New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
NEW TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION ON THE USE
OF VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
1
NEW TECHNICAL
INSTRUCTION ON THE USE
OF VARIABLE MESSAGE
SIGNS
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
In the scope of National Strategy for
Road Safety (2008 – 2015
2015),
), the
Portuguese National Road Safety
Authority (NRSA) has developed a
document intended to prepare the
future systematization of use of
Variable Message Signing
Signing..
This document was analyzed, on
behalf of NRSA, from the point of
view of road signing, and the
following report was made
made::
“Proposal for Systematization of use
of Variable Message Signs”
Signs”..
2
NEW TECHNICAL
INSTRUCTION ON THE USE
OF VARIABLE MESSAGE
SIGNS
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
With the report a proposal was
made for a “Technical Instruction
on the use of Variable Message
Signs” (TIVMS) so that it could
become the standard for VMS in
Portugal..
Portugal
The scope of this paper is to
describe, not the final document
which is still under discussion, but
just the proposed TIVMS, as
completed in March 2009
2009..
3
1. INTRODUCTION
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
A9 – CLOSED
Junction A9/A16-Pontinha
USE ALTERNATIVES
FOG
DRIVE
CAREFFULY
LISBON CITY HALL
There is a real need to standardize the types of VMS, their
conditions of use, their message content as well as to
propose the inclusion of some new signs and rules in the
Portuguese Road Signs Regulation specifically for this
purpose.
4
1. INTRODUCTION
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
The intrinsic qualities of signing were warranted in the conception of
TIVMS.. All technical solutions adopted are justified in the report.
TIVMS
report.
A modular structure was adopted in order to making easier the future
updating and upgrading of the Technical Instruction
Instruction..
The chapters of TIVMS are the following
following::
1. Scope
2. Definition of Variable Message Signing
3. Characteristics of VMS
4. Criteria for use of VMS equipment and messages
5. Criteria for VMS longitudinal, lateral and vertical locations
6. Criteria for enforcement of TIVMS
Annex, with examples of messages in VMS
5
2. DEFINITION OF
VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNING
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
“Signalization transmitted through road signing
equipment that contain signs, symbols or text,
which may vary depending on the needs of the
information provided. Signs, symbols and text can
be switched on or off as required”.
6
3. CHARACTERISTICS OF VMS
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Types of equipment
Type a1 to a4 - Variable Message Signs (VMS)
The types of
equipment to use,
the dimensional and
colour features of
alphanumeric
characters, signs
and symbols are
defined.
VMS equipments
are classified
according to their
lay-out:
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
Type b - Special Light Signs (SLS)
Type c - Traffic Lights Showing Arrows (TLSA)
7
3. CHARACTERISTICS OF VMS
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Types of equipment
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
veíc alta ocupação
500 m
via direita
TRÂNSITO CORTADO
TRABALHOS
3.5 km
na berma
SAÍDA CORTADA
para A4-Matosinhos
alter. A41-Maia
8
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Types of equipment
Special Light Signs (SLS) should be used, replacing
permanent vertical signs in locations where certain
situations, as shown in the signs bellow, have higher
probability to occur
occur..
SLS might also be used for temporary speed limits, due to
traffic or weather conditions
conditions..
A11 - Snow or ice
A13 - Insufficient
visibility
A30 - Congestion
C13 - Speed limit
9
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Presentation policy
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Variable Message Signs (VMS) should display
messages only when an incident that alters traffic
or road safety conditions occurs on the road
where it is located (Tactical messages), or in
another road of the same network (Strategic
messages)..
messages)
VMS should be blank when no traffic related
messages are to be displayed
displayed.. The exception is
the display of four dots to indicate that the VMS is
working..
working
10
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Criteria for use of messages and equipments
in Variable Message Signing
Rui Silva Oliveira
RSR allows three types of messages, referring to
danger situations, to prohibitions and obligations and
to useful information.
information. The scope of use of variable
message signing is schematized in function of the
type of message, the type of equipment and the type
of action that it supports.
Type of message
Danger
warning
Regulatory
Informative
VMS
Type of equipment
SLS
TLSA
Type of action
Tactical
Strategic
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4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Types of messages
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
Danger warning messages should not be
displayed when the point or section of road they
refer to are more than 3 km away from the VMS.
VMS.
The structure of text messages associated with
these signs is:
is:
• nature of the event on the 1st line;
• distance to the event or its extension on the 2nd
line;
• recommendation or additional information on the
3rd line.
