| Abstract |
This report covers Phase Two(b) of a long-term in-house advanced vehicle research program of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and its Arizona Transportation Research Center (ATRC). The focus of the research evolved early to winter maintenance topics. Phase Two(b), this fourth year of the program, addresses the 2001-02 winter season. ADOT's Phase One snowplow research (1997-2000) was a joint effort with California to field test the Caltrans advanced snowplow (ASP) in Arizona conditions. ADOT crews evaluated the Caltrans ASP lane-guidance system in four-week test cycles for two consecutive winters at a six-mile test loop of embedded roadway magnets near Flagstaff. ADOT's key goal in Phase Two (2000-01) was to acquire and test its own snowplow driver-assistance system. ADOT procured a 3M Lane Awareness System, with 5 miles of 3M magnetic striping tape to develop a second field site. Testing also continued with Caltrans to compare both lane guidance systems in similar conditions, however, system problems with both concept snowplows severely reduced the ability of ADOT and its partners to effectively evaluate either concept. In this current Phase Two(b), the 2001-02 winter, ADOT's testing and evaluation could proceed as the system problems of the previous winter had been resolved. The goals were based on same-day training for ADOT drivers with both advanced snowplow systems. However, the side-by-side operational testing of the Caltrans and 3M systems was limited by a total lack of snowfall in the Flagstaff area during the five weeks that the Caltrans RoadView (Trademark) plow was in Arizona. The Caltrans RoadView team did conduct night testing with ADOT drivers so that their performance could be monitored and evaluated. ADOT's own evaluation effort experienced only a few major storms all winter; and the ADOT-3M plow operated effectively in these storms. Overall, both systems showed their effectiveness and reliability in 2001-02, but the weather provided few opportunities to document the key advantages for either system. By this point in the program, after four winters of field tests, it had also become clear to the project sponsors that the current cost of either system was prohibitive for Arizona. As a result, it was decided to shift the future research focus in 2002-03 (Phase Three) from roadway-based guidance systems to commercial on-board driver-warning systems. (110 p.) |
TRT
