Highway & Network Management

Accurate weather detection in tough environments

July 30, 2019

Biral’s VPF-730 unit is designed for effective weather detection in areas of maximum corrosion risk. It is suitable for installation on coastal highways or on bridges crossing tidal estuaries for example. The firm claims that the unit provides accurate visibility and present weather measurement and suits use in many tough installations due to its efficiency, reliability and performance. The sensor is a compact and robust package with an exceptionally long service life of 15 years or more. It suits use i

Aim to make the right decisions with good asset management

July 30, 2019

Poor asset management will often lead to “wrong decisions regarding replacements and improvements” or “uncertainty in decision-making”, according to recent research. The result - 28% - is from a poll of 400 members of the UK-based global Institute of Asset Management (AIM) commissioned by technology company Yotta. A further 26% highlighted “improper financial decision-making criteria for investment decisions and maintenance” as a major consequence of poor asset management. The research also indicat

Speed limiters will limit fatalities, says the TRL

July 29, 2019

The soon-to-be mandatory speed limiters on vehicles in the European Union will make all safety other features more efficient, according the UK-based Transport Research Laboratory. In March the European Parliament passed a law that safety features such as intelligent speed assistance and advanced emergency-braking system must be installed in new vehicles from May 2022. They form part of the EU’s new suite of safety measures. TRL, which provided input for the European Commission regarding the formulatio

California turns towards a Texas solution for u-turn design

July 24, 2019

The first so-called Texas U-Turn in the US state of California has opened as part of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement project at Long Beach. The design enables trucks and other vehicles to make a safe and free-flowing U-turn at the west end of the project at the port access undercrossing, a second tunnel near the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and State Route 47 (SR-47) on Terminal Island. The Texas U-turn - named because it is a common feature at intersections in the state of Texas - enables ve

Reducing road pollution around major routes

July 22, 2019

The UK firm Amey Consulting is working on two innovative projects utilising smart technology to improve air quality around major A roads and motorways.

Swarco and SRL team up in a deal for VMS units

July 3, 2019

UK-based SRL Traffic Systems has purchased 100 mobile variable message signs from Swarco under an agreement to boost the fleet to 500 rental units. The value of the deal at around US$2.9 million is a significant development for the UK market, said Swarco. SRL is also a manufacturer of portable and temporary traffic lights. The solar-powered signs are equipped with energy efficient LEDs capable of displaying full-colour text and images with no restrictions. SRL will be managing the signs via Swarco’s in

Warning for lightning strikes

July 3, 2019

Meteorological specialist, Biral, is introducing its new BTD-200 Lightning Warning System. This system is said to be a complete detection and warning package, which has been developed from the Biral range of professional aviation grade lightning detection systems. It can detect reliably the local presence of all forms of lightning out to a range of 35km from the sensor. Designed to be installed and set up by non-technical staff, it comes with a power supply and the essential PC application ‘Lightnin

Netherlands considering new tolling system

June 28, 2019

The Netherlands is evaluating new options for road tolling across the country’s network. A national road pricing scheme could be introduced from 2026, which would see road users being charged by the distance they travel. There is widespread recognition that the existing method, of using fuel taxation to pay for road works, is unsustainable as the EV fleet grows. Three options are being analysed. One would see drivers of electric vehicles being charged/km, while internal combustion engine vehicles would cont

Norway tops European Traffic Safety Council safety table again

June 25, 2019

For the fourth consecutive year, Norway has topped traffic safety in the Europe Union as reported by the European Traffic Safety Council (ETSC). In 2018, the number of persons killed on Norwegian roads was 20 per million inhabitants. Next lowest was Switzerland with 27 per million inhabitants, followed by the UK with 30. Romania was the worst country with 96 killed per million inhabitants, followed by Bulgaria with 87 and Serbia with 78. The EU average was 49. Norway had 108 persons were killed in

Norway considers speed limit hike to 120kph for some motorways

June 21, 2019

Raising the motorway speed limit in Norway to 120kph could mean four deaths annually, according to research by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen). It could also cost up to €504 million to build or upgrade 460km of motorways to withstand the wear and tear caused by having a 120kph limit. State Secretary Tommy Skjervold said that the government will analyse the research before making a final decision about raising or not the speed limit on some motorways. Norway has some of