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A comprehensive overview of the responsibilities, equipment, and procedures involved in the maintenance and repair of traffic signals. It covers topics such as the role of traffic signal technicians, the evolution of traffic signal controllers, the components and functionality of traffic signal systems, the use of testing equipment, the importance of documentation, and the benefits of scheduled maintenance. The document delves into the technical details of traffic signal operations, including phasing, timing, detection systems, and emergency vehicle preemption. It also addresses best practices for field repairs and troubleshooting. This resource would be valuable for students, professionals, and anyone interested in understanding the intricacies of traffic signal infrastructure and its maintenance.
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The traffic field technician is responsible for performing what types of maintenance on signals? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Preventive and Emergency The single most important focus for the traffic signal field technician is?
What responsibilities (liability) does a Traffic signal technician have while involved in repair, testing or maintenance? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Legal liability Dealing with the public It is imperative that the traffic signal field technician maintain comprehensive what of all the steps taken during repair and maintenance of traffic signals? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Documentation What two instances are documentation required for a traffic signal field technician? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Routine maintenance Emergency repair The "word" public usually represents the following individuals (4): - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Road users Area residents / Property owners Elected and appointed officials The media Several means of public interaction are (3): - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Mail or email Telephone contact Face to face meetings
When dealing with the public, keep in mind that the routines of public users may be disrupted for periods of time during construction. How should a traffic signal field technician interact with the public? (5) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Always be polite Be confident when speaking Communicate clearly in understandable terminology Don't argue or threaten Don't provide information if you are uncertain of its accuracy. Traffic signal controller units of todays traffic systems are controlled by what? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Microprocessor The microprocessor is programmed to recognize what? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Input requests from vehicle detection systems A microprocessor takes appropriate action to control intersection what? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Timing A forerunner of the electronic controllers that we have today was the? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Electro-mechanical controller What year where solid state electronic controllers developed to replace the electro-mechanical controllers? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 1970's
What two improvements differentiated electronic controllers from electro-mechanical controllers? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ More dependable Added many more features What was the standardization that primarily established a pin configuration in the controller and defined a function for every pin? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ NEMA TS- The NEMA TS-1 has three connectors which where known as: - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ A,B, and C connectors NEMA TS-1 had how many connectors? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Three The NEMA TS-1 defined every pin for each connector as either what two connection types? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Input or Output NEMA also allowed manufactures to add an additional feature on the fourth connector. What was this connector know as? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ D connector What was the D connector commonly used for? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Communications Pre-emption Other special features
What three agencies joined together to help develop the 170 controller? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ California DOT City of Los Angeles California New York State DOT What controller is an open-architecture based general purpose microcomputer for traffic control? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Model 170 controller What two specifications does the model 170 controller require? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ A specific hardware architecture A specific processor How is the Type 179 controller specification similar to the 170 specification?(2) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Open architecture Allows for interchangeability of components What is the primary difference between the 179 and 170 controller - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Uses a different microprocessor Who developed the model 2070 controller? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ CALTRANS
The 2070 was introduced to supersede which controller? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The 170 controller Which controller is compatible regardless of the manufacturer? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The 2070 controller The 2070 provides more functionality than the 170 because of what features?(3) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Additional processing power Ability to program in higher level languages Multiple high speed communications ports Define the acronym NTCIP - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ National Transportation Communications for Intelligent transportation systems Protocol What is a set of standards established by the consortium for controllers, cabinets and other ITS devices? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The NTCIP The National Transportation Communication for ITS protocol was developed to accommodate what two things? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Needs of subsystems User Services Traffic signal supports and the signal indications and signs that are attached to them should be periodically reviewed to ensure what? -
Accurate Answers✔✔✔ That they are performing the function that they were installed to do. Safety of what two entities is the first concern when performing maintenance on traffic signal supports? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Workers The public The traffic field signal technician should review the work to be performed to ensure that all necessary "what" is ready and available? (2)
The side of the pole that is to be turned toward the load is called? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The load face Overhead signs used in traffic signals are what two types? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Regulatory signs Street name signs How are "blank-out" signs illuminated? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Internally When are blank-out signs only activated? (2) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Specific times of day Specific events Several considerations must be made before actively engaging in work with a lift truck, these include (5): - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Positioning if the vehicle in or adjacent to the roadway Establishing a temporary traffic control zone Verification of overhead conflicts Planning the work to be performed Using an approved safety harness Bucket trucks may have a boom that is capable of rotating and extending which is called? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Articulating boom
What are some disadvantages of an aerial platform lift?(4) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Only extends vertically Cannot reach as high as boom trucks Must be parked on flat ground Must be positioned directly below work area. The primary purpose of the traffic signal monitor unit is to act as? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Guard against system malfunction If a malfunction is present the monitoring unit will automatically put the intersection into what mode? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Flashing condition An intersection will remain in flash mode until the monitor unit is? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Reset The CMU and MMU checks the controller for what two things? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Proper power Timing functions What will cause the monitor (CMU) to transfer the intersection into flash mode?(3) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Loss of power to the controller The 24 volt DC voltage of the controller is lost Time it takes to change from one indication to another is incorrect
