3.0 Signing, Markings and Channelization

3.3.5 Recommended Guidelines

Toll Lane Signing Design Issues

• While the implementation of ETC in cash (i.e., manual and automatic) lanes has not diminished the desires of the agencies to have all traffic stop at either the tollbooth or ACM, a user with a transponder is more likely to focus on the island traffic signal than the stop sign with the expectation of a successful read. Consequently, a problem with the transponder or ETC account unbeknownst to the user is likely to result in the vehicle being beyond the stopping location for paying the attendant or depositing coins in the ACM. If the traffic signal remains red, the user may make an ill-advised and unsafe decision to back-up their vehicle to pay the toll.
• The location of the toll lane signing must be selected to assure visibility to approaching passenger car and truck traffic, spaced along the toll island to avoid overloading the user with information, and installed adjacent to any equipment to which the sign specifically relates. The location of toll lane signing is constrained by physical features of the toll island, such as the size of tollbooth and columns supporting the canopy as well as the length of the toll island.
• Adequate horizontal clearance from the vertical face of the toll island or raised barrier must be provided to avoid damage from passing vehicles.
• The less frequent or new user of an agency’s toll facilities can benefit from some of the following signs that have been deployed: “No Stopping” (“Do Not Stop”) in the ETC dedicated lanes, “Stay in Vehicle” in the ACM/ATIM lanes, “Enforcement by Video” or a related camera based enforcement message in lanes deploying VES equipment, and “Wait for Green” attached to the island traffic signal pole in the cash lanes. The problem each of these signs is attempting to address varies from region to region, and the severity may not warrant deployment of these particular signs.

Toll Lane Signing Guideline Development:

Although use of the toll industry standard modified stop sign stating “Stop Pay Toll” may not be afforded the same level of compliance among ETC accountholders, deployment of this sign in the cash lanes should continue to reinforce the user’s statutory responsibility to pay the indicated toll. This applies equally to the “Stop Take Ticket” sign commonly deployed in the ATIM lanes of a closed ticket system. Users of a ticket system, including those without a valid transponder or ETC account, are given reasonable notice to initiate a toll transaction at their entry location by taking a ticket to avoid payment of a toll based on the furthest entry point from their exit location.

The location of toll lane signing on the toll island must be selected to result in the user consistently responding at the intended location along the lane. Speed limit signs need to be installed at the approach end to the toll island with the expectation that the user will adjust their speed to comply with the speed limit when traveling through the lane. If speed display signing is deployed, it should be located in conjunction with a speed limit sign to elicit a quicker response from the user to comply by reducing the vehicle’s speed as needed when traveling through the lane. The modified stop sign commonly used by the agencies should be installed at the approach end of the tollbooth in the manual lanes. For the automatic lanes, the modified stop sign should be installed on the toll island prior to the ACM or ATIM, mounted to a canopy column or other physical feature, if available. For multi-payment type lanes that are operated in an ETC only mode, a speed limit sign should be installed in the lane, particularly when a collector must cross these lanes to access their assigned tollbooth. In this case, an ETC user complying with the “Stop Pay Toll” sign may be inclined to quickly accelerate from the booth or machine when exiting, which is where the collector typically crosses the lanes. Signing related to equipment installed on the toll island should be attached to or installed adjacent to that equipment. Any “No Stopping” signs should be installed in an ETC dedicated lane prior to where the user recognizes there are no provisions for cash payment in the lane. The “Stay in Vehicle” sign should be installed above the ACM or ATIM. The selected location of these signs must assure visibility to all passenger car and trucks allowed to use the particular lane. The diagram at the end of this section shows the location of some of the signs described above.

With an assumed window of 6-18 inches representing a conservative range for horizontal clearance from the travelway used within the toll industry, 12 inches provides an appropriate clearance for protecting toll lane signing from extended mirrors and objects or materials extending beyond the side of a vehicle.

Before adding toll lane signing such as “No Stopping” in the ETC dedicated lanes, “Stay in Vehicle” in the ACM/ATIM lanes, “Enforcement by Video” or a related camera based enforcement message in lanes deploying VES equipment, and “Wait for Green”, the agency should make an assessment of the magnitude of the problem the particular sign is intended to address along with the particular user benefit derived from the sign.

Toll Lane Signing Guidelines

Exhibit 3-9 Toll Lane Signing

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