Operations — Intersection Operations

By their very nature, intersections create a point of conflict in street and highway systems, posing a particularly important challenge for the FDOT Traffic Engineering & Operations Office. Nationwide, traffic crashes at intersections account for 44 percent of all reported accidents. Intersection safety is a critical element of overall safety for the motoring public.

Chapter 316.0745 of the Florida Statutes specifically charges the FDOT with responsibility for adopting a uniform system of traffic control devices for use on the state's roads. The devices must conform to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and applicable requirements of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

Under this uniform system, intersections are equipped with both traffic and pedestrian signals that are controlled through a connection to a field cabinet on the street corner. Controllers inside these cabinets utilize the latest in electronic and computer technology to allow precise timing of the signals.

From remote Transportation Management Centers (TMCs) operated by the FDOT in cooperation with the Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies, traffic operations personnel can view intersections through the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. TMCs also receive data from vehicle detection devices that track vehicle presence, speed, and the volume of vehicles using the road. It is the effective use of appropriate technologies like these that is helping make intersections safer and minimizing travel delays for motorists.

For more information on the latest traffic system tools and techniques, click on the links below.

Intersection innovations:

• The countdown pedestrian signal

• Emergency vehicle preemption

• Automated vehicle detection systems

• Internally illuminated street signs

• LED traffic signal heads

• Mast arm signal installations

For additional information on this program, contact Fred Heery at fred.heery@dot.state.fl.us.