Three Seconds Red!

[Skot David Wilson]

Letter sent to interested parties:
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:31:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: "SKOT WILSON" <skotstar@yahoo.com>
Subject: Three Seconds Red
To: jim.scott@dot.state.fl.us, "john rutherford" <linda.mcelroy@jaxsheriff.org>, carrack.grady@fhp.hsmv.st.fl.us, mark.richardson@jaxsheriff.org, leeper.william@fhp.hsmv.st.fl.us, mary.peters@dot.gov
CC: ag.mccollum@myfloridalegal.com, ArtG@coj.net, AShad@coj.net, "tsr old dominion" <bporter@odu.edu>, charlie.crist@myflorida.com, DDavis@coj.net, "6301862" <diebenow@coj.net>, dot.comments@dot.gov, feedback@nthp.org, Gaffney@coj.net, GloriousJ@coj.net, Holt@coj.net, info@nsc.org, Jabour@coj.net, Joost@coj.net, JPeyton@coj.net, KHyde@coj.net, kileyj@nih.gov, lisar@coj.net, members@nthp.org, MJones@coj.net, ncsaweb@dot.gov, nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov, RClark@coj.net, Redman@coj.net, rex.newman@myflorida.com, RonnieF@coj.net, sao4th@coj.net, WAJones@coj.net, WBishop@coj.net, Webb@coj.net, webmaster@jfrd.com, webmaster@nhtsa.dot.gov

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Three Seconds Red

Halloween, 2007

Jim Scott and I just had a really good meeting watching the signal changes at Normandy and Lane. We discussed the pros and cons of application my idea of extending red clearance to major arterials, and Jim has agreed to study this is practice. Hopefully, we can get the assistance of a local university. This would make data collection and summary much more easier to attain and compile for findings.
I will be trying, with him, to get short form crash data, which is retained by JSO and FHP and usually not looked at by DOT.
We will also study a corridor for a baseline before implementing changes to signaling and timing.
I believe that if we extend cycles nominally and in sync with each other, and also shave green time, then possibly a minor amount of yellow, that overall there will be such a slight change that no one could notice the difference.
The proposed formula for a standard 45/90 second cycle is as follows:
46/92 is the new cycle from a 90 second complete cycle.

1 second red added one direction travel one way cycle
45 seconds one way becomes 46
.7 second subtracted from current green
.3 seconds subtracted from current yellow

Example

                old                                                             TSR
  E-W                         N-S                            E-W                   N-S
45 sec                    45 sec                          46 sec               46 sec
40 sec                    40 sec    Green             39.3 sec           39.3 sec
4 sec                     4 sec      Yellow             3.7 sec             3.7 sec
1 sec                     1 sec        Red               3 sec                3 sec
          90 seconds             overall cycle               92 seconds
 
A side benefit may be reduced driver frustration, or "road rage", and while adding a minor amount of commute time, will attain a net reduction of commute time because of accident reduction and delays from traffic back-ups, which can be from a few minutes to a half hour, but we assume on average 10-15 minuets, and resulting fuel consumption gains, reduced property loss and reduced minor injuries, and disruption of lives from those who lose their means of transportation and income earning potential.

Jim Scott and I will be seeking the opinion of JSO as to where to implement this study/trial of TSR. After baseline data is collected, then perhaps six months of study can be conducted, and if proving positive, retaining changes to timing and possible further study and/or implementation and adoption in other areas. In lower speed areas, a two second red clearance may be possible studied and/or sought.
Slower speed city and more urban intersections will more often be under city jurisdiction, and it is their decision to study this themselves.

The site for this is currently http://threesecondsred.blogspot.com
email to:
ThreeSecondsRed@Yahoo.com
Phone:
(904) 781-9473

Contact Jim Scott, P.E.
DOT  District 2
1-800-207-8236  or 904-360-5630 and email at
jim.scott@dot.state.fl.us

You may also contact JSO primary
Chief Mark Richardson @630-2306, who is John Rutherford's contact person for this issue.

Together Let's Save Lives!


Skot David Wilson

We need to decide what corridor we want to try this out on, and get short form data on ALL crashes and accidents AND possibly intersection infractions...ie: red light tickets, et cetera..... FROM JSO AND FHP, and their take on where we should try this.
JSO and FHP people PLEASE make your suggestions and gather this data needed... thanks!
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