With an eye toward greater vehicle safety and information sharing on the Trans-Canada Highway, Parks Canada has installed a new variable message sign.
With an eye toward greater vehicle safety and information sharing on the Trans-Canada Highway, Parks Canada has installed a new variable message sign.
The new sign was installed last week, March 31-April 1 over the westbound lanes near the Banff National Park's east gate.
The former structure, in place since 1987, said Eric Baron, Parks visitor experience product development officer, “had reached the maximum load of things we could put on it. And there had been a few electrical failures and issues with wind load. It was showing signs of end of life.”
The new structure has a $1.1 million pricetag and a digital message panel that will enable Parks to improve upon the static design and messages of the old unit which featured just lights, crosses and arrows for traffic direction.
“What we were finding was that the old sign worked for a lot of people,” said Baron, “but for some visitors there was a level of confusion that was higher than we would have liked.”
The confusion was highlighted, said Baron, in a 2007 Ipsos Reid study that showed up to 16 per cent of drivers people stopped on the highway, even backed up, to get into the lane they wanted.
“That's a small percentage,” he said, “but we have millions of visitors. In 2008, another study recommended replacement of the gantry. If there was another flood, we could now have a message about it on the sign.”
The new sign crosses all five lanes of traffic that approach the east gate, it's 29.3 metres wide, and the signage area has been increased to 3.8 by 20.3 m.
The increased size, said Baron, will allow drivers to more easily read it at the 70 km/h drivers are approaching at. As well, a wooden feature has been attached to the top of the sign to mimic an arch on Bow Valley Parkway.
“It will give it a sense of welcome and say ‘you've arrived,' ” said Baron.
“We can now put literally any message up there and we have lots we'd love to say, but we can't overload the messages. It's core purpose is still showing lane choices, but with the technology is adaptable.
“We'll listen to feedback and we're very excited about the possibilities in the future.”
Messages could range from highway closers to warnings of smoke from controlled burns in the area.
“The goal is to increase the comfort of drivers and increase safety,” said Bacon.
