WILL NEWLY APPROVED WARRANTS RESULT IN MORE SIGNALS

Three new warrants for traffic signals have been adopted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). They provide critria for approving or denying signal installations based on volumes in the 4 highest hours of the day, or based on either volumes or delays in the peak one hour. The article explains why the new warrants were necessary, and describes their development. Their application is also described. The article addresses the question of whether intersections would find it easier to meet signal warrants and so more difficult for engineers to deny requests for signals that they believe are unnecessary. Two studies are described (a Texas review of 80 signalized intersections; and a National Cooperative Highway Research Program study of 444 signalized intersections) which were the basis for FHWA's decision that the warrants would not result in a large increase in the number of warranted signals.