Improved Traffic Controller Safety in Low Visibility Conditions

Safer in difficult environments

Motorists driving on high speed, windy country roads find that there is often no road shoulder and distance visibility can be obscured. When energy companies are carrying out routine maintenance on power lines, they may need lane closures to safeguard workers and road users. Traffic control workers typically use STOP/SLOW bats which can be dangerous in areas of poor visibility and high speed. To improve the safety of their workforce, Altus Traffic trialled the use of a PTL Portable Traffic Signal System (PTSS) replacing the use of STOP/SLOW bats in these high risk areas.

Secure, reliable solution for improved traffic control

Using Portable Traffic Light’s Type 1 PTSS, with an approved target board provides a highly visible LED lantern for road users. PTL provides a fully integrated secure system, operating either one or two traffic lights. The traffic controllers pair the slave devices to the Hand-held Remote Controls (HRC), the user chooses the operating mode and manually selects green and red phases as required. This technology allows the traffic controllers to operate the system via the HRC remotely, removing them from the roadway.

The use of the PTSS and road works signage informing drivers of traffic stopped ahead provides a safer alternative for traffic management. The PTSS has several safety interlocks which are activated when the signals are moved or interfered with.

With a runtime of over 20 hours, and a hot-swappable battery, there is plenty of capacity for the PTSS to run disruption-free for the course of the maintenance works and road closure. After each use, the batteries of the PTSU and HRC can be recharged.

High value solution

Altus Traffic used the PTL PTSS for their traffic controllers when supporting Energy Australia. Roadwork signs are set up by Altus Traffic personnel in accordance with approved Traffic Management Plans. When there is no line-of-sight covering the full length of the roadworks, two single PTL units are set up at each end of the road closure. Each Portable Traffic Signal Unit (PTSU) is operated from a Hand-held Remote Control, and with the operating mode set to “gating”, both lights can be managed individually by a traffic controller. The HRC provides encrypted instructions to the portable traffic signal units. The PTSS, with a compliant quick fit target boards can double visibility. Drivers will see these units from a considerable distance where visibility is not obscured, increasing the safety of the traffic controllers by taking them off the road and out of harm’s way.