Astucia Products:Hardwired F Series Flush Studs
Project background:
The busy A50 motorway links Arnhem to Zwolle in the Gelderland province of the Netherlands. Over 200,000 vehicles a day on average use this busy section of motorway causing congestion during the rush hour periods so a cost effective traffic management solution was needed to relieve the problem.
During rush hour periods, congestion coupled with the uphill gradient of the road and the northbound on-ramp at the Schaarsbergen junction, problems are caused for motorists as they attempt to join the busy main carriageway.
Installation:
The solution to ease the problem was, at times of congestion, to utilise the hard shoulder (hazard lane) of the motorway adding a third lane (plus lane). This results in the merge point being moved further along the carriageway allowing drivers to attain a more appropriate location to merge into the traffic.
In this instance Astucia amber Hardwired F Series flush mounted Intelligent Road Studs™ are illuminated during times of congestion and direct traffic from the on-ramp to the hard shoulder. A series of white studs delineate the additional lane and also guide drivers onto the main carriageway when the system is not in use a as a plus-lane, see pictures below. Both the amber and the white studs are installed at one metre centres.
The studs are all individually addressable with a can-bus system. It is possible to create any repetitive pattern by switching combinations of the studs on or off.
Amber F Series studs direct drivers to use hard shoulder, when it is in use, from where white studs delineate the lane. White F Series studs indicate the merge point onto the main carriageway.
Installation was carried out by InterTraffic Systems B.V., the authorised distributor of Astucia (UK) Ltd.
Benefits:
Marc Vissers, director of InterTraffic Systems B.V. said: “The system has been in use since November 2004. Drivers have immediately recognised the meaning of the illuminated studs, and without hesitation followed the indicated lane made up of the amber then white studs. The system is used every Friday in heavy week-end traffic as well as at other periods in circumstances when the traffic flow demands for it."
