The Select Board has asked that the Police Department investigate a system to automatically force traffic lights to change to a red signal in all directions except the one from which an emergency vehicle is approaching. This system is called a Emergency-Vehicle Preemption and Transit-Signal Priority system. Mr. Cressman has some knowledge of such a system from his time in Tewksbury and acting Chief Soares will look into the costs. The system would probably be employed on the traffic signals in the Route 6 corridor. Police cruisers, fire trucks, and ambulances would have a device that activates the traffic signals and would allow a faster and safer passage for emergency response vehicles and reduce the likelihood of crashes.
This sounds like an excellent idea to me ...
...and I will push for the installation.
You can read more about this kind of system at this link to roadtrffic-technology.com. The page is for a system by GTT but there are other manufacturer aswell.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Emergency vehicle traffic automation to be investigated
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
10 comments:
Great idea. Why didn't you people come up with this devise before the crash. It's been around for a long time. A blame the safety officer.
While your including traffic changing signal devises for the emergency vehicles how about installing a four way stop at the intersection of Russells Mills Road and George Street. This intersection has had three fatalities. It has also caused one person to be paralysed for life, at a town cost of 750,000 dollars per year. I blame the safety officer. If he can't do the job get some who can. Just my opinion.
Sorry Ed, but you can't blame the safety officer every time an accident occurs due to someone elses driving mistakes.
It's been around for a long time. A blame the safety officer.
A very simple answer to this uninformed person.. Ma Highway does not allow this type of system to be placed into the control boxes, the Commonwealth Owns & maintains. Hope this answers the question.
On the contrary, the Mass Highway standard specifications, since at least 1995, require controllers to have the capability to accept preemption controls and the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA=LU) requires implementation of the devices which Mass Highway has assumed responsibility for as part of the Massachusetts Strategic Highway Safety Plan. There is no state effort to prevent these devices and I think if Dartmouth was willing to pay the bill, it could be done in short order.
To respond to Ed, hindsight is always 20-20 and given the town's fiscal position lately, there has not been a lot of funding for initiatives of this type of thing. To lay blame on the safety officer in this case seems misplaced and Ed's tone more a personal thing than a constructive criticism.
Anything that makes police response safer and faster should be reviewed and implemented if possible. I don't think anyone wants to wait precious extra seconds when their baby isn't breathing or their spouse is suffering a heart attack because some people impede the rescuers response. But it happens all the time.
That being said there is no substitute to drivers being aware and alert at all times behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
Drivers have a responsibility to slow down when they cannot see around a curve and definitely when all other travel lanes have come to a complete stop. There is usually a reason!!
If you cannot see then you should SLOW down no questions asked. As a defensive driver I always maintain my 2 second bubble of safety. I always monitor my mirrors and blind spots while driving and know a safe escape route in the event something happens in front of me.
Perhaps I take these extra precautions because I am also an avid motorcycle rider and know first hand how quickly and deadly motorcyle accidents can be. Luckily I take these driving habits with me into my car with me.
Everyone needs to slow down, check their blind spots before changing lanes, and have some common courtesy. The life you save can be your own.
To Ed P. could you imagine how many rear end accidents there would be if you put stop sign at Russells Mills Rd. and George St.? People would come around those curves and hit the cars in front of them. Also you mentioned a 4 way stop sign. Shouldn't it be 3 ways?
Bill
You are right, this is personal. My sister was killed at this intersection. The George Street approach to Russells Mills Road is deceiving. The deception is with the intersection with Russels Mills Road and South bound traffic approaching the George Street intersection. The George Street motorist must look to the left and do so at a 110 degree left angle or using the clock, between 12 o'clock noon to 8 A.M.
I concede to the poster who indicated that traffic flow would back up on North bound traffic as they negotiate the curve. THANKS!
As I travel around town, I have noticed four way sign locations along Prospect Street, bridge and Elm, Bakerville and Gulf Road and too many to count. The safety officer has a three way stop at Smith Neck Road and Little River Road, how insane is that??
Bill
Your right, I can be a pisser at times but why not take a ride during your off time and travel along George Street. As you approach/stop at Russells Mills Road make sure you stop and take a good hard look to the left, you may just be enlightened. Maybe you and the safety officer could make George Street a one-way from Russells Mills Road Westerly to Elm Street. Everyone knows, except the safety officer, that George Street from Elm To Russells Mills Road is used as a short cut and to avoid all the four ways signs at Russells Mills Road and Elm Street, traffic lights at Russells Mills Road at Slocum Road.
Maybe you and the safety officer could make George Street a one-way from Russells Mills Road Westerly to Elm Street.
Instead of changing roads to "one way" streets perhaps people could STOP for the stop sign. That would alleviate the problem right there!!
Second, everyone knows George St is a shortcut including the Safety Officer. Unfortunately he cannot prohibit people from travelling on a public way!!
Traffic Safety cannot arbitrarily make streets into one way only.
Sorry for your loss, but 3 fatalities in 30 yrs is not a crisis. In fact one of the fatalities had nothing to do with the intersection, it was a drunk driver in a souped up sports car that couldn't navigate the turn on Russells Mills Rd.
More people have died on 195 in the last 30 yrs should we litter the interstate with stop signs and lower the speed limit to 30?
concerning police vehicles responding to emergencies. I've operated an emergency cruiser for 30 years and never came close to a crash. Let me point out that I responded, summonsed to hundreds of emergencies and several included serious injury and death. With all this emergency driving I never allowed my cruiser to exceeded what I considered safety to myself and the public. Also want to mention that if I traveled at a speed greater than reasonable (It wouldn't have made a solitary difference in the outcome of injuries or death.) Traveling in a police cruiser with siren and blue flashing lights is only an instrument used to alert the public and not to accelerate to speed that cause more injury or death. I'll repeat my statement and I'm sure it's the same with other police officers. I HAVE NEVER FOUND A RESPONSE THAT REQUIRED EMERGENCY HIGH RATE OF SPEED THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE AS IT RELATES TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF I HAD TRAVELED AT A GREATER SPEED THAN NECCESSARY. You can try and SAY that I didn't serve my town but I certainly didn't cause a crash or put anyone in danger.
Want to stop avoidable accidents? Lock up the people who cause them. Slaps on the wrist for causing injury and even death, does not work. It is not the fault of the police that we look the other way when someone is assaulted by a car, as opposed to being shot or stabbed.
Post a Comment