Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. FHWA/TX-06/0-4023-4 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date AMBER ALERT, DISASTER RESPONSE AND EVACUATION, October 2005 PLANNED SPECIAL EVENTS, ADVERSE WEATHER AND 6. Performing Organization Code ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND OTHER MESSAGES FOR DISPLAY ON DYNAMIC MESSAGE SIGNS 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Brooke R. Ullman, Conrad L. Dudek, Nada D. Trout, and Sandra K. Report 0-4023-4 Schoeneman, 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Texas Transportation Institute The Texas A&M University System 11. Contract or Grant No. College Station, Texas 77843-3135 Project 0-4023 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Texas Department of Transportation Technical Report: Research and Technology Implementation Office September 2000-August 2005 P.O. Box 5080 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Austin, Texas 78763-5080 15. Supplementary Notes Project performed in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Project Title: Automated Dynamic Message Signs (DMSs) Message Design and Display URL: http://tti.tamu.edu/document/0-4023-4.pdf 16. Abstract This report provides the results of focus group studies and human factors laboratory studies to investigate issues related to America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) alerts, disaster response and evacuation (flooding, hurricane evacuation, and terrorist attacks), planned special events, and adverse weather and environmental conditions in order to design effective messages for display on dynamic message signs (DMSs). Focus group studies were conducted in six cities in Texas to obtain driver views of the above issues and to discuss driver information needs. The results of the focus group studies were used as the basis for more extensive human factors laboratory studies that were then conducted in six cities in Texas. The laboratory studies were administered using several different methods of participant interface including laptop computer programs, maps, card selection process, and a driving environment simulator. This report contains specific findings and recommendations concerning message design issues for DMSs for each of the topic areas identified. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Driver Information Systems, Variable Message Sign No restrictions. This document is available to the Messages, AMBER Alert, Floods, Ozone public through NTIS: National Technical Information Service Springfield, Virginia 22161 http://www.ntis.gov 19. Security Classif.(of this report) 20. Security Classif.(of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 200 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized AMBER ALERT, DISASTER RESPONSE AND EVACUATION, PLANNED SPECIAL EVENTS, ADVERSE WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND OTHER MESSAGES FOR DISPLAY ON DYNAMIC MESSAGE SIGNS by Brooke R. Ullman, P.E. Assistant Research Engineer Texas Transportation Institute Conrad L. Dudek, Ph.D., P.E. Research Engineer Texas Transportation Institute Nada D. Trout Assistant Research Scientist Texas Transportation Institute and Sandra K. Schoeneman Research Assistant Texas Transportation Institute Report 0-4023-4 Project Number 0-4023 Project Title: Automated Dynamic Message Signs (DMSs) Message Design and Display Performed in Cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration October 2005 TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3135 DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) or the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This report is not intended to constitute a standard, specification, or regulation, nor is it intended for construction, bidding, or permit purposes. The engineer in charge of the study was Dr. Conrad L. Dudek, P.E. #24320. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration. The authors would like to thank the following TxDOT employees who provided guidance and expertise throughout the course of this study: Fabian Kalapach, project director; Brian Burk, Rick Cortez, Brian Fariello, Pat Irwin, Bubba Needham, Tai Nguyen, and Sally Wegmann, project monitoring committee members, Wade Odell, Research and Technology Implementation (RTI) office liaison, and Carlton Allen. The authors would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) staff members at the Arlington, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio offices for their assistance in recruiting participants for this study and Steve Schrock for data collection assistance. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... IX LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................... X 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................ 1 Statement of the Problem........................................................................................................1 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................. 2 Formatting Effective DMS Messages..................................................................................... 2 STUDY OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................... 4 RESEARCH ISSUES .................................................................................................................4 STUDY APPROACH................................................................................................................. 6 Phase 1: Focus Group Studies................................................................................................. 6 Phase 2: Human Factors Laboratory Studies.......................................................................... 8 2. AMBER ALERT MESSAGES................................................................................................. 11 PHASE 1: FOCUS GROUP STUDIES.................................................................................... 11 Results................................................................................................................................... 11 Implications of Results for Human Factors Laboratory Studies........................................... 18 PHASE 2: LABORATORY STUDIES.................................................................................... 18 Study Approach .................................................................................................................... 18 Results and Findings............................................................................................................. 21 Summary............................................................................................................................... 32 3. FLOODS................................................................................................................................... 35 PHASE 1: FOCUS GROUP STUDIES.................................................................................... 35 Results and Findings............................................................................................................. 35 Implications of Results for Human Factors Laboratory Studies........................................... 36 PHASE 2: HUMAN FACTORS LABORATORY STUDIES................................................. 37 Study Approach .................................................................................................................... 37 Results................................................................................................................................... 42 Summary............................................................................................................................... 62 4.HURRICANES.......................................................................................................................... 67 FOCUS GROUP STUDIES...................................................................................................... 67 Results................................................................................................................................... 67 Implications of Focus Group Results.................................................................................... 70 5. TERRORIST ATTACKS ......................................................................................................... 71 FOCUS GROUP STUDIES...................................................................................................... 71 Results................................................................................................................................... 71 Implications