What does each conflict monitor have that is unique for that particular intersection - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Program card What are short lengths of conductors on the program card called? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Jumpers On the program card jumpers are installed to tell the unit "what" are considered compatible?(2) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Movements Channels For NEMA type controllers positions not having jumpers are considered as? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Conflicts Program cards for type 170 controllers use a "what" as a jumper to wire the positions which are considered conflicts? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Diode Why is it important to periodically review the monitor cards? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ To be sure the jumpers are assigned correctly What is used to provide the required flash rate when the signal is in flashing operation? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Flasher unit The MUTCD requires that when a signal is flashed that the light source be flashed at a rate of? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Not less than 50 or more than 60 times per minute
What relays are a type of relay that is capable of switching high levels of current? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Mercury Contactor In a traffic signal cabinet the mercury contactor controls the 120 VAC to all of the? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Load switches These devices are being replaced by many agencies due to what type of concerns? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Environmental What are used in traffic signal controller cabinets that are solid-state devices that monitor a mechanical switch or button and report the call status back to the controller unit? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Isolators What are the two basic types of isolator or isolator cards? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ AC isolators DC isolators What are the most common isolator cards? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Loop detector cards What are two other special purpose cards? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Video detector cards Emergency vehicle pre-emption
Load switches in the controller cabinet receive 24V DC and switch (reroute) the 120V AC to the lamps in the signal head. This potentially reduces: (2) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The number of faults induced into the controller from outside the cabinet. Electrical surges Why do some agencies operate signals in full operation mode for a period of time, then switch to flashing mode? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ To preserve the battery life Battery backup system manufactures claim that switching to red flashing operation at "what battery" level percent significantly extends run time?
Download operational parameters to the equipment Upload signal system software Upload traffic signal timing plans Set up video detection What are the two typical forms of interconnectivity for testing equipment? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Ethernet cable Serial communication cable What type of software program is typically used as a user interface? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Windows - based graphical user interface What is also known as volt/ohm meter or VOM - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ multi-meter What is an electronic measuring instrument that combines several functions into one unit? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ multi-meter A standard multi-meter includes what three main measurement features?
DC and AC current Resistance What are the two types of multi-meters? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Analog Digital Digital multi-meter functions:(5) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ High input impedance Automatic ranging of measurements Automatic polarity identification Sample and hold circuitry Provides a greater number of testing functions Analog multi-meter functions:(3) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Low impedance Fast meter reaction time(measurement time) Provides a quick go or no-go indication What is a device that measures the current flowing through a wire or circuit? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Ammeter Ammeters are also known as?(5) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Clamp-on ammeter
Amprobe Clamp meter Current probe Tong tester Which test equipment works by reading the magnetic field around the conductor? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Ammeter What is a unit that a signal technician uses to troubleshoot existing loops and test newly installed loops? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Loop Analyzer What does a loop analyzer measure?(5) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Frequency Relative strength Impedance Change in inductance when vehicle is present Resistance Define TDR? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Time domain reflectometer What is an electronic instrument used to characterize and locate faults in metallic cables? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ TDR - time domain reflectometer
Because of the sensitivity to impedance variations, a TDR may be used to: (3) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Verify cable impedance characteristics Splice and connector locations Estimate cable lengths What is a single sequence of displays that gives each movement at the intersection a chance to proceed through the intersection on a green indication? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Cycle What is the total number of seconds between the start of a specific display until that display comes up again called? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Cycle length In older electro-mechanical controllers the cycle is sometimes referred to as a? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Dial Describes the direction of approach and the maneuver made at the intersection? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ (Vehicle) Movement Vehicle movements are usually recorded in a "what" that is typically included in the plans for a traffic signal? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Timing chart How are vehicle phases typically numbered? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 1 through 8
Which numbers in a vehicle phase a assigned to the through movements? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Even numbers Which numbers are assigned to the left turn movements in a vehicle phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Odd numbers Which phases are typically assigned to the major-street through movements? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 2 and 6 The through phases are numbered in which direction and start with which phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Clockwise direction Phase 2 An intersection that has four through phases and four protected left-turn phases is said to be an "what" intersection? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Eight-phase What is most commonly associated with a specific vehicular or pedestrian movement? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Traffic signal phase What is the amount of time that a particular indication is given during a phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Interval Each vehicular phase is usually comprised of three specific intervals: - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Green interval Yellow change interval
