Special Flashing Warning Lights for Construction, Maintenance, and Service Vehicles: Are Amber Beacons Always Enough?

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald L. Ullman
Keyword(s):  
Blue Light ◽  
San Antonio ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Fort Worth ◽  
Amber Light ◽  
Warning Light ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Color Combinations ◽  
Light Color ◽  
Traffic Behavior

Ways to improve the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT’s) current vehicle warning light policy were researched. Tasks included a survey of motorist perceptions of different warning light color combinations and also field studies of the effect of selected color combinations on traffic behavior. The motorist survey, conducted at driver licensing stations in Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, indicated that the combination of blue and amber lights implied a slightly greater sense of hazard to motorists than did the amber light alone. However, this greater sense of hazard did not necessarily translate into differences in how motorists believed they needed to respond. Field studies conducted at freeway locations in San Antonio and Houston investigated the effect of selected, alternative vehicle warning-light color combinations on vehicle speeds, lane choice, and braking activity. Researchers found significant reductions in speeds at a few sites—but not all—for the amber and blue warning light color combination when compared with speeds observed when only an amber warning light was used. In addition, the data suggested a trend toward increased brake usage for the red, amber, and blue light configuration compared with the amber-light-only configuration. There also was evidence that the amber-and-blue light configuration slightly increased the frequency of brake applications. Furthermore, the use of a law enforcement vehicle during testing resulted in significantly more brake-light activations than did a TxDOT courtesy patrol vehicle outfitted with the same warning light colors.

scholarly journals A Checklist of the Mosquito Species in 13 Counties West of San Antonio, Texas

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-124
Author(s):  
William J. Sames ◽  
Raymond F. Dunton ◽  
Bethany G. Bolling
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
San Antonio ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
County Level ◽  
Species List ◽  
Department Of State ◽  
Government Documents ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Collection Data

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to consolidate mosquito information for 13 counties west of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, and to create a species checklist for future regional studies. The resulting checklist established a baseline for local mosquito-borne disease surveillance and can serve as a resource for public health officials. The 13 counties in this region were Bandera, Edwards, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Maverick, Medina, Real, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala counties. To develop the checklist, county-level mosquito species data were extracted from 38 peer-reviewed publications and government documents, university reference collections, private collections, and the Texas Department of State Health Services' historical collection data. These data were combined with author field collections to create a comprehensive species list. Overall, 339 county-level records were documented through field studies with a total of 36 species representing 8 genera confirmed as being present in this region. An additional 14 species listed in historical surveillance records were not collected during this study.

Effectiveness of Green Warning Lights with Different Flashing Patterns for Winter Maintenance Operations

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110081
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Fakhrmoosavi ◽  
Ramin Saedi ◽  
Farish Jazlan ◽  
Ali Zockaie ◽  
Mehrnaz Ghamami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Winter Maintenance ◽  
Warning Light ◽  
Rigorous Study ◽  
Static Versus Dynamic ◽  
Color Combinations ◽  
Warning Lights ◽  
Pavement Friction

Snow removal activities are performed by roadway agencies to enhance winter mobility and safety. Slower travel speeds during these operations, combined with low visibility and reduced pavement friction, mean that safety and collision avoidance remain a persistent concern. Many studies have implemented signing and lighting technologies to improve the visibility of snowplows. Although a few studies have evaluated the use of different colors on snowplows, there is no rigorous study that evaluates the potential impacts of using green warning lights for winter maintenance operations. This study, therefore, investigates the impacts of various warning light configurations on the visibility of snowplows, with the focus on green lights. To this end, 37 warning light configurations are designed using various color combinations (green and amber), and flashing patterns (single and quad) on the back (LED), the top (beacon), or both, of snowplows. These configurations are evaluated to identify the most effective configurations. Three sets of experiments are designed and implemented: static, dynamic, and weather to evaluate the visibility effectiveness in different contexts: day versus night, clear versus snowy weather, and static versus dynamic scenarios. Human subjects are employed to conduct the experiments and the test results are evaluated using statistical analyses. The conspicuity during the day time and glare during the night time are statistically different among various configurations. In addition, adding green lights with a single flash pattern to amber warning lights improves the conspicuity, while keeping the glare at an acceptable level relative to configurations using only amber.

