Will ADOT bring its Travel Times program to the Tucson area? (Phoenix: construction, installing)

[Pink Jazz]

In 2008, ADOT launched its Travel Times program in the Phoenix area. Initially, these travel times on the dynamic message signs showing the amount of minutes to specific destinations were shown only during rush hours. However, as of this week, ADOT has expanded the program to display them during most of the day from 5 AM to 11 PM on weekdays and from 7 AM to 9 PM on weekends.

I was wondering, does anyone think that ADOT could eventually bring this program to the Tucson area? I don't think Tucson is too small of a city for it to work; NMDOT in New Mexico has a travel times program for Albuquerque, a similarly sized metro area.

[azdr0710]

I hope not....traffic isn't so heavy here that it probably is unnecessary...

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

I hope not....traffic isn't so heavy here that it probably is unnecessary...

But what harm is there in doing so? Apparently Phoenix area drivers love them and thus as of this week ADOT decided to display them outside of rush hour periods when traffic is lighter. Even outside of rush hour periods an accident may occur, which can delay travel times significantly.

In New Mexico NMDOT display them on the dynamic message signs in Albuquerque, so I don't see why Tucson would be any different.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

But what harm is there in doing so? Apparently Phoenix area drivers love them and thus as of this week ADOT decided to display them outside of rush hour periods when traffic is lighter. Even outside of rush hour periods an accident may occur, which can delay travel times significantly.

In New Mexico NMDOT display them on the dynamic message signs in Albuquerque, so I don't see why Tucson would be any different.

I'm shocked ADOT waited this long do do this. Many other jurisdictions have posted travel times 24/7 on some of their DMSs.

I still don't like the way ADOT wastes an entire line with the "MINUTES TO" on the top line of text.

I'd much prefer what other jurisdictions do (and allow the travel time to multiple destinations)

For example, on S/B I-17 a sign could display:

I-10 10 MIN

I-10 / SR-51 14 MIN

I-10 / US 60 20 MIN

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

I'm shocked ADOT waited this long do do this. Many other jurisdictions have posted travel times 24/7 on some of their DMSs.

I still don't like the way ADOT wastes an entire line with the "MINUTES TO" on the top line of text.

I'd much prefer what other jurisdictions do (and allow the travel time to multiple destinations)

For example, on S/B I-17 a sign could display:

I-10 10 MIN

I-10 / SR-51 14 MIN

I-10 / US 60 20 MIN

The problem is that by using all three lines by displaying "MIN", longer destination names must be further abbreviated that they may become unreadable. Since most of ADOT's dynamic message signs are of the fixed character matrix variety, there is no way to display narrower fonts to fit more characters per line. Only fairly recently is ADOT installing full matrix DMS models, however, they are currently programmed in the same font as the older signs, since I presume ADOT is using the same software to control all the signs to maintain compatibility with the older fixed character matrix signs.

[Windwalker2]

There is a sign at Ajo on I-19 giving travel time to Valencia

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by Windwalker2

There is a sign at Ajo on I-19 giving travel time to Valencia

ha!....like I said!.....(see my post above!).....

by the way, speaking of Valencia, Ajo, and I-19, does everybody know construction will start sometime in early 2016 on Ajo interchange improvements?.....when done, I think it will look a little bit more like the one at Valencia.....will be messy for a couple years, but the result will be nice!....check out the drawings!

https://www.azdot.gov/projects/south...hange/overview

[swbrotha100]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

ha!....like I said!.....(see my post above!).....

by the way, speaking of Valencia, Ajo, and I-19, does everybody know construction will start sometime in early 2016 on Ajo interchange improvements?.....when done, I think it will look a little bit more like the one at Valencia.....will be messy for a couple years, but the result will be nice!....check out the drawings!

https://www.azdot.gov/projects/south...hange/overview

It's nice to see that project will FINALLY get started within a year. Eventually ADOT plans to give the I-19/Irvington interchange the same treatment. If/when an interchange is added at Drexel, it should look similar.

As far as the travel times on message boards, I think it would be more useful for the city of Tucson and/or Pima County to use them on some of their major roads. In the Phoenix area, there's a stretch of Bell Road going through Glendale, Peoria, Sun City and Surprise that occasionally shows travel times if you were to travel along Bell.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by swbrotha100

It's nice to see that project will FINALLY get started within a year. Eventually ADOT plans to give the I-19/Irvington interchange the same treatment. If/when an interchange is added at Drexel, it should look similar.

As far as the travel times on message boards, I think it would be more useful for the city of Tucson and/or Pima County to use them on some of their major roads. In the Phoenix area, there's a stretch of Bell Road going through Glendale, Peoria, Sun City and Surprise that occasionally shows travel times if you were to travel along Bell.

I agree. Grant, Speedway, 6th St/5th St, Broadway, and maybe 22nd St. in an E/W direction should have some message boards showing travel times to various points along their paths. The same should be true of Oracle, Stone, Park/Euclid/1st Ave, and Campbell/Kino in the N/S direction.