Red clearance interval What is a series of conflicting phases that occur in an established order, but can never occur simultaneously with each other? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Ring of a traffic signal controller Controllers typically have what two types of ring operation? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Single Dual The number of rings is dependent upon "what" that is required for the intersection operation? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Phasing When are controllers with 3 or 4 rings typically used? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ When two or more separate intersections are controlled by a single controller What are phases that cannot happen at the same time because they conflict with one another? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Sequential phases In a sequential series of phases how many phases are served at a time? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ One What are used to provide signalization for specific movements that can be made while some of the other phases of the traffic signal cycle are being served? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Overlaps
Overlaps are different from other phases because they cannot be? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Independently called into action There are two basic types of overlaps, known as what? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Independent Parent/child What type of signals have detectors and gap counters, and can skip phases? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Actuated The use of fully actuated instead of non-actuated coordinated phases can do what two things? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Better balance volume- to-capacity ratios Decrease split failures What phase allows left turning drivers to cross a conflicting traffic stream with care when there are adequate gaps in the opposing traffic flow? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Permissive left turn When are protected only left turns typically used ?(3) - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ High volume of through traffic More than two through lanes Intersection with constrained sight distance
What phasing occurs when the left turn in one direction gets the left turn arrow before the opposing through movement gets the circular green, then the opposing left turn gets the green arrow after the opposing through is stopped? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Lead/lag left turn phasing What are the two types of flashing mode operation? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Yellow-red Red-red What can be planned for either scheduled late-night flashing or scheduled flashing of a signal that is only needed at certain times of the day or week, or emergency? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Flashing operation What mode causes flashing circular yellow indications to the major street approaches and flashing red indications are shown to the minor street approaches? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Yellow-red flashing mode Flashing red indications are shown to every approach lane to the intersection. This type of flashing operations essentially provides the same type of control as an all-way stop control. - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Red-red flashing mode What traffic signal control function is typically enabled by an on-site user via a switch selected inside the police panel? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Stop time
What term defines the minimum initial time that the minimum assured green is displayed? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Minimum green The minimum green time is established to provide what to the intersection. - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Enough time for vehicles stopped between the detector and the stop line to get started and move into the intersection. On what two factors is minimum green time dependent? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The location of the detector. The number of vehicles that can be queued When establishing the minimum green time consideration must be given to(4): - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Pedestrian timing Density operations Controller type Detection design When there are no pedestrian features the minimum green time should be calculated by? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ At least equal the minimum time it would take a pedestrian to safely cross the intersection. Typically how many seconds for a left-turn phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 3 to 7
How many seconds for a minor street through phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 5 to 15 How many seconds for a major street through phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ 15 to 25 The minimum green time must be long enough to? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Meet drivers expectations as to how long a green interval should be displayed. What is the period of time that the signal displays are red for all approaches? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ All-red clearance This interval allows for the intersection to "what" before a green phase starts again? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Clear Factors used to determine the most appropriate time for an all red clearance include: - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Type of vehicular traffic Driver characteristics Pedestrian activity in the intersection What is the establishment of a definite timing relationship between adjacent traffic signals? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Coordination timing
Traffic signal coordination timings are developed to provide a degree of consistency that should allow traffic to? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Progress through a number of intersections without stopping What within traffic controllers allow for timing plans to transition from one to another gradually so that traffic is not severely disrupted? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Algorithms The amount of time that is allocated to a particular signal phase is the phases? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Split A split includes what three things associated with the phase? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Green time Yellow time Red time What is the transfer of the normal control of signals to a special signal control mode? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Preemption timing Preemption timing has the purpose of servicing? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Railroad crossings Emergency vehicle passage Mass transit vehicle passage Other special tasks
Preemption timing control requires "what" of normal traffic control to provide the priority needs of a special task? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Terminating Transit preemption is often called what? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Transit Priority Transit priority can operate by two different techniques: - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Green extension Red truncation What has the purpose of transferring the right of way to an emergency vehicle that needs to traverse an intersection? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Emergency vehicle preemption What are the two types of emergency vehicle preemptions? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Stationary Mobile How is stationary emergency vehicle preemption typically activated - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ When an emergency responder depresses a pushbutton located within the facility. How does a mobile emergency preemption operate? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Transmitter located in the emergency vehicle Receiver located at the intersections
How is the preemption input activated typically? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ When the transmitter gets close enough to the receiver for the emitted signal to be detected by the receiver. The three stages of drawbridge preemption are? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The clearance of the bridge opening area to permit the gates to be lowered. The omission of phases during the opening. The modification of phase timing after and, opening to clear standing queues. Preemption routines can be directly tied to the bridges via: - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Control circuitry Queue detectors, down stream from the intersection on the approach to the bridge. Railroad preemption should always be set to which level of priority? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ The highest Emergency vehicles should be set to which level of priority? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ Medium priority If multiple multiple preempts are set to the same priority, how are preempts served? - Accurate Answers✔✔✔ On a first come first serve basis