Annual Hurricane Planning & Recovery Meeting – July 14, 2014

Broward County Traffic Engineering Division in Cooperation with our

Municipal and Agency Partners

Municipal Pre-Event Traffic Sign Distribution

STOP, RIGHT TURN ONLY, and NO LEFT TURN signs were previously distributed to local municipalities on a one-time basis for:

• Inoperative signals during a declared disaster • In accordance with MOT plans (next slides)

Signs are not to be used for any other conditions, including unsignalized locations.

Maintenance of Traffic Plans Major – Major “All-Way Stop”

DARK INTERSECTION FOR: ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL

Maintenance of Traffic Plans Major – Minor “Sidestreet Stop Control”

DARK INTERSECTION FOR: Sidestreet STOP CONTROL with Law Enforcement Present

Traffic Control Sign Safety Inspections Damage Reports from Agencies

should Include:

• Name & contact info of person reporting • Location of damage • Description of Damage (be Specific) • Type of sign • Indicate any immediate threat to life safety • Contact: TRAFFIC@broward.org

Traffic Control Sign Damage Priorities Highest Priorities:

• STOP Signs • YIELD SIGNS • Dangerous Conditions:

– Leaning in roadway/sidewalk – Sign stubs sticking out of ground

Traffic Control Sign Damage Priorities Mid-Level Priorities:

• School Signs • Warning Signs • Regulatory Signs • Street Name Signs

Traffic Control Sign Damage Priorities Low-Level Priorities:

• Parking Regulation Signs • Guide Signs • General Information Signs

Damage Assessment Damage Reports will be collected in

FastTrac, the Division’s electronic work order system

• Signal status reports in real time • Elimination of duplicate work orders

Damage Assessment (Cont’d) • Signal damage assessment organized into pre-

established routes.

• Priorities established based on geographic areas sustaining the most damage.

• Sign damage teams will follow signal assessment teams based on need.

• Municipalities can assist in damage assessment; contact Andrew Sebo at asebo@broward.org

Traffic Signal Generator Availability • Broward County will not be providing generators –

County signal crews will be focused on life-safety conditions and emergency repairs.

• FDOT has pre-event emergency contract for generator installation – contract will be used primarily for critical intersections on the State System.

• The above does not preclude the possibility of additional resource request to State EOC.

Generator Hook-Up Procedures

• Procedures are outlined in generator hook-up policy.

• Generator hook-up will only be allowed to signal with generator transfer switches (refer to listing).

Generator Hook-Up Procedures (Cont’d)

• Signal technicians will “Green Tag” intersections cleared for generator operation by FDOT or municipal generator forces.

• Municipalities should review transfer switch intersection listing and monitor status after storm.

Municipal Use of Portable Signals • Municipalities accept all traffic control

operation responsibility and liability when using Temporary Traffic Control Signals.

• Municipalities should review Section 4D.32 and 6F.84 Temporary and Portable Traffic Control Signals of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part4/part4d.htm#section4D32

Municipal Use of Portable Signals (Cont’d)

Standard: 02 Advance signing shall be used when employing a temporary traffic

control signal. 03 A temporary traffic control signal shall:

A. Meet the physical display and operational requirements of a conventional traffic control signal.

B. Be removed when no longer needed. C. Be placed in the flashing mode when not being used if it will be

operated in the steady mode within 5 working days; otherwise, it shall be removed.

D. Be placed in the flashing mode during periods when it is not desirable to operate the signal, or the signal heads shall be covered, turned, or taken down to indicate that the signal is not in operation.

Guidance: 04 A temporary traffic control signal should be used only if engineering

judgment indicates that installing the signal will improve the overall safety and/or operation of the location.

Municipal Use of Portable Signals (Cont’d)

• FDOT has three portable signals certified on its Approved Product Listing for Work Zones.

http://www3.dot.state.fl.us/trafficcontrolproducts/Default.aspx

Red-Red vs. Red-Yellow Flash • Traffic signals automatically go to flashing mode

when a problem is detected by its electronic monitoring devices.

• Broward County implements flashing mode operations in accordance with the FDOT Traffic Engineering Manual (TEM) procedures.

– Red-Red flash operation is utilized at the intersections of two major roadways and at expressway interchanges.

– Red-Yellow flash operation is utilized at intersections of a major roadway with a minor street or lighter-volume roadway.

Red-Red vs. Red-Yellow Flash (cont’d) • Most signalized intersections are programmed to

default to Red-Yellow flash, with yellow indications provided along the higher volume roadway.

• Red-Yellow flash tends to provide better traffic movement along the major arterial roadways in emergencies.

• Any questions or comments regarding current approach?

Red-Red vs. Red-Yellow Flash (cont’d)

• Right-Turn-Only restrictions can be used for the minor street approaches at Red-Yellow flash locations if warranted.