Developing Operational and Safety Guidelines for School Sites in Texas

2005 ◽  
Vol 1922 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-97
Author(s):  
Scott A. Cooner
Keyword(s):  
Field Studies ◽  
Advisory Panel ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
School Site ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
District Personnel ◽  
Site Access ◽  
School Sites ◽  
Site Planning ◽  
A Site

The objective of a two-year study was to recommend school site planning guidelines for transportation-related elements such as site selection, general site requirements and design, bus operations, parent drop-off and pickup zones, driveways, turn lanes, signing and marking, parking, and pedestrian and bicycle access. The research team based these guidelines on a comprehensive review of existing guidelines and the results of field studies at school sites in Texas. Examples are provided of good practices and of practices to avoid for three of the more prominent guidelines. The guidelines are focused on transportation design, operations, and safety within school sites—with a particular focus on the parent drop-off and pickup zones. A site plan review checklist based on the 21 consensus guidelines approved by the project advisory panel is provided. Texas Department of Transportation engineers, field crews, architects, and school district personnel can use this checklist to coordinate efforts and improve the safety and efficiency of school site access and traffic flow.

scholarly journals Interplay between differentially expressed enzymes contributes to light color acclimation in marineSynechococcus

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (13) ◽  
pp. 6457-6462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph E. Sanfilippo ◽  
Adam A. Nguyen ◽  
Laurence Garczarek ◽  
Jonathan A. Karty ◽  
Suman Pokhrel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blue Light ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Cysteine Residue ◽  
Covalent Attachment ◽  
Critical Feature ◽  
Light Harvesting Complexes ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Chromatic Acclimation ◽  
Light Color

MarineSynechococcus, a globally important group of cyanobacteria, thrives in various light niches in part due to its varied photosynthetic light-harvesting pigments. ManySynechococcusstrains use a process known as chromatic acclimation to optimize the ratio of two chromophores, green-light–absorbing phycoerythrobilin (PEB) and blue-light–absorbing phycourobilin (PUB), within their light-harvesting complexes. A full mechanistic understanding of howSynechococcuscells tune their PEB to PUB ratio during chromatic acclimation has not yet been obtained. Here, we show that interplay between two enzymes named MpeY and MpeZ controls differential PEB and PUB covalent attachment to the same cysteine residue. MpeY attaches PEB to the light-harvesting protein MpeA in green light, while MpeZ attaches PUB to MpeA in blue light. We demonstrate that the ratio ofmpeYtompeZmRNA determines if PEB or PUB is attached. Additionally, strains encoding only MpeY or MpeZ do not acclimate. Examination of strains ofSynechococcusisolated from across the globe indicates that the interplay between MpeY and MpeZ uncovered here is a critical feature of chromatic acclimation for marineSynechococcusworldwide.

scholarly journals County-Level Records for Culex stigmatosoma and Culex thriambus in Texas

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
William J. Sames ◽  
Eleanor O. Kirkscey ◽  
Raymond F. Dunton ◽  
Bethany G. Bolling ◽  
Alexander L. Wild
Keyword(s):  
San Antonio ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Surveillance Studies ◽  
Department Of State ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Distributional Information ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Southwestern Usa ◽  
Culex Stigmatosoma ◽  
Regional Surveillance

ABSTRACT Populations of Culex stigmatosoma and Cx. thriambus have been documented in the southwestern USA with a southward range extension to northern South America and Central America, respectively. Studies conducted in California indicate both species are potential vectors of West Nile virus. However, vector competence studies are lacking for other parts of the USA. During a multicounty regional surveillance study west of San Antonio, Texas, multiple errors were observed in the Texas distributional literature of these species. These errors involved incorrect distributional information in Texas and US publications. Evidence to correct these errant records was found upon further analysis of Texas literature and curated specimens. Therefore, the aims of this study were to present that evidence and then combine the corrected records with additional records from the Texas Department of State Health Services and from larval collections made during other Texas surveillance studies.

Effect of the Work Zone Double-Fine Law in Texas

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald L. Ullman ◽  
Paul J. Carlson ◽  
Nada D. Trout
Keyword(s):  
Public Safety ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Work Zone ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Citation Data ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Law ◽  
External Reasons

Results of research conducted to investigate the short-term effects of the double-fine law in work zones implemented in Texas on January 1, 1998, are presented. Field studies of traffic speeds in several work zones were performed before and after the law was implemented. Traffic citation data for these same work zones were also obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Analyses showed that traffic speeds in the work zones 4 to 6 months after the law was enacted were essentially unchanged from before the law was enacted. Similarly, citation frequency and fines levied were not significantly higher than they were before enactment of the law. The data suggested that a higher proportion of drivers who were issued citations after the law was implemented chose to take defensive driving training and to have the ticket subsequently dismissed. However, researchers could not determine whether this was due to the increased fine or to other external reasons.

