Rural Intersection Conflict Warning System (RICWS)
September 10, 2015
Location: Statewide
Partners: MnDOT/FHWA/Aitkin, Carver, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Douglas, Goodhue, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lyon, Mahnomen, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Nicollet, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pipestone, Polk, Rice, St. Louis, Winona, and Wright Counties/City of Eveleth/Edwards Township/SRF Consulting/Design Electric/WSB & Associates, Inc/Traffic Control Corp/Warning Lites/Down-Rite Boring
Total project cost: est. $6,000,000.00
Project completion: est. December, 1, 2015
Description of project
The goal of the SP 8816-1765 Rural Intersection Conflict Warning System (RICWS) project is to reduce the fatal and serious injury crashes at rural non-signalized intersections. RICWS provides supplemental warning to drivers of other vehicles approaching the intersection. This project will deploy 50 of these warning systems statewide at high crash risk locations. RICWS consists of a combination of a minor road warning and major road warning or major road warning only. The minor road warning will warn drivers that there are major road vehicles approaching the intersection. The major road warning will warn drivers that there are vehicles on the minor road that are entering the intersection.
The systems are composed of signing, vehicle detection, and dynamic warning beacons. Drivers on the major road will see a static “Entering Traffic” with a “When Flashing” plaque. Drivers on the minor road will see a constantly illuminated blank-out sign message “Traffic Approaching” with a “When Flashing” plaque. In the case of a malfunction or power outage, drivers on the minor road will not be given a message as the blank-out sign will be black/off.
RICWS Minor Road Warning RICWS Major Road Warning
Benefits Provides real-time warning of traffic conditions Expect 25-30% reduction in total crashes Next steps Evaluate the crash reduction at all sites to get a Minnesota crash reduction factor.
For More Information
Contact: Ken Hansen, ITS Project Manager, 651-234-7064, [email protected]