Signal Restoration Strategy • No storm is the same.

• Hurricane Wilma dealt serious damage, but officially was only a Category 2 as it swept through Broward.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • More extensive structural damage to Broward

County’s signal system would occur with Category 3 or higher storms.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • Strategy will be determined after initial assessment of

scope, severity, and geographic range of storm impact throughout the county.

• Strategy will be flexible and adaptive consistent with FEMA Incident Command philosophy.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• Traffic Engineering will have its own Command Center at TMC, but will be coordinating with ESF-3 (Public Works) at main County EOC.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• Traffic Engineering has four new email buttons on its website to quickly report signal, street light ,or school flasher outages, and also damaged traffic signs.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• Clicking the desired button will automatically create an email to report damage for that type of equipment , that will be immediately forwarded to several responders.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• Clicking the desired button will automatically create an email to report damage for that type of equipment, that will be immediately forwarded to several responders.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• Or just simply email to: – SIGNALOUT@broward.org – STREETLIGHTOUT@broward.org – SCHOOLFLASHEROUT@broward.org – SIGNDOWN@broward.org

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • Direct Police Phone Numbers to the Traffic

Engineering Division EOC:

– Line 1: (954) 765 - 4480 – Line 2: (954) 765 - 4481

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • Life-safety sweep of 13 Critical Corridors (all State

arterials with typically two or more expressway interchanges).

• Repair efforts will be focused on 13 Critical Corridors and 200 Critical Intersections (State and County intersections)

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

• US-1 (Federal Hwy) • US-441 (SR-7) • University Drive • Flamingo Road • SW 10th Street • Sample Road • Atlantic Boulevard

• Commercial Blvd • Sunrise Blvd • Broward Blvd • SR-84 • Griffin Road • Pines/Hollywood Blvd

13 Critical Corridors

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • FDOT Emergency Repair (ER) forces will join County

forces, and focus initially on 13 Critical Corridors.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d) • Continued deployment of FDOT ER forces, and/or

mutual aid resources will be defined with each subsequent operational timeframe.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

Priority 1 Operational Objectives:

• Secure intersections to eliminate life-safety threats.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

Priority 1 Operational Objectives (Cont’d):

• Repair 200 Critical Intersections and 13 Critical Corridors to “Phase 1” Status (one operational and visible signal for each traffic movement).

• Repair remaining intersections to “Phase 1” status.

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

Priority 2 Operational Objectives:

• Repair school zone flashers.

• Repair 200 Critical Intersections and 13 Critical Corridors to “Phase 2” Status (pre-disaster condition).

Signal Restoration Strategy (Cont’d)

Priority 3 Operational Objectives:

• Repair street lights. • Re-establish coordinated signal operation. • Undertake other permanent repairs.

Storm Severity and Impacts CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE:

• Minimal impact to mast-arm signals, minimal to moderate impact to span-wire intersections.

• Power outages may be controlling factor in signal restoration efforts.

• Additional repair forces beyond County forces may or may not be initiated depending on scope of damage.

Storm Severity and Impacts (Cont’d) CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE:

• Minimal impact to mast-arm signals, moderate to significant impact to span-wire intersections.

• Widespread damage to span-wire intersections will be combined with widespread power outages.

• Activation of FDOT Signal Emergency Repair contract to mobilize additional repair forces to assist County forces.

Storm Severity and Impacts (Cont’d) CATEGORY 3 - 4 HURRICANE:

• Significant impact to mast-arm signals; severe to catastrophic impact to span-wire intersections.

• Structural damage will delay restoration efforts.

• Widespread and longer-term power outages.

• Activation of FDOT Signal Emergency Repair contracts, possibly combined with mutual aid forces.

Storm Severity and Impacts (Cont’d) CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE:

• Severe damage to mast-arm signals; span-wire intersections totally destroyed.

• Regional emergency conditions will delay signal restoration efforts.

• Widespread and longer-term power outages.

• Activation of FDOT Signal Emergency Repair contracts combined with mutual aid forces.

School Zone Flasher Restoration • Secondary to restoration of traffic signal to minimum

safe operation (“Phase 1 Status”).

• School flashers on mast-arms, particularly those with solar power units, will likely be operational first.

School Zone Flasher Restoration

• School zone equipment is not generator ready.

• Storm-hardening of flasher system is underway, including mast-arm conversion program and installing solar power units.

County Street Light Restoration • Lower-tier repair priority.

• Street Lights are generally not eligible for disaster relief funds through FHWA.

• Restoration of power to street light circuits likely to be a low-priority.

• Street light circuits are subject to hidden damage -- may not be functional even if fixtures appear OK.

• Report dangerous conditions.

Annual Hurricane Planning & Recovery Meeting QUESTIONS?

TRAFFIC@broward.org