Bicycle-Helmet Use Evaluation Using Comparison-Site Observation

1996 ◽  
Vol 1538 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95
Author(s):  
Katie N. Womack
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
San Antonio ◽  
El Paso ◽  
Fort Worth ◽  
Bicycle Helmet ◽  
Helmet Use ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Injury Control ◽  
And Control

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) conducted observational surveys of bicycle-helmet use in six cities. Three of the cities (Austin, Houston, and San Antonio) were targeted by a Texas Office of Disabilities and Prevention program to increase bicycle-helmet use among 5 to 14 year-olds. Three control cities (Fort Worth, Dallas, and El Paso) were selected. Target-city and control-city observation zones were designated using census data for school attendance zones merged with county geographic files. School attendance zones in target and control cities were matched for ethnicity and socioeconomic characteristics. Observations were conducted in succession from July through September 1994. Helmet use data was collected through mobile surveillance. Observations in school areas were made in at least two socioeconomi-cally diverse neighborhoods whenever such neighborhoods existed in an attendance zone. Observers canvassed each observation zone, traveling by car on as many public roads as possible during each observation period. Overall, 1,485 bicyclists were observed in the six study areas. In each study area the number of bicyclists observed was between 200 and 350. Helmet use ranged from 3 percent overall in San Antonio to 22 percent overall in Austin; however, a great deal of variation was observed within each city. TTI plans to monitor program effects at the observation zones with two additional survey waves. Legislation mandating helmet use in Texas was introduced in 1994, but failed. Program efforts to be undertaken by the Texas Injury Control and Prevention office are planned for 1995 and 1996.

Field Evaluation of Automated Flagger Assistance Devices in Work Zones on Two-Lane Roads

2013 ◽  
Vol 2337 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa D. Finley
Keyword(s):  
Field Evaluation ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Work Zones ◽  
Right Of Way ◽  
Stop Sign ◽  
Texas Department ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Right ◽  
Violation Rate

Automated flagger assistance devices (AFADs) are designed to be operated remotely by a flagger positioned outside of the travel lanes and thus to reduce the flagger's exposure to vehicular traffic. There are two types of AFADs. One type uses a remote-controlled stop and slow sign to alternate the right-of-way; the other uses remote-controlled red and yellow lenses to alternate the right-of-way. A gate arm is required only with the latter. Although AFADs may have increased the safety of flaggers, there were concerns that motorists may have misunderstood AFADs and proceeded before it had been safe to do so. As part of a recent Texas Department of Transportation project, Texas A&M Transportation Institute researchers conducted field studies at lane closures on two-lane, two-way roadways in Texas to assess the operational and safety effectiveness of AFADs relative to the use of flaggers. The research findings show that the violation rate for the stop–slow AFAD without a gate arm is the highest and is significantly higher than the violation rate for the red–yellow lens AFAD (which requires a gate arm). Adding a gate arm to the stop–slow AFAD decreased the violation rate such that it was not significantly different from the red–yellow lens AFAD. In addition, alternative supplemental signs increased motorists' understanding that the stop sign would have changed to a slow sign when motorists were allowed to proceed. Overall, the research findings show that some motorists violate AFADs, especially when the queue of vehicles going in the same direction is visible to the stopped motorist.

scholarly journals Productivity of Laying Alabio Duck and its Eggs Quality under Exposure of Different Intensity and Color of LED Light

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-212
Author(s):  
T. Rostini ◽  
D. Biyatmoko ◽  
A. Wahdi
Keyword(s):  
Blue Light ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Egg Yolk ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
External Quality ◽  
Egg Weight ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Light Color

The purpose of this study was to analyze the different combinations of intensity and color of LED monochrome lamps for optimal productivity, as well as the internal and external quality of Alabio duck eggs. The study was carried out for 4 weeks period of raising which was devided in 2 stages. In the first stage, it was used a completely randomized factorial design of 4 light colors x 3 light intensities with 4 replications with 5 ducks of each replicate, totaling 240 laying Alabio ducks. The light color was 4 colors consisted of yellow, red, blue, and green, alongside with intensity levels of 10 lux, 15 lux, and 20 lux. The irradiation method of layer ducks was 18 hours light and 10 hours dark (18L: 10D of ahemeral method). The variables observed were laying age, egg production and the total weight of eggs, mortality, feed consumption, FCR, and income over feed cost (IOFC). In the second stage, it was selected 3 best combination treatments from the first phase. The experimental method was based on a completely randomized design, encompassing the best treatments as P1, P2, and P3, with 5 replications with 10 duck per replicate, totaling 150 laying Alabio ducks. The variables were egg internal quality, which consisted of haugh unit egg, yolk index (EYI), egg albumin index, and yolk color. The external egg quality observed were egg weight, shell thickness, shape index, and specific gravity. The results of the first phase showed the best productivity was achieved in blue color with an intensity of 15 lux on all measured variables. The results in the second stage showed the best treatment is blue light color treatment with a light intensity of 15 lux, on the internal qualities of duck eggs include HU (95.11±2.39), EYI (0.421±0.63), EAI (0.121±0.12), egg yolk color (8.36±0.31), and also the best in terms of external quality, with the highest egg weight (66.76±5.21 g). It was concluded that the combination of blue light color with an intensity of 15 lux significantly increased the egg production and performance of Alabio duck from Kalimantan.

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