12
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Danger warning signs and message table
Sinal ou
sinais
Linha 2
Linha 1
Só se não há área para painel
adicional mod. 1a ou mod. 2 (1)
Linha 3
REDUÇÃO P/ # VIA (2)
VIATURA AVARIADA
VIATURA AVARIADA
# m (3)
#m
#m
ABRANDE
na berma
na faixa rodagem
A5
PISO MOLHADO
DERRAME
↑ # km ↑
#m
MODERE VELOCIDADE
MODERE VELOCIDADE
A10
-
#m
aberta
A11
NEVE
GELO
↑ # km ↑
MODERE VELOCIDADE
A4
↑ # km ↑
A12
A13
Rui Silva Oliveira
FUMO
NEVOEIRO
CHUVA
A16b
↑ # km ↑
ABRANDE
#m
-
A19b
identificação do animal
#m
-
A22
-
#m
-
A23
TRABALHOS MÓVEIS
OBSTÁCULO (4)
#m
↑ # km ↑
#m
na berma
ABRANDE
#m
A25
A29
LIMPA NEVES (5)
VIAT. MARCHA LENTA
DERRAME (6)
INCÊNDIO
ATENÇÃO
↑ # km ↑
↑ # km ↑
#m
↑ # km ↑
VEÍCULO EM
CONTRAMÃO
A30
-
#m
saída p/
(7)
MODERE VELOCIDADE
alter.
A31
ACIDENTE
#m
ABRANDE
13
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Types of messages
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
TRÂNSITO CORTADO
Regulatory messages transmitted by VMS
should use legal signs without any text, if possible.
possible.
The structure of the text messages is:
is:
• nothing on the 1st line, with two exceptions
shown in the table in the next slide;
• extension of the road section where the sign is
valid or the type of vehicles to which the
restriction is applied on the 2nd line;
• additional recommendation on the 3rd line.
14
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Regulatory signs and messages table
Rui Silva Oliveira
Linha 2
Linha 1
Só se não há área para
painel adicional mod. 2 ou
mod. 9
Linha 3
C1
-
-
-
C2
TRÂNSITO CORTADO
-
-
C3b
-
-
-
C3c
-
-
-
C3d
-
-
-
C3p
-
-
-
C9
-
-
-
C10
-
↑ # km ↑
-
C13
-
#t
CONTROLO DE
reduza a poluição
VELOCIDADE
C14a
-
-
-
C14b
-
#t
-
C20b
-
-
-
C20c
-
-
-
C20d
-
-
-
D1a
-
-
-
D9
-
↑ # km ↑
-
Sinal
D10
(1)
FUMO
NEVOEIRO
CHUVA
↑ # km↑
↑
seja prudente
C9
(2)
-
-
-
-
-
-
H33
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4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Types of messages
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Informative
messages
should use informative
signs, signs about road
trafficability and relevant
dangers to traffic, when
the event is more then 3
km away
away..
A set of new signs is
proposed in the TIVMS:
TIVMS:
“Signs Inherent to Variable
Message”..
Message”
16
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Types of messages
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
veíc alta ocupação
500 m
via direita
Signs should prevail in Informative messages.
messages. Brief and
unambiguous text messages might be added in Types a1
to a3 VMS
VMS.. Distance might be displayed in some cases
cases..
SAÍDA CORTADA
para A4-Matosinhos
alter. A41-Maia
Trafficability messages should be supported by signs
G,23
G,
23 to G,
G,27
27..
The structure of the text messages is:
is:
• nature of the traffic situation on the 1st line
line;;
• subsection name or side destination on the 2nd line
line;;
• recommendation or additional information on the 3rd line
line..
17
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Types of messages
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
TRABALHOS
3.5 km
na berma
Danger messages should be supported by signs G,27
G,27 to
G,31
G,
31 or by the additional sign notifying obstructed road.
road.
The structure of text messages associated with these signs
is::
is
• nature of the event on the 1st line;
line;
• distance to the event on the 2nd line;
line;
•recommendation or additional information on the 3rd line
line..
The structure of text messages for sign G,27
G,27 is a specific
one..
one
18
4. CRITERIA FOR USE OF VMS
EQUIPMENT AND MESSAGES
Informative signs and messages table
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
19
5. CRITERIA FOR VMS POSITION
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Location of VMS positioned near motorway interinterchanges (strategic system) should dist 3 km from
the exit ramp, on account of the Portuguese
informative system.
system.
J1/J2
3000 m
500m
500m
PISO MOLHADO
10 km
MODERE VELOCIDADE
E1+E2
VMS
T2
I1
I2d
20
5. CRITERIA FOR VMS POSITION
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
VMS of type a1 to a3 should be located overhead
and centred with the carriageway.
carriageway.
VMS of type a4 and c (TLSA) should be located
overhead so that each sign or traffic light is
centred with the lane it refers to
to..
SLS should be located laterally, like permanent
signs usually are
are..
21
6. CRITERIA FOR ENFORCEMENT OF
TIVMS
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
It is proposed in the TI that each road concesconcessionary should respect the recommendations in
the TIVMS and in its Annex, namely tables of
signs and messages in what concerns message
content to be displayed in VMS
VMS..
22
ANNEX
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos de Almeida Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
23
New Technical Instruction on the
use of Variable Message Signs
Carlos
Carlos
de de
Almeida
Almeida Roque
Roque
Rui Silva Oliveira
Rui Silva Oliveira
Thank you for your attention
24