​​​​​​​​​​Highway Safety Improvement Projects (HSIP) and Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) 

Project Manager: Mr. Stephen Zulkowski

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Many roads in Kane County have recently been selected as beneficiaries of federal funds set aside for the purposes of increasing the safety of the roadway and its roadway users. These federal funds are part of a program called the Highway Safety Improvement Program or HSIP. This program is locally coordinated and administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The selection of beneficiaries in this program is generally focused on projects with proposed improvements achieving the best return on investment or a Benefit / Cost ratio. This first project was constructed along Randall Road in 2016. Similar improvements to those seen on Randall Road in Geneva will be part of other corridor improvements to be constructed in 2019 and 2020 construction seasons. The county is actively pursuing more projects and locations associated with the HSIP program, involving safety improvements not limited to those seen in the HSIP projects of 2016, 2019, and 2020.

IMPROVEMENTS FROM HSIP PROJECTS IN 2016, 2019 AND 2020

• Flashing Yellow Arrow – Safer Traffic Signal Operation
• Better Traffic Signal Head Placement and Visibility
• Driver Feedback Speed Limits Signs

FLASHING YELLOW ARROW

Flashing Yellow Arrows (FYA) have been tried and proven to reduce collisions and increase safety (on average) at all locations where they have been implemented. A Flashing Yellow Arrow operates the same as a solid circular green indication for left turns. The difference is that the flashing yellow arrow better conveys to drivers the need to yield to both oncoming traffic and pedestrians that may be crossing. Operationally, left turning traffic will traverse the intersection in the same way, but the signal displays will convey the information more intuitively. The FYA provides operational benefits and flexibility to engineers to implement a wider range of signal timing solutions at little to no subsequent cost.

For a better understanding of this improvement, please view the below publications:

• IDOT District 4 – Informational Brochure PDF​
  
• IDOT District 4 – Informational Video on FYA Operation​
  
• Michigan DOT - Informational Video on FYA Operation​​
  
• Research - Illinois Center for Transportation - Evaluation of FYA (Series No. 16-010)
  
• Research - NCHRP 123 - Evaluation of FYA (Field) - 2007
  
• Research - NCHRP 493 - Study of Signal Displays for Left Turns - 2003​​
  

BETTER TRAFFIC SIGNAL HEAD PLACEMENT AND VISIBILITY

Engineering practice and professional guidelines have allowed for traffic signals to be designed where traffic signal heads could be shared between travel lanes and turn lanes or be located several feet to your left or right on the far side of an intersection. Although this practice has worked over the years, research and case studies have shown improved safety associated with placing one traffic signal head per travel lane in the center of each travel lane / turn lane. These improvements will involve the replacement of existing traffic signal mast arms to allow for the signal heads to be mounted in the safer location. Examples of this signal head placement can be seen at the intersection of Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway and ​Randall Road and Saddle Club Parkway. A graphical representation of  our proposed improvements is below:

DRIVER FEEDBACK SPEED LIMITS SIGNS​

Another improvement relates to the speed vehicles are traveling. The faster a vehicle is traveling relative to other drivers, the more likely the vehicle is to be involved in a crash. Of those crashes, higher speeds typically increase frequency and severity of injuries incurred.

A Driver Feedback sign will be supplemental to existing speed limit signage and will use radar to detect the speeds of approaching vehicles. This detected speed will be dynamically displayed to vehicles as they pass. For vehicles traveling above the speed limit, the display of vehicle speed will flash while vehicles traveling at or below the speed limit, the sign will remain steady.