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Pedestrian Scramble
Simple Programming for Eggstra Intersection Safety
The pedestrian scramble - also known as an 'X' or diagonal crossing - is a method of intersection control where all vehicular traffic is stopped to allow pedestrians to cross an intersection in all directions, including diagonally, at one time. It is ideal for intersections with high foot traffic, whether pedestrians regularly frequent the area or do so only on evenings or for special events.
Beyond just a mouthwatering name, the pedestrian scramble offers enhanced pedestrian safety by prohibiting people and vehicles from entering the intersection at the same time. Plus, it can offer agencies a fun way to champion their community - such as this promotional video done by the City of Carlsbad in Southern California.
Availability
Most local controller software, including McCain's program 233 and program 2033, can be programmed to accommodate the pedestrian scramble. Newer software, such as Omni eX®, permits scheduling by time-of-day, minimizing disruption to traffic during low pedestrian demand.
How To
While each software differs slightly, McCain's simple step-by-step guide will help walk you through setting up a pedestrian scramble. This particular guide is for an ATC eX controller running an 8-phase intersection.
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Gate Down Timing
Effective Preemption for Keeping Intersections On-Track
Proper gate down preemption timing, in heavy or light rail transit applications, is a simple way to help enhance traffic flow. By programming the gate as an input, the limited service portion of your preemption plan can start earlier, limiting unnecessary time serving track clearance phases when a gate is down.
This simple programming function offers maximum green time to motorists and promotes intersection efficiency, a win-win!
Availability
Gate down is a standard feature on all McCain Model 170 and 2070 local control software, similar to the pedestrian scramble reviewed earlier. Contrary to the scramble, however, gate down timing is a preemption rather than phase setting.
How It Works
To fully appreciate how this works, let's consider what happens during RR2 (Railroad 2) preemption. Upon receipt of an input from the railroad/light rail vehicle's arrival, the controller enters RR2 preemption operation.
First, it times the delay interval, if there is any configured. This can be found, from the main menu, under (2) Preempt > (1) Railroad. If there is no delay time, it enters the track clearance interval. It will serve the RR2 clearance phases for the time set under RR2 clearance time. These parameters are also found in the same location in the controller.
At some point during this clearance interval, the track gates start coming down under control of the transit agency's methodology. Once the gate reaches its lowest point, it activates a switch that will be wired to a controller input.
Let's say you want to use C1 pin 75 as your gate down input. In the controller, under (5) Inputs > (3) Preempt, use input 75 for gate down.
When the gate down input has been confirmed, the track clearance is immediately terminated and the controller enters the limited service portion of the preemption. This is also configured under (2) Preempt > (1) Railroad. The limited service phase will time as long as the preemption input is present. Once that input goes off, the track gate will begin going up and the limited service interval, along with the preempt operation, ends. The intersection will now resume normal operation. |
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Get More With McCain!
 Support & Education
If you're interested in the pedestrian scramble or gate down programming, or just want to get more out of your software, contact our technical support team today!
McCain also hosts free webinars on a wide variety of topics. We are constantly adding new events, so be sure to check our events page regularly! |
