Rapid Response Traffic Control Unit Saves Valuable Time During Traffic Emergencies
Article as it appeared in the APWA Reporter August 1998
All public officials dread the thought of emergency closures of major highways and thoroughfares within their city. The scene can quickly become a nightmare when road closures are required during peak traffic hours. The City of Sugar Land, Texas (population 60,000) has developed an innovative response to this all too-common problem. As one of the fastest-growing communities in the United States, Sugar Land's explosive growth in population has created an accompanying increase in traffic. Thus, city officials set out to streamline response to emergency road closures.
The city began by reviewing all past emergency road closures to determine if any additional measures could be taken to facilitate the rerouting of traffic and reopening of closed roadways. The objective of the study was to evaluate each step of the city's procedures and identify any areas that cause delays.
Delivery of emergency traffic control devices was problem
One problem the study identified was the delivery of proper traffic control devices to the scene of an accident. As with most cities, in emergency situations, Sugar Land relied on existing traffic control devices utilized by public works maintenance and repair crews. When emergency requests for traffic control devices were received, public works employees had to rummage through the available equipment at the service center to try to locate appropriate devices. When they were fortunate enough to find what was needed, they then had to physically load the devices into a truck and/or trailer and deliver them to the scene. This activity alone could consume an hour or more of valuable time.
Tommy Haynes, Public Works Director, said, "When emergency road closures are needed, rapid response is critical both for public safety and to minimize traffic congestion and delays. We learned that the delivery of appropriate traffic control devices was a bottleneck in our response and looked for a new approach."
To alleviate the problem, public works employees designed and fabricated a custom-built Rapid Response Traffic Control Unit. The unit was built on a 16-foot bumper pull extra wide trailer which is designated for emergency use only and can be dispatched to the scene of an incident within minutes. In addition to traffic-related incidents, it is available for any emergency which may require use of the devices. As a first response unit, the trailer is equipped with a variety of traffic control devices, including:
To ensure maximum visibility, all devices were constructed with 3-M diamond grade reflective sheeting. This material has a reflectivity of 800 candlepower and provides the highest quality traffic control devices for public and employee safety. Utilization of the traffic control unit will be incorporated into Sugar Land's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for incidents on major thoroughfares.
"As far as we know, our Rapid Response Unit is one-of-a-kind," Haynes added. "It will be instrumental in minimizing traffic delays and providing clearly-marked detour routes around emergencies. Proper planning and clearly-defined procedures are critical, but we must also ensure that necessary resources are available in times of need."
For additional information about the Rapid Response Traffic Control Unit, contact the Sugar Land Public Works Department at 281-275-2450.
A Model Program
In 1997, the City of Sugar Land developed a unique program which has become a national model for speeding up response to traffic emergencies. Since the following article appeared in a national trade magazine produced by the American Public Works Association, the Sugar Land Public Works Department has received inquiries from more than a dozen states and foreign countries.