement officers need a way to monitor each vehicle’s toll transponder tag settings accurately, ensuring they meet HOV rules (two or more occupancy). Accurately determining and displaying the validity of each vehicle’s transponder tag settings must be accomplished in real-time as the vehicle passes under the toll zone infrastructure.
The Solution
To give California Traffic Authorities the visual cues needed to enforce HOV lane requirements, TransCore — the leading integrator for Express Lane Systems that implements tolling infrastructure in existing HOV lanes — worked with Signal-Tech — the leading LED sign manufacturer for traffic and transportation applications — to develop LED, HOV lane signs to work in concert with TransCore’s RFID solutions for tolling. Initial conversations between TransCore and Signal-Tech quickly revealed that Signal-Tech’s 24” x 20” LED Numeric Beacon would be the ideal product for displaying transponder tag data in toll zones in real-time.
The HOV lane signs were installed on, or nearby, toll gantries so enforcement officers could see the setting of each vehicle’s tag transponder as they pass through. These LED numeric beacons feature a double face (front and back), so data can be shown upstream or downstream from the toll zone and feature the numerals “1,” “2,” or “3” on the display, depending on the transponder tag’s setting.
The message is created by visible LEDs on the sign’s two black faces, illuminating the message when turned on and blanking out when off. The HOV lane signs have a built-in light sensor to counteract changing light conditions and improve the signs’ readability, automatically adjusting the LED’s intensity. This makes it easy for enforcement officers to monitor each vehicle’s transponder tag settings in low-light, full sunlight, and nighttime conditions while parked safely away from the toll gantry. As an added safety feature, the signs’ messages are displayed for a user-configurable time, typically 250 milliseconds. This ensures the message can be read by traffic authorities and is not a distraction for passing motorists.
The Results
Implementing Signal-Tech’s LED HOV lane signs proved to be a tremendous success in improving the monitoring and enforcement of HOV lane occupancy rules in California’s Express Lanes’ tolling gantries. “The previous light beacons used for our California Express Lane Projects only flashed a single color, not displaying a numeric value, so a true occupancy setting of ‘1,’ ‘2,’ or ‘3’ could not be obtained in the past. The color that flashed would show the transponder tag was not set to single occupancy,” said Travis White, Associate Vice President at TransCore. “Using Signal Tech’s solution provided the ability to see the exact occupancy setting of the transponder tag, providing our customers (traffic authorities) additional flexibility in their ability to monitor and enforce both HOV2+ rules and HOV3+ rules. This flexibility provided added value to our Express Lane Project customers has been very well received, and we plan to continue to implement Signal-Tech’s LED numeric beacons on our new Express Lane Projects moving forward.”
About TransCore
For more than 80 years, TransCore has led the industry in delivering innovative products and services to transportation departments and agencies across the globe. Our mission is to provide engineering solutions for safer, more reliable travel on our roads, bridges, tunnels, and highways.
From the start, our focus has been solely on transportation. In 1939, we provided radio communications for one of Pennsylvania’s first toll roads. Today, we’re developing the nation’s largest express lanes, creating smarter traffic systems, and managing highly anticipated vehicle-to-vehicle programs. Learn more about us by visiting transcore.com.
About Signal-Tech
Signal-Tech is the leading LED sign company that manufactures, markets, and sells high-quality LED directional signs. We use the latest, most reliable technology and the highest quality components on the market to manufacture our products and always exceed customer expectations. We create products for both indoor and outdoor applications in the financial, parking, transportation, medical, and industrial and institutional industries.
Every Signal-Tech product is designed, engineered, assembled, and tested at our facility in Erie, PA. We utilize cutting-edge technology and processes to engineer and assemble our LED signs that feature the highest-quality domestic and imported components. Learn more about us by visiting signal-tech.com.
